Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death in women, largely due to invasion, metastasis and recurrence. These processes are aided by the cancer cells’ interactions with their immediate environment, including with non-cancerous cell populations, structural changes in the extracellular matrix that physically holds the tissue together, chemical signals, and physical stresses that are encountered such as those that push and pull on the cells.
It is still not fully understood which key molecular factors, proteins and pathways are involved in detecting changes in and cues from the environment and relaying them inside the cell, leading to cancer cells becoming more aggressive and in turn acting upon their environment to further enhance its tumour-promoting capacity. This knowledge can contribute to important clinical applications such as predicting patient prognosis and identifying new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
Sarah’s research seeks to understand the causes and results of cancer-promoting changes in tumour cells and their environment. She has demonstrated that cell signalling in response to physical pressure helps breast cancer cells to hijack normal cells called fibroblasts, transforming them into cancer-promoting. This leads to further changes in the environment that fuels cancer growth.
Sarah’s current research program investigates relationships between physical force, the tumour ecosystem, and cancer progression, to identify key nodes that present therapeutic opportunities to arrest cancer progression and metastasis. By improving the understanding of these processes, her research informs the development of new cancer treatments to improve patient outcomes.