Cell Migration Lab

Heads

Understanding molecular actions in a cancer cell context.

Actin-based cell migration and cancer cell invasion via protein-focused approaches
Expertise in biochemistry, molecular cell biology and imaging-based in vitro (preclinical) analysis
Development of software tools for image processing and for standardized quantitative analysis of cell migration
Fundamental research on actin regulation in cancer biology
Combined drug treatments (small molecules, use of bacterial peptides) on cellular models in cancer.

Bacterial cyclic lipopeptides targeting cell membranes as novel cytotoxic agents. We explore the use of these small biologicals and chemically synthesized variants as cytotoxic agents of cancer cell lines via standardized structure activity relation analyses. This is coupled to investigations on cell death mechanisms. Collaboration with teams at the UGent Faculties of Science (A. Madder Lab & J. Martins Lab) and of Bioengineers (M .Höfte Lab).
Effects of combined drug treatments on hepatocellular carcinoma models Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are potential novel targets in liver cancer. By combining small molecule inhibitors of DUBs with FDA approved treatments used in the clinic we preclinically investigate new strategies for improving effectiveness of patient therapy in liver cancer. Collaboration with teams at Faculty of Medicine UGent and University Hospital Gent (L. Devisscher Lab & H. van Vlierberghe Lab).
Cell migration/invasion analysis: developing new tools for cell migration analysis; focus on multiparametric quantification of tumor cell spheroid invasive growth.