Studying drug response heterogeneity by single-cell proteomics

Meersschaert Kobe, 2025
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, often diagnosed too late and resistant to many treatments. A new type of drug, called KRAS G12C inhibitors, has recently been developed to target a specific mutation found in some pancreatic cancer patients. While these drugs offer new hope, many patients still experience a return of the disease after initial treatment success. This project aimed to understand why that happens by studying how individual cancer cells respond to treatment over time. Using advanced techniques that allow scientists to measure proteins in individual cells, this research explored how some cancer cells survive and adapt to the drug. The findings showed that even when most cells are affected, some manage to change their behaviour or shape to resist treatment. These changes are not always due to genetic mutations but can also result from temporary or reversible processes inside the cell. Understanding these subtle, cell-by-cell differences is crucial for the future of personalized cancer treatment. If doctors can identify which cells are likely to resist treatment, they can adjust therapies to target those cells more effectively. In the long term, this could lead to more precise, tailored treatments that improve survival and reduce side effects. This research also highlights the need for better tools to analyse complex biological data, which will be essential for turning scientific discoveries into real-world medical advances.

Promotor Marcel Buehler
Opleiding Biomedische Wetenschappen
Domein Systems Biology
Kernwoorden Proteomics cancer Drug-resistance Single-Cell