The Keller Laboratory at cc-TDI

Monday, February 2, 2015

Hope in the Huffington Post

The Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute was profiled in the Huffington Post today!

After President Obama revealed an ambitious plan to support personalized medicine in his 2015 State of the Union address, all eyes turned towards the hope this promise might deliver to families dealing with childhood cancer.

Our General Counsel and resident superdad, Jonathan Agin, profiled how cc-TDI will be part of this promise in his heartfelt, informative column. Read the full piece at HuffPost Impact.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Welcoming Matthew (to cc-TDI)

Matthew Svalina joins cc-TDI from Dr. Keller's academic laboratory as a founding member of our scientific team, with an eye on advancing the most promising childhood cancer therapeutics towards clinical trials. Matthew is motivated by the 1 in 5 children diagnosed with cancer for whom survival is still a challenge.

Matthew earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Illinois in 2007. Following completion of his undergraduate degree, Matthew earned a paramedic license through Malcolm X College in Chicago, where he completed his field internship with the Chicago Fire Department on ambulances serving the south side of Chicago. As a member of the Keller lab, Matthew has already co-authored two scientific papers on childhood cancer, with additional studies nearing submission. Under Dr. Keller's mentorship, Matthew leads basic science and preclinical projects in rhabdomyosarcoma and medulloblastoma. Matthew’s career goal is to be a physician-scientist with training and independent research in neuroscience and neuro-oncology.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Postdoctoral Fellowship Available

We are now taking applications for a postdoctoral fellowship studying the tumor microenvironment in the childhood cancer of muscle, rhabdomyosarcoma. This mentored position will explore at depth the cell-cell communication and signaling pathways responsible for tumor initation and progression. A strong publication record and sense of exploration are requisite. Candidates with PhD degrees in the biological sciences as well as engineering are invited to apply. For more information, contact Charles Keller, MD at charles@cc-tdi.org.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Nobel medal sold... then given back

To read the improbably story of an altruistic gift to science, followed by another gracious gift, see the story by Daniel Dunaief here.

[ image source is the original news story website ]

Monday, December 8, 2014

Be a Dog's Best Friend

Can finding new treatments for dogs with soft tissue sarcomas also help develop new drugs for children and adults with soft tissue sarcomas? This possibility is raised by today's publication by collaborator Milan Milovance entitled, Comparative Pathology of Canine Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Possible Models of Human Non-rhabdomyosarcoma Soft Tissue Sarcoma. Co-authors of this study include Charles, as well as long time collaborator adult sarcoma pathologist, Atiya Mansoor. [ pictured: undifferentiated sarcoma (also called UPS, or MFH) in dog and human ]

Saturday, December 6, 2014

The Art of Survivorship

This month the collection, "Mother & Son: The Art of a Mom’s Journey through Childhood Cancer with Her Son" will be on display at Tiny’s Coffee 1412 SE 12th Portland, Oregon. The artist, April, is an advocate for childhood cancer survivorship, her son now thriving after a challenging period with sarcoma. The mixed media of paint-on-radiograph is accompanied by the history, from a mother's perspective, of the experience.

Friday, October 31, 2014

AACR Pediatric Cancer Think-Tank

This week the AACR held a think-tank in Philadelphia on the critical issues in childhood cancer research and care delivery. In attendance were 43 invitees from universities, pharmaceutical companies and patient advocacy groups. Topics included prevention (yes, prevention!), improved care for hereditable cancer predispositions, making drugs available for children with cancer, and the promise of genomics in delivering personalized cancer care. Charles presented on the topic that not only mutation but also cell of origin strongy influences response to treatment - and the types of epigenetic therapies that can be given.

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.