The Oncology Translational Research Laboratory (OTREL) began operating in 2015 at the University of Debrecen, within the Department of Oncology, at the request of Dr. Zsolt Horváth. Since 2024, the research group has been part of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Our primary goal is to model the process of tumor formation with questions that can be directly answered in clinical preventive or therapeutic options, or may even form the basis of clinical trials. Our research focuses mainly on the possibilities of cancer prevention, using genomic, biochemical and pharmacological approaches. Through high-throughput screening, we have identified several potential breast cancer preventive drug combinations, the molecular mechanisms of whose synergy have shed light on new prevention targets. Our projects encompass the investigation of nuclear receptor ligands, e.g. rexinoids, monoaminergic transmitters, and substances regulating adrenergic and serotonergic signaling. We also study certain processes of lipid metabolism as potential therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
We maintain close professional relationships with certain research groups at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine, as well as with the Debrecen Non-Profit Foundation for Oncology Patients.
