The Keller Laboratory at cc-TDI

Friday, May 3, 2013

Congratulations, Mat!

Lab member Mathew Geltzeiler has selected to receive this year’s American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Saidee Keller Memorial Resident Research Grant. We couldn't be more proud of Mat's accomplishment!

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Postdoctoral Position Available!

This mentored position will empower the candidate to analyze complex conditional genetic mouse models of pediatric cancers for the purpose of developing novel molecular therapies. The primary goal for this fellowship is to understand the role of growth factors & kinases in the progression of the childhood muscle cancer, rhabdomyosarcoma. Employing molecular biology, biochemistry and multiscale imaging (whole animal to confocal microscopy), the candidate will have the opportunity to identify critical factors in tumor maintenance and tumor progression from which new therapies can be developed. Rapid translation to the clinic is the underlying goal. Candidates with experience in developmental biology or muscle biology are especially encouraged to apply.

Applicants will be able to find the position by entering IRC39103 into the search field on www.ohsujobs.com. For question, you can contact Charles via email, keller (at) ohsu.edu.

[ photo credit, Mat Geltzeiler ]

Lausanne NCCR Conference

We are grateful to Michel Aguet and Ivan Stamenkovic for the opportunity to present Ken and Jinu's recent studies at the Lausanne National Center of Competence Research (NCCR) in Molecular Oncology Symposium. This symposium addressed drug development in pharma as well as academics.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Ken and Simone at AACR

Ken and Simone had the opportunity to meet at the AACR meeting in D.C., pictured here in front of the poster for their collaborative studies. We have really enjoyed this productive collaboration with Simone Hettmer, a pediatric oncologist at DFCI, and her research mentor, Amy Wager at the Joslin.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

crowdfunding !

Please consider participating in our first rhabdomyosarcoma crowdfunding project, "Halting Tumor cells from Spreading by Blocking Hostile Mergers". More details can be found on the Consano website (new url) here.

[ update 4/7/13: See the story behind the founding of the Consano crowdfunding site with Molly's interview Here. ]

Friday, April 5, 2013

Our appreciation for Ken

After 2 years of postdoctoral fellowship, Ken will now be taking a physician-scientist faculty position in Kyoto, Japan, where he will continue research on childhood cancer. Ken's creativity and smile will be greatly missed, though we plan to keep in close touch. In addition to Ken's first author paper in Oncogene, his book chapter in Curr Top Dev Biol and his insightful commentary in Cancer Cell, Ken also has 2 other manuscripts in review and one in preparation... a great set of achievements that (particularly in recent work) may include some paradigm-changing discoveries. Our best wishes to Ken and his family.

Our thanks to the Kyla McCullough Gift Fund

We are grateful to the community of supporters for the Kyla McCullough Gift Fund who have made possible the purchase of a high-throughput multi-well plate reader for our program's study of childhood cancer. This instrument will be used multiple times a day, and enables us to perform research at a new and much faster pace.

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.