Department Molecular Genetics
Principal investigator Dik C. van Gent
E-mail address d.vangent@erasmusmc.nl
Website https://www.erasmusmc.nl/en/research/researchers/gent-van
Counteracting radio-resistance in prostate cancer and lung cancer
Suitable as a BEP? No
Suitable as a MEP? Yes
Suitable as an Academic Research Project? No
Techniques:
- Quantitative PCR
- Western blot
- CRISPR/Cas9 knockout
- Clonogenic assay
- Fractionated irradiation
Radiotherapy is an important modality used for prostate cancer and lung cancer. Unfortunately a substantial number of cancer patients relapse or metastasis after radiotherapy treatment as the tumors acquire resistance to radiotherapy. We found that radiation-resistant cancer cells can be re-sensitized by withholding radiotherapy by 17 days. We performed mRNA sequencing of prostate cancer cells and CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screening in lung cancer cells that are sensitive, resistant or re-re-sensitized to radiotherapy to identify genes contribute to radio-resistance and re-sensitization. In this project, we will select a subset of candidate genes that are differentially expressed in these groups and validate their expression in both prostate and lung cancer cell lines. Furthermore, we will knockout the candidate genes using CRISPR-Cas9 techniques and assess the sensitivity to radiotherapy by clonogenic assays.
Supervisor: Dik C. van Gent, d.vangent@erasmusmc.nl