Tobacco-unassociated lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death, and its incidence is on the rise (LoPiccolo et al. 2024). Strikingly, 1-in-3 female lung cancer patients have never smoked, vs 1-in-10 male. However, the mechanisms by which sex and sex-hormones shape lung health and tobacco-unassociated tumourigenesis remain largely unexplored.
In this project, primary lung samples will be used to dissect sexual dimorphisms in lung cancer cells-of-origin and their microenvironment. Preclinical models of disease will be dually interrogated to determine the mechanisms by which sex and sex-hormones shape tumour initiation and progression. This study will provide critical insights into lung cell biology with the aim of identifying putative targets for cancer treatment and prevention. Techniques: FACS, single cell-genomics, functional ex vivo assays.
