DR-067 Virus-Induced Cell-Cell Fusion as a Driver of Metastasis

“Many viruses that commonly infect humans have been found to fuse cells. Evidence suggests that the products of cell fusion can retain some characteristics of the original cells, but that they can also develop malignant characteristics, accelerate cancer progression, and facilitate spread to secondary sites (metastasis).
Using whole genome sequencing data we aim to identify tumours in which virus-induced cell-cell fusion may have played a role, and potentially contributed to metastasis. This will lead to novel insights into the origins of metastasis, and may be used to identify patients who are at risk of virus-induced cell-cell fusion mediated metastasis.”

Maria Jakobsdottir (before David Wedge) University of Oxford United Kingdom