New European study to assess cell fate mechanisms

A new European Commission-funded research project is set to commence that will analyse the mechanisms that determine cell fate at a basic level.

The 4DCellFate will run for five years and aims to address the question of how the polycomb repressive complex (PRC) and nucleosome remodelling and histone deacetylase (NuRD) complexes affect the way cells develop.

It will utilise the latest advances in structural biology, microscopy, proteomics, high-throughput sequencing and computational modelling to develop conclusions on how certain cancers function, as well as offering insight into personalised medicine.

Eight academic institutions from across the continent will ally with four biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to carry out this research project, which has received funding of almost 12 million euros (10.06 million pounds).

Luciano Di Croce, a research professor at the Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats, said: "This network has brought together the optimal mix of expertise, laboratories, techniques and resources to finally elucidate how the fate of a cell is decided and how to apply this knowledge to regenerative medicine."

Last month, the University of Pittsburgh discovered a key protein related to the Kruppel-like factor 4 molecule that plays a crucial role in cell fate among tumour cells.