Project title: Cellular Reprogramming of Enteroendocrine Cells and Neuroendocrine Tumors
Michael Choi, MD Massachusetts General Hospital
- Status: Completed
- Year(s): 2009
- Research Type: Basic
- Primary Tumor Site: Small intestine
- Area of Inquiry: Mapping NET dependencies
General Description
The technology of cellular reprogramming from the stem cell field offers a novel method to investigate the neuroendocrine tumor (NET) biology. We hypothesize that new insights will be gained by reprogramming cellular identity of both normal and tumor cells by forcibly expressing a correct set of transcription factors, genes that turn on or off other genes. Such change in cellular identity could result in transdifferentiation where one cell lineage type changes to another or in dedifferentiation where cells acquire potential to become many different cell types, similar to stem cells. Broadly, we propose to investigate the biology of endocrine cells and their counterpart NET cells by inducing transdifferentiation or dedifferentiation
Additional Details
- City: Boston
- State: Massachusetts
- Grant Duration: 2 years
- Awards: Mary Terese Hartzheim Award for Neuroendocrine Tumor Research
DISCLAIMER
NETRF funds laboratory research to understand the development of neuroendocrine tumors and translational research to explore new concepts in treatment. Research grant descriptions and research updates from NETRF are not intended to serve as medical advice. It can take years for research discoveries to be fully validated and approved for patient care. Always consult your health care providers about your treatment options.