Understanding triple negative breast cancer dependence on serine biosynthesis: new insights for targeted therapy.

Breast cancer is the second leading causes of cancer death among women. This issue is of particular relevance for Belgium, which has the highest incidence rate for breast cancer in Europe. Today we know that breast cancer is no single disease. Conversely, multiple subtypes exist, with different molecular basis, clinical outcomes and response to treatment. The challenge we face is therefore to understand the characteristics of each breast cancer subtype, down to the molecular level, in order to define their specific weaknesses and to exploit them for more effective cures. In this respect, changes in cellular metabolism are currently regarded as a defining feature of cancer cells, and targeting these metabolic alterations to bring them back to normal is a new therapeutic approach that holds great expectations. With this research proposal, I will apply this idea to the study of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), allegedly the most aggressive and lethal among breast tumors. The conventional therapies often fail against TNBC, and finding new options for its cure is of the utmost importance. Luckily, recent studies have identified a new feature for this breast cancer subtype: the dependence on the metabolic pathway responsible for the production of the aminoacid serine. My study will therefore focus on understanding how and why TNBC are dependent on this pathway, in order to identify the best molecular target for the design of a new, more specific and effective therapy.