Laboratory of Telomeres and Telomerase
Our Research
In the past the Lab research focused on the biology of telomeres and telomerase. Recently, the lab research results showed that telomerase mRNA is expressed in exosomes secreted from all types of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Exosomal telomerase is taken up by bystander cells e.g. fibroblasts, where it is translated into an active enzyme, converting them from telomerase-/- into telomerase+/+cells. Telomerase activity induces molecular changes promoting the transformation of them to become cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs).