Emeritus Professor Ingunn Holen

The research in my team is focussed on tumour cell dissemination in bone, and how this is influenced by the microenvironment in breast and prostate cancer. In particular we use cutting edge technology to study the early stages of bone metastasis and how single cancer cells may remain dormant or start to proliferate when encountering different environments.

We work to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in tumour cell-bone cell interactions, and how these can be targeted by anti-cancer therapies, including CDK4/6 inhibitors. We also investigate the role of the microenvironment in driving progression of bone metastases and collaborate with colleagues in the Dept of Physics and Astronomy to elucidate the biomechanical properties of the bone metastatic niche.

I have several collaborative projects both with other researchers in the medical school, nationally and internationally. I work closely with the clinical staff on translational research projects, transferring the results from our laboratory projects into clinical feasibility studies. Together with colleagues in Leeds, Glasgow and London I have established a national in vivo tissue bank for breast cancer research funded by an “Infrastructure for Impact” grant awarded by the NC3Rs. This initiative is entitled SEARCHBreast and allows researchers to connect with partners who are wiling to share archived material on a collaborative basis thereby not having to carry out in vivo studies. Work in my team has been funded by local, regional and national charities, industry, the EU, MRC, CRUK, BCN, YCR and NC3Rs. In 2018, I and my colleague Dr Penelope Ottwell was awarded the “Julie Philipps PhD Studentship” from the charity Second Hope to support our work on the biology of secondary breast cancer. Our work on the mechanisms of tumour cell dormancy is supported by Weston Park Cancer Charity and Against Breast Cancer.