Thematic Axis: Tumor Progression and Oncogenesis

Head of the axis : Fabrice Lavial

Research in the axis aims to unravel the complex mechanisms underlying cancer development and spread. The primary objective is to understand how cancer cells evolve from normal cells and acquire the ability to metastasize. The 13 teams focus on identifying key molecular pathways and cellular interactions that drive tumor growth and invasion. A major goal is to (i) discover biomarkers for early detection and (ii) develop targeted therapies to prevent metastasis. We also investigate (i) the tumor microenvironment and its role in supporting cancer progression as well as (ii) cancer cell plasticity to comprehend treatment resistance. Ultimately, the overarching goal is to improve patient outcomes and reduce cancer-related mortality through innovative approaches.

Microenvironmental signalling in tumour dissemination

Team leader: Julien Ablain
The Ablain team studies the microenvironmental cues that control the early steps of metastatic progression in melanoma using human cell culture and zebrafish models.

Apoptosis, cancer and development

Team leader: Patrick Mehlen
The Mehlen team works on the role of dependence receptors and their respective ligands, and more specifically of netrin-1 receptors, in the regulation of tumor progression.

BMP, Ecosystem, stemness and dynamic in cancer

Team leaders: Véronique-Maguer-Satta
The Maguer-Satta team aims to understand how intrinsic factors (Runx1, IDH) or extrinsic mechanical stress and immune cells collaborate to promote tumor progression.

Cancer cell death

Team leader: Gabriel Ichim
The Ichim team is re-examining how cancer cells interact with the process of cell death. They are especially interested in understanding how cell death itself—and its main players, like certain proteins (called caspases) and different organelles (like mitochondria)—might actually help cancer develop.

Cellular Senescence, Cancer and Aging

Team Leader: David Bernard
The Bernard team, by studying cellular senescence, a stress-inducible response, and its associated mechanisms, aims to identify novel regulators of cell plasticity, tumor formation and progression.

Genetics, Epigenetics and Biology of Sarcomas

Team leader: Franck Tirode
The Tirode team aims at investigating the biology of sarcomas harboring an oncogenic fusion gene, from the identification of molecular markers for diagnosis and prognosis to the development of specific inhibitors of the fusion gene functions.

Glioblastoma metabolism and heterogeneity, in 3D organoids

Team leader: Erika Cosset
The Cosset team aims at investigating Cancer Stem Cell plasticity in response to their harsh microenvironmental pressure (such as hypoxia).

KidsCaN – Kids & Cancer Neuroscience

Team leader: Céline Delloye-Bourgeois
The Delloye-Bourgeois team aims to characterize the cellular and molecular mechanisms specifically involved in the metastatic spread of pediatric cancers and their sensitivity to anticancer therapies.

Molecular regulation of cancer immunity

Team leader: Yenkel Ginberg-Bleyer
The Grinberg-Bleyer team studies the cancer-cell intrinsic signaling pathways and transcription factors that drive immune escape to support tumor progression in melanoma and pancreatic cancer.

Onco-pharmacology

Team leaders: Charles Dumontet & Lars Peter Jordheim
The Jordheim/Dumontet team is interested in oncogenic drivers in lung cancer, and particularly the role of NRG1-fusions in the development and the aggressiveness of these cancers.

Reprogramming, stem cells and oncogenesis

Team leader: Fabrice Lavial
The Lavial team explores whether adult and pediatric cancer cell trajectories can be intercepted using epigenetic reprogramming.

Ribosome, translation and cancer

Team leaders: Jean-Jacques Diaz
The Diaz team aims to elucidate the role of ribosome, especially chemical modifications of ribosomal RNAs, in the synthesis of specific proteins that promote metastatic progression in breast cancer and contribute to therapeutic resistance in glioblastoma tumors.

Immunity and Inflammation

Team Leader: Julien Marie
The Marie team explores how the immune system, and particularly the recently identified tumorigenic T cells, induce the transformation of epithelium.