1. IdenTification of new targets
for aggressive breast cancer
Diluka Peiris
Postdoctoral Researcher
I am a post-doctoral research associate at the Against
Breast Cancer Research Unit in the School of Life
Sciences. My principal areas of expertise are breast
cancer glycobiology, proteomics and affinity based
biosensors. Before joining the Against Breast Cancer Unit I investigated
diagnostic markers for metastatic colorectal cancer under the supervision
of Dr. Miriam Dwek, University of Westminster. I have been with the
Against Breast Cancer Unit since 2011 and been involved in proteomic
studies of breast cancer tissues. My current work focuses on identification
of diagnostic markers for aggressive breast cancer.
I received my BSc (Honours) in agricultural sciences from University
of Colombo, Sri Lanka and an MSc in Applied Microbiology
and Biotechnology at the University of Westminster. My PhD, an
investigation into the interaction between different fungal species as a
model of primitive defence mechanisms, was also undertaken at the
University of Westminster, with Professor John Hedger.
Metastasis, the dissemination of cells from the primary tumour to
distant organs is a major problem affecting patients diagnosed
with secondary tumours. The main focus of my work is identifying
and targeting changes on the cancer cell surface that are likely to
influence the ability of breast cancer to spread to secondary organs.
Identification of potential targets would allow characterisation
of possible biomarkers for metastatic breast cancer. The sugar
composition of membrane proteins are known to alter during the
development of metastasis and offer potential for specific targeting
of metastatic cancer. These alterations can be detected using naturally
occurring sugar binding substances called ‘lectins’. The project utilises
two new approaches; proteomics, which has ability to separate and
identify hundreds of proteins in a single experiment and biosensor
technology, which allows measurement of the tightness (affinity) of
interactions at cell surfaces. We have identified changes in proteins
on metastatic cancer cells and intend to measure these as bio-markers
for early diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. This work will pave
the way for future development of antibodies directed against the
identified targets. In addition, identification of differentially expressed
proteins might also help to decipher the intracellular signalling
pathways leading to the initiation of metastasis.