TURBO

TURBO is a European consortium that combines complementary capabilities in the fields of cancer metastasis and bone by bringing together 5 leading academic groups and 2 SMEs. TURBO’s scientific project aims at investigating the molecular mechanisms through with circulating tumour cells (CTCs) disseminate to the bone marrow. Specifically, the consortium will (a) determine the genes and their regulators (microRNAs) that draw CTCs in bone marrow niches, and (b) characterize bone marrow-derived cues and signals that, respectively, mediate interactions with CTCs and trigger their survival/dormancy in the bone marrow microenvironment. This consortium will then seek to identify new blood-borne biomarkers and develop (microRNA- or antibody-based) therapeutics that target CTCs or their habitats. Understanding how CTCs take up residence in the bone marrow requires basic research knowledge, cutting-edge technologies and comprehensive clinical experience. TURBO’s primary objective will be to train 9 early-stage researchers (ESRs) in technical skills such as single cell isolation, methods in cellular and molecular biology, advanced imaging technologies, animal experimentation and drug development. None of the participating laboratories use all of these approaches, but through workshops, courses and secondments ESRs will become expert in many of these disciplines. An additional objective for TURBO will be to foster collaborations between participating laboratories, in which ESRs will participate through individual training-through-research projects. The training programme will also expose the ESRs to the industry that will offer courses and a broad set of complementary skills (e.g. ethics, intellectual property rights, entrepreneurship), enabling them to gain industrial work experience. Overall, at the end of the project, ESRs will have acquired the skills required to envisage attractive career prospects within Europe.