The shape of things to come: cell shape in health & disease

How can reshaping cells transform future medicine?

Healthy body cells respond to biochemical and mechanical signals from neighbouring cells in tissues and organs by adopting particular shapes. Similar environmental signals also prevent cells from proliferating uncontrollably. Cancer is what happens when the genes involved in these responses become mutated; affected cells now change their shape, multiply and spread to different parts of the body.

New research by Professor Chris Bakal is revealing links between shape change and proliferation in cancer cells. For example, a melanoma cell’s ability to change shape is a crucial factor in its ability to spread. Taking on many shapes, the cells can squeeze through tissues and find their way into places they should not naturally be, using a complex system of adhesion molecules on their surfaces to move around. Identifying the genes involved in cell shape changecould, in the future, lead to novel treatments to treat cancer.

Chris Bakal is Leader of the Dynamical Cell Systems Group within the Division of Cancer Biology at The Institute of Cancer Research in Chelsea, where he is Professor of Cancer Morphodynamics.

Outside work, Professor Bakal was a former world-ranked downhill ski racer who specialised in the super-giant slalom event. He is also a former track and field athlete who finished in the top eight three times at the Canadian National Championships 1500m event and has also run a mile in 4 minutes and 3 seconds.