The Keller Laboratory at cc-TDI

Monday, June 23, 2008

Laura Hampton joins our team!

Please join us in welcoming Laura Hampton. Laura will be joining our laboratory as a research assistant with primary responsibilities in mouse husbandry and preclinical therapeutics. She comes to us with a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology from West Texas A&M University. She has undergraduate research experience in microbial genetics and wheat genetics, clinical work experience in EMG and EEG, and medical diagnostic experience in veterinary genetics. Her future goals may include graduate school at UTHSCSA and a project in our lab.

We are so excited to have her on the team. Welcome, Laura!

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

New techniques making advances in cancer research

New imaging techniques combined with genetics research is providing scientists with an entirely new way to tackle cancer and birth defects. This cover article art was created by Lisa's husband, Derek Mayhew.

Click here to read more.

Wendy Rigby. "New techniques making advances in cancer research", KENS Channel 5 News (CBS Affiliate, San Antonio plus CBS National Newsfeed), May 23, 2008. [interview, video]

Monday, May 12, 2008

Eggs, Ingenuity enlisted in batter on cancer in kids

An article about Beverly, Aislynn, Corrine, and Charles' use of ordinary chicken eggs as a platform for screening drugs already on the market (or experimental laboratory compounds) to see if they are active against children’s muscle cancers and brain tumors. This work is being funded by a 2 year Innovation Award from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Click here to read more.

Cindy Tumiel. "Eggs, ingenuity enlisted in batter on cancer in kids", San Antonio Express News, Metro Section first page, May 12, 2008.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

MicroCT of skeleton can ID even the subtlest birth defects

Will Sansom, "MicroCT of skeleton can ID even the subtlest birth defects", HSC News (UTHSCSA), May 8 2008 [interview]

Monday, May 5, 2008

Welcoming Michelle Brady!

We would like to Welcome Michelle Brady to the GCCRI as the new Technical Director of the GCCRI Mouse Histology Facility. This resource facility, managed jointly by Michelle and Charles, provides specialized pathology resources for preclinical mouse models of childhood cancers. Michelle brings to this enterprise over 23 years professional experience in Histology and Immunohistochemistry. We are so lucky to have Michelle on our team!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Nobel Laureate Mario Capecchi, Ph.D., visits HSC

Charles' mentor visits our university.

Staff writer, "Nobel Laureate Mario Capecchi, Ph.D., visits HSC", HSC News (UTHSCSA), April 23, 2008 [interview]

Friday, February 15, 2008

Special Report: Open Laboratories

The Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute is an example of a new movement in architecture and scientific culture.

San Antonio Business Journal, Special Report: Open Laboratories (interview). February 15, 2008, 21(54):28,33

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.