Rina Rosin-Arbesfeld, PhD
Project Title
Mechanisms by which Secreted Microbial Factors Drive Colorectal Cancer Oncogenesis
About the Investigator
Prof. Rosin-Arbesfeld’s research focuses on the molecular and biochemical aspects of colorectal cancer initiation and progression. She received her B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees at Tel Aviv University, and carried out postdoctoral research at Britain’s Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK. She is a full Professor in the Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology at the Gray Faculty of Medical Sciences at Tel Aviv University and is currently the Vice Dean of the Faculty.
About the Research
In this project, we aim to better understand how chromosomal instability (CIN) drives cancer by focusing on a key protein, KIF18A, which is essential for proper chromosome alignment during cell division. We’ve discovered that cancer cells with high levels of CIN are particularly dependent on KIF18A for survival. This project will explore how inhibiting KIF18A can be used to selectively target CIN-high tumors, such as high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and colorectal cancer (CRC). These cancers are known to be particularly aggressive and difficult to treat. Our research will identify biomarkers that predict which patients will benefit from KIF18A-targeted therapies and explore why some tumors are resistant to these treatments. We will also study how cancer cells adapt to KIF18A inhibition over time, developing resistance mechanisms that limit the effectiveness of the therapy. By studying these resistance pathways, we will propose new combination therapies to restore sensitivity to KIF18A inhibitors, improving their therapeutic potential. Ultimately, this project will provide a deeper understanding of how CIN-driven vulnerabilities can be exploited for cancer therapy, and help to develop more effective treatment strategies for patients with CIN-high tumors.
