Precision oncology approach towards understanding prostate cancer lineage plasticity

Principal Investigator: 
Prof. Dr. Mark Andrew Rubin,  Precision Oncology Research Group, Department for Biomedical Research, University of Bern. For more information, please visit the website.

Co-Investigator:
Dr. Simone de Brot, Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Animal Pathology. 

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in men. As it is driven by the male hormone -androgen-, the first-line treatment for advanced metastatic PCa is based on androgen deprivation. Although initially effective, the treatment ultimately fails and tumors progress. Second-line treatment with more potent anti-androgens delays progression; however, most tumors will eventually evolve into a lethal phenotype that does not depend on androgens.  This project focusing on this “off-target” therapy resistance has the potential to better understand cancer behavior, discover novel markers for cancer detection, and identify new strategies for a successful and personalized treatment.