Karissa Tilbury

Biography: Dr. Karissa Tilbury, Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Pilot Project:  Determining the Role of α11β1 Collagen Binding Integrins in the Progression of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) to Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC).

Abstract: The detection of asymptomatic cancers during routine cancer screening coupled with the inability to differentiate indolent from aggressive cancers results in a ‘one-size fits all’ approach to cancer treatment inflicting potential harm without reducing cancer-associated mortality. A promising approach to differentiate indolent from aggressive cancers involves the characterization of subtle alterations in the Tumor Microenvironment (TME). Recently, the organization of collagen fibers within the TME predicted both the prognosis and reoccurrence of early staged breast cancers. Yet, the origin of how the cells and collagen interact to elicit the organization associated with aggressive reoccurring breast cancer remains unknown. Collagen binding β1 integrins catalyze both uncontrolled cellular growth and distinct collagen remodeling; therefore understanding these interactions may be the linchpin in unlocking how cancer progresses. In this COBRE pilot project, we seek to develop a robust heterospheroid manufacturing process leveraging the MCF10A cell series which mimics the progression of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) to Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) and human mammary fibroblasts. Using wild-type (WT) and α11β1KD fibroblasts co-cultured with the MCF10A cell series, we will create a platform system to study the β1 integrin mediated spatio-temporal dynamics of cellular behaviors. This platform system is in alignment with the broader goals of the Tilbury lab to pioneer the coupling of advanced, non-destructive label-free 3D imaging techniques and analyses for a systematic, moderate throughput platform technology to study the spatio-temporal biophysical dynamics to identify novel biomarkers in differentiating indolent from aggressive cancers.