IPBS participates in breast cancer awareness Month 2024 – Pink October
Breast cancer awareness Month has been celebrated every October since the 1980s. Known as “Pink October,” it is symbolized by the global adoption of the pink color and the display of pink ribbons to raise awareness about the importance of prevention, routine screening for early diagnosis, and advancements in breast cancer treatment.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. IPBS contributes to breast cancer research through various innovative studies. Priyanka Sharma’s team investigates the functional role of citrullination of RNA polymerase II in triple-negative breast cancer patients. Additionally, the teams of Jean-Philippe Girard and Catherine Muller study the tumor microenvironment, exploring the role of high endothelial venules (HEVs) as gateways for lymphocytes into tumor tissues and the influence of adipocytes on breast cancer progression, respectively.
As a key highlight of IPBS’s involvement in breast cancer research, the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM) has chosen to feature Marie Rebeaud in a special video for Pink October. Marie, a 4th-year PhD student at IPBS, is funded by FRM and works in Prof. Catherine Muller’s team under the supervision of Catherine Muller and Frédérique Fallone. Her PhD was initially supported for three years by the non-profit organization Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer.
Marie has made a significant discovery by identifying a subtype of triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive form of the disease, which interacts with mammary adipocytes to enhance cancer cell survival, stem cell self-renewal, and chemoresistance. This effect is driven by the uptake of mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) provided by the adipocytes surrounding the tumor. Her findings were demonstrated using an innovative 3D co-culture system with human mammary adipocytes, developed in close collaboration with Prof. Charlotte Vaysse from the Toulouse Cancer Center (IUCT-O).
To learn more about Marie’s research, you can watch the video produced by FRM at IPBS!