i2 and H35 HEPA Workstations at ICR, London

Date: 1^st April 2015

Whitley i2 Instrument Workstation used in deciphering the metabolic properties of Breast Cancer

The Institute of Cancer Research, London is Europe’s largest cancer centre and one of the world’s most influential research institutes, with an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years.

Cancer cells display unique alterations in their signalling and metabolic circuitry in order to fuel their growth and proliferation and/or adapt to conditions of oxygen and nutrient deprivation. The Signalling and Cancer Metabolism Team, led by Dr George Poulogiannis uses high-throughput technologies including mass spectrometry-based metabolomics, and utilizes the Seahorse XF Analyzer to measure the basal oxygen consumption and glycolysis rates in order to reveal the metabolic dependencies of breast cancer-driven alterations. We are using a Whitley i2 Instrument Workstation to study the signalling and metabolic pathways that may preserve breast cancer cell viability under hypoxia. In addition to this, we have a general interest in identifying what signalling and metabolic pathways are associated with the acquisition of microsatellite (MSI) and chromosomal instability (CIN) under oxygen deprivation conditions. Finally, we are studying the role of hypoxia in cell invasion and metastasis, oncogene-induced senescence and resistance to current treatment options.

George Poulogiannis
Team Leader, Division of Cancer Biology
Institute of Cancer Research, London