Prostate cancer and lipid metabolism based therapies

Current research and student project opportunity

With our state (Flinders University), interstate (Monash Uni) and international (Leuven, Belgium) collaborators, we will be testing in preclinical models, a suite of potential drugs that target aberrant lipid metabolism in prostate cancer tumours. These include ELOVL5, acetyl coA-carboxylase and other androgen-regulated lipogenic genes. The preclinical models include a range of cell line models across the natural course of disease, mouse xenograft models, human patient-derived explants, and organoids of patient-derived xenografts. 

The goal of this research is to develop better prognostic blood tests for prostate cancer using lipidome signatures which would then be used to prescribe the most appropriate lipid modifying therapies on an individual basis– including the repurposing of current therapies and development of new therapies that target adverse lipid metabolism within prostate cancer to improve outcomes.

Enquiries to: Professor Lisa Butler

Key reference: Nassar ZD et al. Human DECR1 is an androgen-repressed survival factor that regulates PUFA oxidation to protect prostate tumor cells from ferroptosis. Elife . 2020 Jul 20;9:e54166. doi: 10.7554/eLife.54166.

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