Grant: Project Grant

Bacteria residing in the human lung may contribute to cancer development. This study determines whether specific changes in bacterial composition in the airways is indicative of cancer development and if the bacteria living in lung tumours are supplying essential nutrients (that cannot be produced by human cells) to support tumour growth. Knowledge gained from this project will facilitate development of innovative strategies for early detection (by detecting bacterial-related changes prior to clinical diagnosis) and early intervention of lung cancer (by targeting bacteria living in the tumour in order to starve cancer cells).