Month: October 2014

The research team of Sarah Hernandez and her advisor, Tanja Dominko are one of two teams to win the 2014 Kalenian Award for which they will receive a grant to support their research.

Cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases, accounting for 25% of all deaths in the United States (1). As such, medicine has shifted from reactive to proactive. Colonoscopies alone have reduced morality from colorectal cancer by 53% (2). As medical technology advances, preventative screens are becoming less invasive and more widespread as research reveals biomarkers that can be used to identify cancer-related changes. However, there are currently no biomarkers widely used in cancer screens prior to tumor formation. The cancer treatment market in the United States alone is predicted to reach $207 billion by 2020 (3). The next breakthrough innovation in preventative medicine, that will no doubt garner a substantial portion of the cancer screening market, is a prognostic test that intervenes before patients develop cancer, by screening for biomarkers of pre-cancerous biological changes. To fill this gap in the market, we propose the commercialization of a qualitative diagnostic screening device that detects a biomarker associated with pre-cancerous cells.

Our lab has patented a novel system that allows cells to live longer. By simply altering the conditions under which cells are grown, we have demonstrated more than twofold increase in cellular lifespan (4,5). Increases in cellular lifespan are relevant for the identification and characterization of biomarkers during the transformation from a healthy cell to a pre-cancer cell, offering potential targets for therapeutics and diagnostic tests. Here, these cells are used as a tool. With these cells, we have demonstrated increased levels of an enzyme required for increased cellular lifespan, making it the ideal pre-cancerous biomarker. Interestingly, mutations of the same enzyme have been identified in skin, ovarian, and colorectal cancers (6). The revolutionary potential of the research described here is that expression of this enzyme is increased in cells with extended lifespan, potentially implicating  a link between this enzyme and a pre-cancerous state, allowing us to develop screens and treatments for a disease that patients have yet to develop.

Kristen Billiar, Professor of Biomedical Engineering was awarded a 2 year, $450,000 grant from the National Institute of Health(NIH); the research involves combatting retraction in tissue engineered heart valves.

Todd Alexander presented at NATO’s Advanced Research Workshop “Nano technology to Aid Chemical and Biological Defense” in September in Antalya, Turkey. His research is concentrated on tethered antimicrobial peptides. These antimicrobial peptides or AMPs can be used in a broad variety of applications. Todd’s presentation focused on using these peptides, in this case Chrysophsin-1, to defend against microbial infection of medical devices. These peptides can also be used for bio-defense against biological threats.

Lindsay’s abstract, titled “Recombinant LL37 Antimicrobial Peptide with Collagen Tethering for Wound Healing Applications” was recently accepted as a poster presentation at the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society Americas (TERMIS-AM) Meeting in Washington, DC, December 13-16^th. The theme for the 2014 TERMIS-AM Meeting is “Restoring Lives Through Regenerative Medicine,” reflecting the increasing need to consider the societal impact of tissue engineering. To this end, the program will focus on the impact of regenerative medicine upon patient lives.