Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Prostate cancer is a major cause of cancer-related deaths in men worldwide. To improve the lives of patients, it is essential to understand how this cancer progresses and find new ways to treat it. In this study, we are focusing on a protein called G-Patch Domain Containing 4 (GPATCH4), which plays a role in a specific part of the cell called the nucleolus. Think of the nucleolus as a busy factory where ribosomes are produced for the synthesis of proteins. Our initial findings show that GPATCH4 forms liquid droplet-like structures inside the nucleolus, and this may affect how prostate cancer cells survive and grow. By using advanced molecular and cell biology techniques, we investigate how GPATCH4 influences the organization of the nucleolus and its role in making proteins that are essential for cancer cells. We have also noticed that GPATCH4 levels are higher in aggressive prostate cancer cases, which are associated with poorer survival outcomes. To understand why this happens, we examine how GPATCH4 interacts with other proteins inside the nucleolus. Additionally, we test how reducing GPATCH4 levels affects the growth and survival of prostate cancer cells. This research aims to provide a better understanding of how the nucleolus works in prostate cancer and determine if GPATCH4 could be used as a marker to predict outcomes or as a target for developing new treatments. Ultimately, our findings could contribute to improving the strategies for fighting prostate cancer and enhancing the quality of life for patients.