Changing the field of carcinogenicity testing of human pharmaceuticals by emphasizing mode of action

Our ultimate aim is to establish in vitro fluorescent reporters in human cells where individual key events that are functionally relevant in the signalling programs that drive cell proliferation are integrated. This would allow the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of key event activation as a predictive tool for the determination of the intrinsic carcinogenic potential of compounds. In the first instance, this involves the nuclear hormone receptor-mediated tumor promotor activity (e.g. estrogen receptor signalling or peroxisome proliferator PPAR-gamma signalling), which are both current topics of debate.