Lucilla Lecchhas major research interest in understanding the role of 'cancer chaperone, Hsp90' in tumor cell adaptations to stress. While several of oncogenic kinases are potential clients of Hsp90, how Hsp90 helps cells to adapt to single kinase mutations is an intriguing question. While addressing this question, I also intended to come out with inducing cellular senescence as a potential anticancer strategy. I have established tumor cells adapted to single mutation in Raf using primary human cells and uncovered how this mutated gene product activates Hsp90. Upon selective targeting of Hsp90 in these cells, they reverted from cancer progression back to senescence. Since the strategy I developed in the course of my study appears to be promising, I aim to bring about more such strategies either using a single Hsp90 inhibitor or in a combination against multiple types of cancers. Lucilla Lecchhas major research interest in understanding the role of 'cancer chaperone, Hsp90' in tumor cell adaptations to stress. While several of oncogenic kinases are potential clients of Hsp90, how Hsp90 helps cells to adapt to single kinase mutations is an intriguing question. While addressing this question, I also intended to come out with inducing cellular senescence as a potential anticancer strategy. I have established tumor cells adapted to single mutation in Raf using primary human cells and uncovered how this mutated gene product activates Hsp90. Upon selective targeting of Hsp90 in these cells, they reverted from cancer progression back to senescence. Since the strategy I developed in the course of my study appears to be promising, I aim to bring about more such strategies either using a single Hsp90 inhibitor or in a combination against multiple types of cancers.

Obstetrics and Gynaecology