The Interplay of Cell Death Pathways in Cancer Cell Survival and Resistance to Therapy (R01)

The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to stimulate research in the interplay between cell death pathways in naïve and drug resistant cancers. Regulated cell death, especially apoptosis and necroptosis, are natural barriers that restrict malignant cells from surviving and disseminating. Evasion of cell death mechanisms is one of the hallmarks of cancer contributing to tumor progression, metastases and resistance to therapy. Recent studies show that the machinery to activate different forms of cell death coexists in cells but the crosstalk of cell death pathways in cancer has not been systematically studied. Research into the intersection of cell death programs will allow for better defining markers of cell death pathway at the molecular level and offers the possibility that the specific mediators of cell survival may be inhibited and/or the mediators of cell death enhanced, driving naïve and drug resistant cancer cells toward effective cell death.