One of the greatest challenges in cancer research today is the complex biological and molecular heterogeneity of tumors, both between patients and within individual tumors. This diversity shapes all critical aspects of tumor development and how tumors respond to treatment. Tumor heterogeneity is at the root of key clinical problems such as metastasis and drug resistance.
Although genomic data is vital, it cannot fully capture tumor heterogeneity. As a result, it is insufficient on its own to predict how patients will respond or resist therapies, or to guide the discovery of new targets, markers for patient stratification, or drug repurposing strategies.
Our research explores multiple cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in tumor formation, persistence, and response or resistance to cancer treatments. A central theme is how tumor cells adapt—or show plasticity—in response to their environment and therapies. We focus on:
i) Cellular adaptation processes, including stem cell reprogramming, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, switching between proliferative and invasive states, and interactions with immune and inflammatory cells;
ii) Molecular adaptation mechanisms such as changes in gene expression, protein synthesis, metabolism, and epigenetic regulation;
iii) The biological and molecular diversity within tumors, studied at the single-cell, clone, and molecular level, with a focus on Cancer Stem Cells, dormant tumor cells, and how adaptive and genetic changes interact.
Innovation and collaboration are fundamental to our work. That’s why we created the Technology Transfer Office, IEO-TT (Innovation and Excellence in Oncology - Tech Transfer), which partners closely with our researchers and clinicians. IEO-TT’s goal is to transform scientific discoveries into patient-centered innovations by protecting intellectual property, promoting entrepreneurship, and forging strategic collaborations with both academia and industry.