Investigating novel mechanisms and treatments for metastatic bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignancies that affect both men and women, and metastasis – which refers to the spreading of cancer cells to distinct organs – is the major cause of death in patients with bladder cancer. However, most patients with metastatic bladder cancer have limited treatment options. One of the main limitations is the scarcity of knowledge regarding the mechanisms that cause metastasis. To overcome this challenge, the main goal of this project is to understand what promotes bladder cancer metastasis so that we can then discover new ways to treat patients with this lethal disease. The foundation of this study is a new mouse model of metastatic bladder cancer that I have developed, which will allow me to study the progression of metastasis in the whole organism, which is how it happens in humans. This mouse model is unique because there are few other models of bladder cancer that develop metastasis in the whole organism. I will capitalize on this model to identify candidate mechanisms that may drive metastasis. To identify 'driver' genes, I will perform computational approaches, and I will use experimental approaches to validate my findings. A better understanding of how metastasis occurs will lead to the identification of new targets for treatment of this deadly condition. Taken together, the insights learned about the biology of metastasis as well as the novel treatment options should ultimately benefit patients who currently have little hope.