Does the ‘Guardian of the Genome’ control blood vessel formation?

Angiogenesis describes how new blood vessels develop from the pre-existing vasculature, a process driven by the specialist inner blood vessel lining known as the endothelium. Unfortunately, this process becomes over-stimulated during the growth of solid tumours, enhances cancer progression, and is associated with poor patient outcomes. Consequently, angiogenesis is the target of some of the best-selling anti-cancer drugs. However, these treatments are often largely ineffective, providing only marginal survival benefit and new approaches to modifying angiogenesis are desperately needed. We have uncovered a link between the tumour suppressor gene p53, one of the most mutated genes in human cancers, and new blood vessel growth. Using advanced 2D, 3D, and organ-on-a-chip cell culture models, coupled with selective genomic and proteomic profiling, the student on this projectt will help clarify the role of wild-type, mutated, and inactivated p53 in angiogenesis. This will progress our understanding of the interplay between tumour suppressor genes and vascular responses in cancer, facilitating the development of new anti-angiogenic approaches. The project has potential to contribute to a scientific publication describing the regulatory mechanisms involved. Students will need to find their own accommodation and be expected to present their findings orally at a research day in York on 08th September 2026.