New Biomarkers Pathological Image

The NUBIA2 project focuses on breast cancer, a highly heterogeneous disease, addressing the challenge of resistance to endocrine therapy through the study of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are involved in tumor initiation and treatment resistance, representing potential new therapeutic targets. Previous studies identified a resistance mechanism based on the enrichment of CSCs with high Sox2 expression and activation of the Wnt pathway. NUBIA2, as a continuation of a collaborative project, proposes that analyzing the presence and activity of CSCs through resistance biomarkers will help predict recurrences and improve the chances of cure. The objectives include optimizing biomarker assessment, automatic analysis of biomarkers in pathological images, and studying their mechanisms of action. During the second year, nuclear biomarker identification is being thoroughly validated, and a method to classify and quantify cytoplasmic biomarkers automatically is being developed. The project advances molecular characterization and quantitative analysis of resistance biomarkers, contributing to the development of new pathological imaging biomarkers and laying the foundation for new therapeutic strategies. Additionally, it leverages the combined expertise of the three research team members to foster innovation in biosciences and health in Euskadi, improving tools for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of breast cancer through advanced image analysis methodologies.