Louise Cheng lab

The bidirectional conversion between differentiated cells and stem cells often underlies carcinogenesis. Mechanisms must be in place to prevent differentiated cells from reverting to multipotent stem cells. We have recently discovered that zinc finger transcription factor Nerfin-1 is required to maintain neurons in a differentiated state. In the absence of Nerfin-1, neurons rapidly increase their cellular growth and switch on stem cell markers, then form tumours. The Louise Cheng lab is interested in identifying novel transcription factors that regulate this process, and investigate whether these factors are involved in regeneration. Project led by Khanh Nguyen.

Related papers: Froldi et al., Genes&Development, 2015, Vissers et al., Cell Reports, 2018, Froldi et al., EMBO J, 2019, Veen et al., EMBO Reports 2023

Cachexia is a wasting syndrome affecting 80% advanced cancer patients, where tumour derived factors can induce the break down of fat and skeletal muscles, in order to generate metabolic intermediates necessary for tumour growth. The signalling between tumours and other tissues is highly complex, and the adaptations that allow cancer cells to preferentially activate growth are largely unknown. The Louise Cheng lab seeks to uncover novel mediators of cancer cachexia and investigate their mechanisms of action using Drosophila genetics, confocal microscopy, proteomics, metabolomics and validate our findings in patient samples. Project led by Dr Callum Dark, Dr Sofya Golenkina and Jessie Liu. 

Related papers: Lodge et al., Dev Cell, 2021, Dark et al., Star Protocols, 2022

The link between nutrition and cancer is a long standing question in the clinic. Cancer cells are known to drive altered metabolic circuits to meet the bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of increased cell growth and proliferation. Brain cancer cells do this by increasing nutrient transporters on the surface of the blood brain barrier (BBB). We are seeking to understand how we can target these transporters and thus shut down brain tumours by restricting their nutrient supply. Project led by Dr Joanna Dong and Edel Alvarez.