Maria Wikberg

Biography

Currently working in Umea University, Sweden

Research Interest

The importance of fibroblasts and extracellular matrix in different subgroups of colon cancer, Colon cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the western world. Fewer than 10% of patients with spread disease survive a 5-year period, which clarifies the need for a higher understanding of the biological events in order to find better treatment methods. A tumor consists not only of tumor cells, but also of surrounding healthy cells. These healthy cells also appear to change and can affect the cancer invasiveness and metastasis. One of the most common tumorous cells is the fibroblast. Fibroblasts presenting a large intestine cancer have been shown to express the protein Fibroblast activation protein, and these fibroblasts have been shown to increase the migration and invasion of cancer cells. There is also increasing evidence that fibroblasts affect extracellular matrix near the cancer, which contributes to increased cancer cell invasion. We are interested in understanding the signals between different subgroups of colon cancer and the nearby fibroblasts which lead to differences in extracellular matrix structure / content and cancer cell invasion.