Axis 1: Cancer Transitions - Early Disease to Metastasis

This axis aims to understand how normal cells and tissues transition to pre-malignancy and then early-stage cancers, as well as how some early cancers progress to metastatic disease, which causes most cancer-associated mortality. An overarching theme is the emergence of these key cancer transitions from phenotypic shifts in individual cells and cellular communities within the developing tumour microenvironment, reflecting alterations in morphogenesis and differentiation pathways, metabolic programs, and the biophysical properties of the microenvironment, among other factors. By combining advanced cancer modeling and access to unique cohorts of patient samples with cutting-edge technologies including genomics, genome engineering, metabolomics, chemical engineering, bioengineering, and AI-based image analysis, investigators in this Axis seek to enhance early cancer detection, identify strategies to prevent early cancers from progressing, and improve clinical outcomes in metastatic disease.

Axis lead: Peter Siegel