Grant: Operating Grant

Cancer is a genetic disease caused by inappropriate, unrestrained cell growth and division. The regulators of cell division are remarkably conserved, with the same players functioning to promote or inhibit these processes in simple one-celled organisms to human cells. Dr. Andrews' group will make use of the powerful genetics and experimental accessibility of a simple model organism system - the budding yeast - to systematically explore a family of key cell cycle regulators called kinases. Advances in genome-scale technologies, genome sequencing projects and astounding technological developments mean that model organism systems remain ensconced at the frontiers of biomedical research and will continue to produce fundamental new insights into cell division and cancer in the coming decade. The overall goal of Dr. Andrews' research program is to set the stage for the development of new cancer therapies that manipulate the cell division cycle, through the development of a comprehensive 'road-map' describing cell division and cell polarity pathways in normal cells - this roadmap will provide the essential foundation for producing a view of how this map is redrawn in cancer cells.