New experimental approaches to study normal and cancer stem cells

As part of an approved sabbatical September 1, 2011 - September 1, 2012 I will conduct research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and Stanford University in the San Francisco Bay Area to build expertise in stem cell biology and state-of-the- art high content screening technologies. The Primary Objectives of this research project are to 1) strengthen collaboration and expand contact networks with leading San Francisco Bay Area stem cell and cancer research groups at LBNL, Stanford, UCSF and bi otechnology companies; 2) gain access to state-of-the-art experimental technologies at LBNL and Stanford; and 3) through coordinated PhD/postdoc visits by my group, gain expertise that will benefit my laboratory and the FUGE MIC/PROBE platforms at the Uni versity of Bergen. Building on our recent research results (Gjerdrum, PNAS, 2010) and existing collaborations, I endeavor to delineate molecular mechanisms that regulate normal mammary and malignant stem cell functions, using innovative experimental syst ems not available in Norway, while in the laboratories of M.LaBarge (LBNL) and G.Nolan (Stanford) as part of a larger effort to develop new cancer treatment strategies. It is expected that the experimental plan delineated in this project proposal will s erve to significantly enhance the international impact of our research, broaden our technical expertise and improve our competiveness for funding from the EU.