|  Dr Anthony Don
UNSW Cancer Research CentreStatement of Interests:
Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a potent and essential signaling metabolite that promotes cell proliferation, migration, and survival, amongst other higher physiological roles. We use biochemistry and molecular biology techniques to investigate the molecular basis for cell proliferation and survival mediated by S1P, and to study the known contribution that this molecule makes to the dysregulated survival of cancer cells. We are also investigating how the immediate biosynthetic precursors to S1P, ceramide and sphingosine, promote cell death (in direct contrast to S1P). In this regard we are interested in the design and synthesis of sphingosine analogues as a new class of anti-cancer agents. Our hypothesis is that when these molecules reach a threshhold intracellular concentration, they flick a molecular "switch", causing a change in the cell state from proliferation/survival to apoptosis.
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