A study published in Science Immunology has revealed a previously unknown role for a cell cycle protein in helping cancer cells resist the immune response. Experiments in mice show that inhibiting this protein can sensitize tumors to radiotherapy and immunotherapy, offering a promising target to make existing cancer treatments more effective.

The protein in question is known as budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1 (BUB1), a kinase located in the cell nucleus that ensures correct chromosome segregation when the cell divides. While overexpression of BUB1 had previously been linked to the progression of several types of cancer, including bladder, breast, prostate, and ovarian cancer, the mechanism behind these effects were unknown until now.

“In diverse human cancers, high BUB1 e

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