Cancer Stem Cell & Oncology Research

CSC Metabolism and Energy Pathways

CSCs have distinct metabolic profiles that enable their survival under stress conditions, including nutrient deprivation and low oxygen. This track focuses on how CSCs exploit metabolic pathways such as glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid oxidation to fuel their growth and resistance to treatments. Researchers explore the metabolic flexibility of CSCs, which allows them to switch between energy production methods depending on environmental factors, making them highly adaptable. Targeting the unique metabolic dependencies of CSCs could offer new therapeutic strategies that impair their energy supply without affecting normal cells. This area of research is critical for developing metabolic inhibitors that selectively target CSCs, potentially improving the efficacy of cancer therapies and reducing tumor relapse.