Investigating the role of the non-canconical arm of the NFkB pathway in pancreatic cancer, utilising novel inhibitory compounds.

The NFkB pathway is an important transcription factor pathway involved in the regulation of a large number of cellular processes. While the canonical arm of this pathway has been studied extensively the non-canonical arm has been largely overlooked. Is has however been implicated in cell growth, proliferation and survival in cancer, therefore inhibiting components of this pathway is an attractive therapeutic approach to regulating cancer disease progression [3]. We have synthesised selective inhibitors of the kinases IKKa, and NIK which require further pharmacological characterisation, and their use will develop our understanding of the role of these kinases in cancer.

MSc student project