Our Research
The underlying tenet of the JBU is that in order to understand urothelial carcinogenesis and cancer, it is essential to understand the process of homeostasis and how cells in the normal tissue are controlled. Our approach has been to establish in vitro cell and tissue systems for human urothelial cells. In addition to using these systems to study cancer, we are also using them to study other diseases of the bladder and their use in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
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Lucinda Cowling (PhD student)
Background
Lucinda obtained a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of York and is currently studying for a PhD funded by York Against Cancer (YAC). She is supervised by Professor Jenny Southgate.
Interests
Non-genotoxic carcinogenesis and epigenetic deregulation in human bladder epithelial cells
The urothelium is exposed to urinary excreted carcinogens from environmental, occupational and dietary sources. These carcinogens include heavy metal compounds such as arsenic, nickel and cadmium. Carcinogenic metals are typically weak mutagens; this suggests that genetic mechanisms are not responsible for metal-induced carcinogenesis. Non-genotoxic carcinogenesis is relatively poorly understood, however recent advancements show that epigenetic dysregulation of gene expression may play an important role.
Lucinda is using established urothelial cell culture methods to investigate non-genotoxic epithelial carcinogenesis. Heavy metals and epigenetic modifiers are being used to assess their effects on proliferating and differentiated normal human urothelial cells in order to determine the role that epigenetic dysregulation plays in non-genotoxic epithelial carcinogenesis.