Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Telomeres are sections of DNA found at the ends of our chromosomes. Telomerase is an essential component of the makeup of our genetic information. It helps to assemble and protect our DNA in our telomeres from damage. Since telomerase possesses such a critical role for our cell's health and make-up, it's dysfunction can result in devastating effects to our well-being. Cancer is a disease characterized by the rapid and uncontrolled division of cells. As a cell begins to become cancerous, it divides more often, and its telomeres become very short. If its telomeres get too short, the cell may die. However, these cells can escape death by making more telomerase, which prevents the telomeres from getting even shorter. Cancer cells contain active telomerase to enable them to become 'immortal' and continue dividing uncontrollably. When compared to normal healthy cells in our body, the levels of telomerase are greatly increased in cancer cells. This observation, which is found to be true for a wide number of different cancer types, can be exploited to develop new cancer therapies which specifically target the out-of-control telomerase. If telomerase activity was switched off in cancer cells, their telomeres would shorten until they reached a 'critical length'. This would, prevent the cancer cells from dividing uncontrollably to form tumours. Further research into the different processes which control telomerase levels and activity, once identified, can be exploited as targets for cancer therapy. Based on these findings, compounds can be developed which specifically target this out-of-control cellular process, and tested on human cancer cells to determine their efficacy in slowing the progression of cancer.