Jinu and Koichi present at AACR Mouse Models of Cancer Meeting

Lab members Jinu Abraham and Koichi Nishijo presented their posters this week in San Fransisco at the AACR Mouse Models of Cancer meeting. This was an exciting conference, and this year many researchers presented results challenging assumptions about cancer progression and therapeutics. We look forward to getting Jinu's and Koichi's stories to scientific journals for consideration very soon.

[ pictured: Jinu (left) and Koichi (right) on the last day of the conference ]

Eri's Medulloblastoma Study Accepted for Publication

Congratulations to Eri, whose manuscript on medulloblastoma was accepted to Pediatric Blood & Cancer today! This paper describes a potentially new treatment approach to medulloblastoma using proteasome inhibitors. Co-authors include lab member Mandy McCleish and lab alumnist Min Jung Cho. This study was funded by the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the US, St. Baldrick's Foundation and the National Brain Tumor Society. [ on right: medulloblastoma arising from the cerebellum in our new mouse model of medulloblastoma ]


UPDATE (11 Feb 2009): Eri's manuscript is now online ahead of print here.
UPDATE (11 Mar 2009): Eri's article will be the cover feature when it goes to print!

UPDATE (24 June 2009): Eri's article in in print as the cover and lead article.

UPDATE (15 Aug 2009): Eri's article is the feature of a Highlight Commentary in PBC by Kevin Cheung and Benjamin Ebert at Harvard. For the commentary, click here.

Welcoming Rachel

UTHSCSA graduate student Rachel Hartley will be rotating in our laboratory beginning January 12. Rachel received her B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin in the Spring of 2008. As an undergraduate, Rachel worked with several professors that inspired her to pursue a Ph.D. in the biomedical research field. As a first year graduate student at UTHSCSA, Rachel’s interests include Cancer, Immunology, and Pharmacology.

In Appreciation of Fran

We sincerely thank our administrative partner, Frances "Fran" Melton, for her assistance in our research efforts, particularly the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Initiative. For all those weekends working tirelessly to make it possible to develop novel new drugs for rhabdomyosarcoma & medulloblastoma, we convey to Fran our deepest gratitude. -- The Keller Lab and GCCRI

[upper right: Fran over the holidays in Phoenix. What an interesting sculpture! ]

PPTI receives its first contribution for Drug Testing in Rhabdomyosarcoma

We thank our anonymous donor for a kind $500 contribution towards the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Initiative, with the specific goal of advancing new treatments for alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.

For more information about the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Initiative and our grass-roots effort to advance research in childhood cancers, email Charles at kellerc2@uthscsa.edu .

[right: this graphic design and implemented by Charles Keller and David Rodriguez.]

Welcoming Anu!

We are excited to welcome Anuradha "Anu" Soundararajan to our research team. Anu obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Madras in 2000, where she was recognized with the award for Best Outgoing Student for her college. After earning a Masters degree in medical physics from Anna University then professional experience as a Medical Physicist at the Cancer Institute in India, Anu pursued and recently completed a PhD in Medical Diagnostic Physics from the Department of Radiology at UTHSCSA. William “Bill” Phillips and Beth Goins were mentors to Anu, whose doctoral thesis project related to Chemo-Radionuclide Therapy with 186-Re labeled Liposomal Doxorubicin in combination with Radiofrequency Ablation for Effective Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer. Anu brings specific new strength to our research program in the area of Molecular Imaging. Her long term career goals include applied academic research for cancer using genetically engineered mouse models, imaging, and image-guided therapies. Welcome, Anu!

Our Sincerest Thanks to Mei

We sincerely thank consultant Mei Zhang for our tutorial on advanced mouse ultrasound imaging this past week. Mei is a clinical and preclinical ultrasonographer with a special gift as a teacher. Her thoughtful on site training makes it possible for us to better determine the response of childhood rhabdomyosarcomas to novel targeted therapies. We are so grateful to you, Mei. Charles, Aoife and the Keller Lab Team.