Led by CEB and in partnership with ICVS and the University of Vigo, the CheMAP project uses genetic screening to identify mechanisms that make triple-negative breast cancer (one of the most aggressive) resistant to chemotherapy, to find genetic vulnerabilities in these tumor cells and potential therapeutic targets. It lasts until August 2027 and is funded with 60 thousand euros by FCT.
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is considered the most aggressive subtype of this disease and existing therapeutic options remain limited. The CheMAP project, coordinated by the Center of Biological Engineering (CEB) of the School of Engineering of UMinho, aims to change this scenario by identifying new genetic vulnerabilities in chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells, paving the way for the development of more personalized and effective therapies.
Even with the advances made in the field of oncology, chemotherapy remains one of the main therapeutic approaches for the treatment of TNMC. However, many patients develop resistance to anthracyclines, which are among the most widely used chemotherapy drugs, which increases the risk of recurrence, disease progression and mortality. The discovery of new strategies to eliminate these cells is one of the main clinical needs in this context.
To meet the challenge, CheMAP combines large-scale genomic screening technologies, high-throughput sequencing, and advanced bioinformatics tools to identify genes essential to the survival of chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells. The goal is to find new therapeutic targets capable of stopping tumor growth and enhancing the development of more targeted treatments.
These approaches allow thousands of genes to be analyzed simultaneously and to understand how they influence the evolution of tumor cells. The integration of this data with bioinformatics tools helps to identify patterns and prioritize genes with the greatest potential as therapeutic targets. In this way, it is possible to obtain a comprehensive view of the molecular mechanisms associated with chemotherapy resistance.
Detecting more lethal genes and weakening them in chemotherapy
On the other hand, the genes that have the greatest lethal impact will be evaluated individually to validate their ability to reduce resistance to chemotherapy, which represents enormous potential for the development of personalized therapeutic strategies that significantly improve the lives of patients with this disease.
The project is at an early stage, and the experimental and computational methodologies that will support the next phases of research are being implemented and optimized. However, the progress achieved already allows us to move towards the identification and characterization of new molecular targets associated with CMTN.
In addition to CEB, the project has the collaboration of the University of Vigo, in the bioinformatics component, and the Institute for Research in Life and Health Sciences (ICVS) of the School of Medicine of UMinho, responsible for the in vivo screening studies.
In the long term, the identification of genes essential for the survival of chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells will allow the creation of more effective and targeted therapies, capable of acting on specific vulnerabilities of this disease. These advances are crucial to develop personalized treatments, with a higher success rate and fewer side effects. By contributing to a better understanding of the mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy, CheMAP may also help to improve the prognosis, survival and quality of life of those affected.
+Info: www.ceb.uminho.pt
