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Project details
Researcher: Dr Rachael Natrajan
Location: The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, London
Project title: Functional Genomics team
Key area: Treatment
The challenge
Breast cancer is not one, but a collection of diverse and overlapping diseases. This makes it difficult to accurately diagnose patients and select the best possible treatment for each individual. We need to understand more about the distinct molecular and genetic characteristics of different types of breast cancer to improve diagnosis and treatment.
Project description
The Functional Genomics team studies the genetic mutations that are responsible for different types of breast cancer, with the aim of identifying new targeted treatments for specific types of breast cancer. This will allow clinicians to choose the best treatment for each individual patient in order to offer a more personalised treatment plan.
How will the team achieve this?
Different types of breast cancer could be more accurately diagnosed with a better understanding of the genetic and molecular characteristics which define each type. The team is searching for genetic and molecular markers that are distinct to different types of breast cancer.
Tumours are not made up of uniform cancer cells but are actually a mixture of cancer cells with different genetic backgrounds. The team is delving into the genetic diversity found within tumours to see if they can find ways to more accurately characterise different types of breast cancer.
What difference will this project make?
A better understanding of the distinct characteristics of different types of breast cancer will help improve the accuracy of diagnosis and ultimately lead to the discovery of new ways to ensure every patient receives the best treatment possible.
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