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SUMMARY:Stromal Function in the Tumour Microenvironment: You Are What You 
 Eat
DTSTART:20140602T121500
DTSTAMP:20260407T011307Z
UID:36c2ffab59cadca1effee493ff47f425b338a530afeb3b7130d51187
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Dr. Jacqueline Shields\, MRC Cancer Unit\, University of Cambr
 idge (UK)\nJoint CANCER and BIOENGINEERING SEMINARAbstract:\nNon-cancerous
  cells within tumours form a supportive network commonly known as the tumo
 ur stroma. Lymphatic vessels found within stromal zones link a tumour to d
 ownstream lymph nodes and the immune system\, yet in many cases the anti-t
 umour immune response is ineffective. The mechanisms by which a tumour eva
 des destruction whilst being directly connected to the immune system still
  remains unclear\, although it is becoming apparent that stromal component
 s have the potential to directly contribute.\nA subset of cancer–associa
 ted fibroblasts (CAF) share characteristics with lymph node stroma: a site
  of immune decision making within lymph nodes. One of these shared charact
 eristics is the expression of podoplanin. Clinical studies have correlated
  its presence with poor prognosis\, and in mouse models podoplanin-express
 ing stroma was also associated with enhanced tumour progression and change
 s in immune responses.\nWe are working towards identifying the mechanisms 
 by which supporting cells within a tumour operate in favour of a developin
 g tumour\, and in particular\, how the uptake of tumour cell debris may fa
 cilitate this. We show that CAFs are able to engulf and process tumour deb
 ris and soluble antigen\, reminiscent of the lymph node stroma and therefo
 re have the potential to directly modulate the developing anti-tumour immu
 ne response in situ.Bio:\nJacqui Shields studied Pathology and Microbiolog
 y at the University of Bristol. She then went on to complete her PhD in tu
 mour microcirculation in the Department of Physiology at Bristol\, where h
 er interest in tumour-associated lymphatic vessels began.\nTo gain experti
 se in lymphatic functionality\, and how this could relate to tumour progre
 ssion\, she joined the laboratory of Professor Melody Swartz\, at the Inst
 itute of Bioengineering at EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) in
  Switzerland\, to pursue her postdoctoral training.\nDuring this time\, Dr
 . Shields was awarded the "Fondation Latsis Internationale" Prize for her 
 work on understanding how tumour cells sense and exploit functional\, drai
 ning lymphatics to promote metastasis. In 2008 she was awarded the Servier
  Award for research of significant contribution to the field of microcircu
 lation.\nDr. Shields' research has helped to elucidate links between lymph
 atic function and lymphatic growth factors with the processes of tumour pr
 ogression and metastasis. She arrived at the MRC Cancer Unit in June 2011\
 , where her research group focuses on the relationship between lymphatics 
 and tumour stroma in establishing and maintaining the tumour microenvironm
 ent.
LOCATION:SV1717A http://map.epfl.ch/?room=sv1717a
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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