The Keller Laboratory at cc-TDI: 09/01/2011

Friday, September 30, 2011

ABC2 Summit in Sausalito

The last 2 days leaders in glioblastoma research have met in a special, collaboration-promoting summit sponsored by Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2). Highlights include understanding the influence of metabolism on glioblastoma tumor cell fitness, the mechanism of action of thalidomide, and more. By far, the best aspect of this project was the community involvement (hence, accountability for collaboration) and the industry - academic interface that this environment creates. A very significant industry interest was expressed in DIPG (pontine gliomas). More news to come...

Many thanks to Max & David of ABC2 for creating such a rich environment for collaboration. To learn about the life of Dan Case and the creation of ABC2, click here.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Rhabdomyosarcoma Research presented in Ascona

We are grateful to Denis Guttridge (Ohio State), David Glass (Novartis) and Markus Ruegg (University of Basel) for the opportunity to present our work on the epigenetic determinates of rhabdomyosarcoma at the 2011 International Conference on Molecular Mechanisms of Muscle Growth and Wasting in Health and Disease. Our laboratory's work was very well received, and new collaborations were established that take us into new, exciting multidisciplinary areas.

[ The conference was sited at Centro Stefano Franscini in Ascona, Switzerland (pictured). ]

Friday, September 9, 2011

Personalized Medicine Talk with Georgetown Colleagues

We are grateful to Dr. Aykut Uren and colleagues including Todd Waldman and Jeff Toretsky for the opportunity to present our research and approaches to personalized cancer therapy as part of the the Georgetown University Hospital/Lombardi Cancer Center visiting professorship series. The ideas exchanged bring both groups closer to our goal of improving survival for the 1 in 5 children for which current therapy is yet not sufficient for long term survival.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Update on the Personalized Cancer Therapy Trial - for Canine Osteosarcoma

Congratulations to Lara on an excellent research-in-progress presentation at the Annual OHSU-DCH Pediatric Fellows Research Conference. This Phase II clinical trial for dogs with osteosarcoma opened 2 weeks ago. The early success of this collaboration is a large part attributable to the strong collaboration with Dr. Bernard Seguin at Oregon State University Veterinary Hospital and lab members and alumni, Jinu and (especially) Nicolle, respectively.

You Can Participate in our Novel Therapeutics Studies !

One would like to think that tangibly better treatments for rhabdomyosarcoma, medulloblastoma and other childhood cancers can be found in a matter of years, instead of tens of years. Finding new treatments starts with research, perhaps even a new research approach to identifying effective new treatments. The Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute focuses on finding molecules in childhood cancers that can be directly turned off or on by drugs so that the tumor stops growing. Behind our novel approach is the use of genetically-engineered mice. Our Pediatric Preclinical Testing Initiative uses mice modified from before birth so that at a certain age, and in a certain tissue, the same mutations found in a child’s cancer are activated in the mouse. These special mouse models of childhood cancer can be used to test a treatment to see whether the tumor growth and spread (metastasis) can be reversed. The specific aspect of these mice having normal immune systems is a real plus, too, because white blood cells play an important role in how tumors evolve and respond to therapy.

Our program is designed around community participation. Through the Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute, you can contribute directly to this grass-roots initiative. Donations through small gifts or grants will assist in studying compounds that may be effective in treating such childhood cancers as alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, or medulloblastoma (the alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma model was featured by Dr. Keller's long time collaborator and former mentor, 2007 Nobel laureate Mario Capecchi, in his Nobel Prize lecture {see 16 minutes onward}.)

For additional information regarding supporting this program please contact Charles Keller at charles@cc-tdi.org. Results obtained through these studies will be shared with the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, as well as the Children’s Oncology Group, which designs clinical trials for childhood cancer.