Understanding telomere instability could improve cancer therapies

Claus Maria Azzalin

Project awarded in collaboration with the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnología

  • PROJECT LEADER

    Claus Maria Azzalin

  • HOST ORGANIZATION,
    COUNTRY

    Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Portugal

  • DESCRIPTION

    Telomeres are structures at the ends of chromosomes that maintain the stability of our genome. Telomeres get shorter with each cell division as we age and by doing so they ensure that our cells do not proliferate indefinitely and become cancerous.

    The interaction of telomeric RNAs and telomeric proteins is key in the protection of these telomeres and might participate in the establishment of anti-cancer barriers.

    The project investigates the role of these molecules in preventing the development of oncological diseases, since better understanding them could contribute to the design of new strategies for diagnosis and therapy.

  • PROJECT TITLE

    Regulatory RNA–protein interactions at telomeres in healthy cells and during malignant transformation

  • BUDGET

    €495,792