Royal Society of Edinburgh grants awarded to IGC researchers

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Dr Kague, in collaboration with Professor Paul Eckhard Witten, from Gent University, was awarded an RSE International Joint Project award of £11,700 to study bone cell osteocytes in zebrafish to help improve understanding of osteoporosis.

Dr Martinez-Perez and Dr Turnbull were awarded an RSE Small Research Grant of £4,950 to investigate the role of large genomic alterations in the development of treatment resistance in breast cancer.

The RSE's Research Awards Programme, which runs twice a year in spring and autumn, aims to support Scotland’s research sector by nurturing promising talent, stimulating research in Scotland, and promoting international collaboration.

Dr Erika Kague

Dr Kague said: We all know that zebrafish are amazing model organisms used to study many diseases, including those affecting our bones. But here's the catch—despite their popularity in bone research, we still know next to nothing about their osteocytes. Osteocytes are the most abundant bone cells in humans and play a crucial role in bone health. They're the master regulators of bone remodelling. Our project aims to change that by setting new standards to research these vital cells using zebrafish.

Think of osteocytes as the 'superstars' of bone biology. For instance, the best treatment for osteoporosis—a condition that causes bone fractures every minute in the UK—targets a protein made by these very cells. You might wonder, 'Why hasn't anyone studied osteocytes in zebrafish before?' The reason is simple but challenging: osteocytes are buried deep within the hard bone matrix, making them tough to study. This has put osteocyte research behind that of their precursor cells, the osteoblasts.

Professor Witten, a leading expert in fish bone research, was the first to suggest how osteocytes get 'buried alive' in the bone matrix back in 2006. He's renowned for his precise histological images and assessments of fish anatomy. By combining his expertise with the advanced imaging techniques we use in my lab and my knowledge of molecular pathways and genetic manipulation in zebrafish, we're gearing up to uncover some fascinating science about osteocytes.

Our research isn't just about zebrafish; it opens the door to understanding osteocytes better, which could lead to new insights into diseases like osteoporosis. This is an exciting time in bone research, and we're thrilled to be at the forefront!

Dr Carlos Martinez-Perez and Dr Allan Turnbull

Dr Martinez-Perez said: These funds will support an ongoing project looking at endocrine therapy resistance in breast cancer, where we've been studying a unique clinical cohort from Edinburgh.

Specifically, this award will support sequencing work to profile copy number alterations (CNAs) in nearly 300 samples. This will provide additional genomic information on this cohort, complementing our previous results.

This fund should be very useful to maximise the potential of this project, and help us gain comprehensive insight into the complex biology of treatment resistance in breast cancer.

Links

Dr Erika Kague Research Group

Dr Carlos Martinez-Perez Profile Page

Dr Arran Turnbull Research Group

The full list of RSE awards (external link)