Cancer changes the way cells use nutrients, yet even healthy tissues can carry cancer-like mutations without causing disease. Why some mutated cells stay harmless while others become cancerous is still a mystery. This project explores how nutrition and metabolism help cancer cells stay flexible and dynamic—allowing them to outcompete healthy cells. We focus on the gut, the organ that absorbs all the nutrients from our food. Using cutting-edge single-cell spatial metabolomic technologies, we aim to answer three key questions: (1) How do cancer cells select nutrients? (2) Does the arrangement of normal and cancerous cells influence growth? (3) Can a modified diet or nutrients be used therapeutically to stop cancer? By identifying metabolic vulnerabilities, this research could lead to therapies that block nutrient pathways, slowing cancer growth while sparing healthy cells. These findings may ultimately help improve treatment strategies for colorectal and other cancer types.

2025

2029