Marie-Anne Goyette and her team are studying the heterogeneity of breast cancer, which underlies the development of lethal metastases and resistance to treatment. Their research focuses on potential therapeutic vulnerabilities, resistance mechanisms, and the metastatic characteristics of heterogeneous tumors. To this end, the team uses in vitro and in vivo breast cancer models in mice, in combination with cutting-edge techniques including scRNA-seq, proteomics, and pharmacological and genomic screens.

Research topic

Amplification and overexpression of HER2, which is encoded by the ERBB2 gene, are characteristic of the HER2+ subtype, accounting for approximately 20% of breast cancer cases.
HER2-targeted therapies have revolutionized the treatment of this aggressive cancer, significantly improving the prognosis for patients. However, resistance remains a significant clinical challenge, particularly in the metastatic setting. Intratumoral heterogeneity of HER2, which occurs in 10–40% of HER2-positive breast cancer cases, is characterized by a mixture of cells with and without ERBB2 amplification, which is associated with reduced survival and treatment response. The Goyette laboratory focuses on HER2 heterogeneity, which is overlooked in clinical decision-making and for which no appropriate strategies currently exist.

The Goyette laboratory also studies glycosylation heterogeneity, a post-translational modification involving the attachment of sugars, which contributes to treatment resistance and metastasis. Protein glycosylation is essential for the regulation of many proteins involved in cancer progression, and altered expression of enzymes regulating glycosylation is common in cancer. The exploration of cancer-associated glycans and enzymes as therapeutic targets holds promise in oncology, and the field is rapidly emerging with new technologies.

Research objectives

Discovering tailored strategies to target HER2-positive heterogeneous tumors and metastases

Marie-Anne Goyette’s team uses new preclinical models of HER2 heterogeneity to screen for therapeutic options. In addition, the team studies the biology of these tumors, examining the impact of this heterogeneity on interactions with the microenvironment in primary tumors and metastases.

Understanding the role of protein glycosylation heterogeneity in metastases and treatment resistance

Marie-Anne Goyette and her team are studying how glycosylation might affect metastases and treatment response in breast cancer.