Organism and organ/tissue growth involves two distinct yet interconnected phenomena: cell proliferation (cell division) and cell growth (accumulation of mass, largely through protein translation). These are held in check by negative regulators that promote cell growth arrest (quiescence), cell cycle arrest or cell death, to ensure homeostasis and healthy organism development. Misregulation of growth and proliferation are two critical hallmarks of cancer. Tuberin is a tumour suppressor protein that lies at the heart of cell and tissue growth regulation.

This project will investigate a novel role for Tuberin in the regulation of cell division. We propose that Tuberin acts as a critical barrier to proliferation and that it represents a drugable target for many human cancers.