Elena Rainero
Studies how cancer cells use the extracellular matrix as a nutrient and signaling source; senior author on a 2026 study linking collagen I to mTORC1 activation in cancer cells
University of Sheffield, School of Biosciences
Rainero Lab, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield (Sheffield, England, United Kingdom) ↗ ORCID0000-0003-1402-8701 ↗
Elena Rainero leads a lab in the School of Biosciences at the University of Sheffield studying the crosstalk between the extracellular matrix (ECM), integrin trafficking and cancer cell metabolism, including how cancer cells internalise and repurpose ECM components as a nutrient source under metabolic stress.
In 2026 her lab reported that collagen I drives alpha2beta1 integrin-dependent mTORC1/S6 activation and boosts amino acid import via the LAT1-4F2hc transporter, letting breast and pancreatic cancer cells survive and grow in nutrient-poor, collagen-rich tumor stroma.
Milestones in the Atlas
| Year | Evidence | Study |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | M | Collagen I promotes cancer cell survival via amino acid import and mTORC1/S6 activation NAZ2026 Senior author showing collagen I drives mTORC1/S6 activation and LAT1-4F2hc-mediated amino acid import in cancer cells. |