Discovering a novel anti-cancer mechanism: How YAP-driven regeneration eliminates liver cancer.

Cancer cells and cancer treatments, such as radiation- and chemotherapy, can cause severe injury to the affected organ. The team of Professor Halder is thus investigating how cancerous livers can be stimulated to better heal and repair defects caused by the cancer and/or by chemotherapy. They are testing whether experimental activation of an organ repair program can promote liver repair and help the liver to maintain its vital function for the organism. They are currently using pre-clinical mouse models for liver cancer for their studies. They are also investigating to what effect the stimulation of organ regeneration can aid when combined with standard of care cancer therapies. The idea to stimulate regeneration in cancerous organs is thus a new approach that may help cancerous organs to remain functional.