Prof. Chris Marine has been recognized with the 2014 Tytgat Foundation Award for his pioneering work on p53 biology and cancer therapy. His research explores how tumor suppressor loss, particularly of p53, creates vulnerabilities in cancer cells that can be exploited via synthetic lethal interactions and targeted microRNA therapies — opening promising avenues for selective, tumor-specific treatments.
From p53 Biology to Cancer Therapy: Prof. Chris Marine’s Award-Winning Research
The Alexandre and Gaston Tytgat Foundation is proud to recognize Prof. Dr. Chris Marine for his groundbreaking work on p53 biology and its implications for cancer therapy. His research addresses a critical challenge in oncology: while therapies targeting activated oncogenes, such as Bcr-Abl or BRAFV600E, have shown spectacular results, strategies to address loss-of-function mutations in tumor suppressor genes, like p53, remain far more complex, as “reactivating” a mutated gene is extremely difficult.
To overcome this challenge, Prof. Marine’s laboratory focuses on synthetic lethal interactions — identifying genes that, when inhibited, are selectively toxic to cells lacking a functional tumor suppressor. This approach promises a broad-spectrum, tumor-cell-specific therapy, as it exploits vulnerabilities present only in cancer cells with specific genetic defects.
In a recent landmark study, the Marine Lab demonstrated that loss of Dicer1, a central enzyme in microRNA processing, is synthetically lethal with p53 inactivation in retinoblastoma models. Importantly, they identified the miR-17~92 microRNA cluster, whose processing requires Dicer1, as a key mediator of this effect. These findings suggest that targeting specific microRNAs, such as miR-17/20a, could provide a highly selective therapeutic approach for tumors lacking functional p53 — opening the door to treatments that are potentially effective across a wide range of cancers while sparing healthy cells.
Beyond the mechanistic discoveries, the Marine Lab is exploring innovative strategies to deliver microRNA-targeted therapies, such as intraocular delivery in retinoblastoma, highlighting the translational potential of this research. His work exemplifies how deep molecular understanding can translate into novel therapeutic avenues, combining rigorous science with tangible hope for patients.
Through this award, the Tytgat Foundation honors Prof. Marine’s work not only for its scientific rigor but also for its potential to transform cancer therapy by turning foundational knowledge of tumor biology into actionable strategies that could benefit patients worldwide.
