December 6, 2016
Scientists have identified a critical function of a protein that is a frequent indicator of cancer when the protein is in its mutated state. They found that the protein, called PTEN, protects the process by which cells divide—a discovery that could lead to therapies that prevent tumor growth. "By studying the fundamental process of how genes are passed from parental cells to daughter cells, we can better understand the altered signaling pathways that may cause tumor development," says lead author Wen Shen, Ph.D., assistant professor of cell biology in radiation oncology and member of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center. The work was published in Nature Communications.