Tumour suppressors, oncogenes and disrupted cell regulation in cancer

Sporadic cancer development is driven when mutations change key proteins that regulate cell growth, survival and proliferation. Such mutations are also inherited by some individuals, generally leading to symptoms that include an increased risk of tumours. Our laboratory studies a specific set of proteins which act together as a functional unit termed the PI3K signalling network to coordinate cells responses to their environment, including their growth, survival and proliferation. I’ll be talking about several projects that address the different effects of mutations in PI3K pathway components, including mutations have been identified in sporadic tumours, and those that have been inherited by patients with multiple cancers and also a separable group of patients with autism.