Dr Caroline Hill
Developmental Signalling Laboratory
Cancer Research UK London Research Institute
London
The two faces of TGF beta
Dr Caroline Hill heads the Developmental Signalling Laboratory at our London Research Institute. She is an expert on a group of molecules called growth factors – signals sent between cells that tell them when to multiply, and when to stop. If there are too many growth factor molecules – or if cells respond over-enthusiastically to them – cells can start to multiply out of control, leading to cancer.
Same molecule, different roles
Dr Hill and her team are investigating an important growth factor called TGF beta, which normally tells cells when to stop multiplying. In cancer cells, the signalling process is faulty so they keep on growing. But in the later stages of cancer development, TGF beta can actually fuel the growth and spread of cancer cells.
Dr Hill and her team are working to understand TGF beta’s ‘split personality’ – and how its messages are interpreted by cells – with the aim of developing new treatments for cancer.
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