Analysing the forces, biomechanics and molecular mechanisms that drive cancer metastasis in vitro.

该项目旨在发展对高级别浆液性卵巢癌(HGSOC)细胞分化过程的新的生物力学理解。肿瘤组织的异常机械性能的重要性已经变得越来越明显。事实上，通过对病理性机械应变重新激活机械敏感通路而诱导的致癌生化信号，已被证明与肿瘤细胞外基质(ECM)的增厚相关，进而驱动组织硬化和为免疫细胞和治疗性渗透建立物理屏障。因此，细胞外基质过度沉积的癌症尤其对治疗和免疫细胞监测具有抵抗力，这将生物力学与普遍存在的临床挑战联系在一起。对这些过程的更好理解需要创新技术的发展。

The project aims to develop novel biomechanical understanding of the differentiation processes undertaken by High Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma (HGSOC) cells. The importance of the anomalous mechanical properties of tumour tissues has become increasingly apparent. Indeed, the induction of tumorigenic biochemical signalling, through the reactivation of mechanosensitive pathways in response to pathological mechanical strains, has been shown to correlate with thickening of the tumour extra cellular matrix (ECM), in turn driving tissue stiffening and the construction of physical barriers for both immune cell and therapeutic infiltration. As a result, cancers with excessive ECM deposition are particularly resistant to treatment and immune cell surveillance, linking biomechanics to prevalent clinical challenges. Greater understanding of these process requires innovative technology development.