'Role of RACO-1 in tissue homeostasis and cancer'

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Cancer is now known to originate from the deregulation of cellular proteins important for controlling the normal growth of cells. Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death in western countries and Ras is a protein commonly mutation in this form of cancer. It has been suggested that the deregulation of Ras occurs within a specific cellular area of the lung comprising of lung stem cells, and that this is the origin of the cancer. This is important as it implies that that drug treatment could be directed to defined targets within the organ and thus eliminates the cause of cancer and reduces unwanted side effects. We have recently identified a novel protein, RACO-1, that could be an important molecular link between Ras and another cancer promoting protein, c-Jun. Here we will investigate the role of RACO-1 in lung cancer using various mouse experimental systems. We hope these studies will help us understand how the proliferation and development of normal and tumorigenic lung stem cells is regulated and how RACO-1 may function in this context. These studies will help us identify new regulators of lung cancer development, thus enabling the discovery of novel targets for rational drug design.