Term: 01.07.2026 – 31.12.2028
The gut microbiota is a key contributor to colorectal cancer (CRC). Our data suggest that bacterial nanoparticles act as shuttles delivering microbial effectors to intestinal stem cells. We hypothesize that they promote CRC initiation and progression by transferring genotoxins and modulating the tumor microenvironment. This project aims to dissect how bacterial nanoparticles influence tumor cells and the TME.
Term: 01.06.2026 – 30.11.2028
We demonstrate inflammation of 218 urothelial bladder cancers is driven by the Endogenous Retrovirus interferon axis and identify five clusters. Cytokines S100A8/A9 were the highest significantly differentially expressed genes. S100A8/A9 also function in the nucleus and transcriptionally co-activate ERVs, but repress interferon stimulated genes. Analyses of bladder tumors for inflammation, S100A8/A9 and ERVs will help to understand tumor progression and maintenance predicting clinical outcome.