Science at UM [S03-ep04]: Contagious Cancer in Mussels
This week, Erika Burioli from the Host-Pathogen-Environment Interactions Laboratory (IHPE) talks to us about the transmissible cancer affecting mussels. In the second half of the program, Maylis Labonne and Franck Ferraton give us a tour of the sclerochronology platform at the Marbec Laboratory. The program airs every Wednesday at 6 p.m. onDivergence FM 93.9.
A few months ago, *A l’UM la science* devoted an episode to oyster vaccination. This week, we return to the fascinating world of bivalves to discuss mussel cancer. I can see you smiling, but the subject couldn’t be more serious: while all multicellular organisms are susceptible to developing cancer, bivalves have a unique characteristic—some of their cancers are transmissible. This evolution of the cancerous process, which is also found in dogs and Tasmanian devils, is of great interest to researchers. Why? Because it provides insight into the evolution of oncological mechanisms; for contrary to popular belief, cancer is not a recent disease, and its emergence dates back several thousand or even millions of years.
In their latest study, Erika Burioli and her team at the IHPE were able to provide the first transcriptomic profiling of a cancer that is transmissible.
For more information:
In the second half of the program, we’ll take you on a tour of the sclerochronology lab at Marbec, accompanied by Maylis Labonne and Franck Ferraton, who manage to “read” fish otoliths and shark vertebrae to determine their age or even trace the paths they’ve traveled. It’s true detective work that they’re introducing us to today…
At UM Science, you’ve got the program—let’s get started!
Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Reporting and editing: Aline Périault
Director: Tom Chevalier
Tune in to the show “A l’UM la science” on Divergence FM 93.9
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