Project Reference: TRG27-SCI-MS1

Project title: Investigating the regenerative microenvironment as a barrier to tumourigenesis.

Project outline

Cancer and tissue regeneration share many of the same biological processes, including cell growth, movement and tissue remodelling. However, while regeneration restores healthy tissue after injury, cancer disrupts normal tissue organisation and leads to uncontrolled growth. This raises a fundamental question: how can regenerating tissues support extensive cell activity without developing cancer? Growing evidence suggests that the answer lies not only within the cancer cells themselves, but also in the surrounding tissue environment. This PhD project will investigate how regenerative tissues naturally prevent tumour formation, using the mouse digit tip as a unique model where some injuries regenerate successfully while others heal with scarring. By comparing these different healing responses, the project will explore how the regenerative environment influences the behaviour of tumour cells and maintains normal tissue organisation.

The student will investigate how local tissue properties, including the extracellular matrix and mechanical environment, work together with signals triggered throughout the body after injury, such as immune and neural responses, to control cell behaviour during regeneration. Using a combination of advanced imaging, molecular profiling and experimental models, the project will identify the biological mechanisms that allow tissues to regenerate while preventing malignant growth. The findings will improve our understanding of the relationship between regeneration and cancer and could reveal new strategies for harnessing regenerative processes to limit tumour development. 

Principal Supervisor

Dr Mekayla Storer

Email address: ms2786@cam.ac.uk

Department / Partner Institute: Cambridge Stem Cell Institute

Website: https://www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk/people/pi/storer

BBSRC strategic theme

Understanding the rules of life