How do tumour cells talk to the outside environment?

Developing tumour cells interact with a complex and heterogeneous ecosystem, namely the tumour microenvironment (TME), comprising mutant and wild-type cells, as well as other cell types including endothelial, immune and mesenchymal cells. Mesenchymal fibroblast cells present in the TME favour the growth and expansion of cancer cells, highlighting the need to accurately identify critical signalling pathways shared between tumour cells and fibroblasts in advanced disease models. To identify and study the key intercellular signalling networks shared between gastric tumour cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), you will utilise mouse models of gastric cancer, cutting-edge cell co-culture systems, mass spectrometry, proteomics and small molecule inhibitors.