Innovative research
Can copper be used to selectively kill prostate cancer cells?
Research Fellow Dr Michael Cater is researching the cellular mechanisms and pathways leading to copper accumulation and copper-ionophore sensitivity in prostate cancer.
He is testing the hypotheses that:
- cancerous prostate cells accumulate intracellular copper early during their development
- (aberrations in the expression profile of copper-homeostasis proteins underpins copper accumulation
- custom-made copper-ionophores can selectively and effectively kill actual human prostate cancer tissue.
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