Prof Eyal Gottlieb

Eyal Gottlieb

Apoptosis and Tumour Metabolism Group
Beatson Institute for Cancer Research
Glasgow

Understanding the 'power stations' in cancer cells

Because cancer cells grow faster than healthy cells, they have a high demand for energy and oxygen. Professor Eyal Gottlieb, who leads a research group at the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, is investigating the energy production 'machinery' in cancer cells, and developing ways to target it in order to treat cancer.

Within all our cells there are microscopic 'power stations' called mitochondria. They 'burn' sugar and oxygen, producing the energy our cells need to grow and survive. Professor Gottlieb and his team are studying the molecules that help to control mitochondria and the production of energy in healthy cells as well as cancer cells.

Triggering cancer cell death

Mitochondria also play an important role in protecting us from cancer. When they sense that something is wrong within a cell, mitochondria release toxic chemicals that kill the cell. But this doesn't happen in cancer cells, so they survive and continue growing. Professorr Gottlieb is exploring how this happens, and is searching for ways to exploit this knowledge to trigger death in cancer cells. This could shed light on potential new treatments for cancer.

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