There is now compelling evidence for tumour initiating or cancer stem cells (CSCs) in human cancers. Inherent in the CSC hypothesis is their dual role, as a tumour-initiating cell, and as a source of treatment-resistance. It seems that, employing traditional therapies targeted towards bulk populations alongside targeted CSC-specific drugs will provide best therapeutic benefits. However, the mechanisms behind therapeutic resistance in CSC are still not known.

Cellular signalling is complex network of many signalling pathways coordinating together. To get a comprehensive understanding of dynamic pathway networks operative in resistant cancer cells, we are analyzing total transcriptome and proteome of these cells by using RNA seq (transcriptome) and iTRAQ (proteomic). This combined experimental approach and comparison with therapy sensitive cancer cells will provide quantitative data that can help us in identifying key molecular pathway networks responsible for the disease state and therapy resistance.