Brain tumour are very aggressive and difficult to treat. They harbour specific cells with stem cell-like properties, the cancer stem cells, which fuel tumour growth. These cells compete with and make their way through the host tissue, a complex microenvironment made of diverse cell types with unique and poorly replaceable functions. While the focus has been on cancer stem cell properties, the response of the host tissue to tumour growth, and especially its potential for resistance, are poorly known.
Our primary model relies on transformed Drosophila neural stem cells (NSCs), which display core features of mammalian neurogenesis and live in a genuine, highly structured microenvironment. Localised NSC dysregulation during development leads to a tumour which eventually invades other brain regions in adults. Our previous work (Gualtieri et al, 2026) has shown that host glial cells have the ability to resist to tumor progression.
This project tests the importance of the host mechanical environment on tumour properties as one potential mechanism for resistance.
