Biophysical Tools for the Characterization of Breast Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion

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One in nine Canadian women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. The cause of death will not likely be due to theprimary breast tumor but due to the spread of the cancer to distant organs, a process known as metastasis. Despitesignificant advancements in treatments, breast cancers capable of spreading to other tissues remain largely incurable. Aclearer understanding of the mechanisms that control breast cancer cell migration and invasion within the primary tumor andat distant metastatic sites is needed in order to identify new and novel therapeutic targets. Cancer cell migration andinvasion is controlled, in part, by forces exerted upon cancer cells by surrounding tissue. However, the cancer cells mustconvert these forces into structural or chemical signals that alter cellular behavior. There is a need for imaging tools to helpdecipher how these forces are converted to structural or chemical changes within the cell. Here, we propose to develop acomprehensive toolbox of protocols, imaging conditions, analysis algorithms and software packages to control andsimultaneously measure forces applied to the cell and the cellular signals that result. Co-ordinating force and signalingmetrics will allow us to understand how these processes are inter-related and begin to comprehend the complexmechanisms controlling breast cancer metastasis. We will develop cellular model systems of increasing complexity,progressing from 1D to 3D, to more closely resemble the biological environment. We will commercialize aspects of oursoftware with major corporate partners and develop a comprehensive training program to ensure researchers across cancerbiology and other fields can effectively use the toolbox we create.