Dr Doug Winton

Cancer and research avatar

Stem Cell Biology of the Intestine Group
Cambridge Research Institute
Cambridge

Studying stem cells in bowel cancer

Dr Doug Winton runs a research group at our Cambridge Research Institute. He and his team are investigating how stem cells can fuel the growth of bowel cancer.

Because cancer stem cells are more resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy than the cells that make up the 'bulk' of a tumour, understanding these cells will lead to better treatments for cancer.

Rapidly multiplying cells

In recent years, researchers have discovered that rogue stem cells may be at the heart of several different types of cancer. For example, cancer stem cells have been found in tumours occurring in tissues where cells multiply rapidly, such as the bowel.

Here, healthy stem cells multiply in order to maintain the lining of the gut. But if a stem cell develops genetic faults, then it can become a cancer stem cell and multiply out of control. And this leads to the development of a tumour.

Dr Winton and his team are investigating the crucial differences between healthy stem cells and bowel cancer stem cells. They hope to uncover the gene faults that make stem cells switch over to the 'dark side', and use this knowledge to develop and test new treatments. In the future, this could pave the way for more effective treatments for bowel cancer.

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