In the most recent round of funding, the Scientific Advisory Group approved funding for a three-year project examining Tribbles pseudokinases and, in particular, analysing cancer-associated signalling mechanisms.
Heading up the project will be Prof Patrick Eyers, Dr Dominic Byrne, and Prof Claire Eyers of the University of Liverpool.
Tribbles (TRIB) pseudokinase is a family of proteins found in all animals. They help determine how messages relay within and between cells - a process called 'cell signalling'.
TRIBs are involved in cancer cell proliferation, survival and drug resistance, which determine survival rates in cancer patients.
TRIBs are involved in 'scaffolding' and activating (or inhibiting) protein kinases (enzymes), which help disseminate cellular messages through a chemical process called phosphorylation.
In addition, TRIBs promote a different protein modification called ubiquitination, which makes target proteins less stable.
Current knowledge of TRIB proteins in the signalling 'network' is poor, and the precise molecular mechanisms of TRIB cancer biology are not understood.
In this study, the investigators will study and evaluate both types of processes.
The hope is that this work will lead to improved treatments for patients.
