Feb 1, 2021 8:30am Vanderbilt University researchers hope new insights into the interaction between MYC and HCF1 in Burkitt lymphoma will inspire drug development. (PDPics/Pixabay)
The protein produced by the gene MYC performs many important functions during development, but, if it’s reactivated later in life, it can drive deadly cancers.
Scientists at Vanderbilt University have developed a novel way to disrupt MYC by genetically modifying it so it can no longer interact with another protein and drive cancer. The method caused tumors to rapidly shrink in mouse models, the team reported in the journal eLife.
Oncology researchers have been pursuing MYC for decades, but, because it has an unstructured “noodlelike” shape, it has long been considered “undruggable,” said co-author William Tansey, Ph.D., professor of cell and developmental biology and biochemistry at Vanderbilt, in a statement. So Tansey and his team decided to try to disrupt MYC by targeting another
FACIT welcomes life sciences executive Ken Newport to its Board; Director Shana Kelley appointed to the Order of Ontario
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Blend of scientific, industry, investment and entrepreneurial expertise complements FACIT s leading role in growing Ontario s life sciences commercialization
TORONTO, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - The Board of Directors of FACIT, a commercialization venture firm for Ontario cancer innovations, is pleased to report on the addition of Mr. Ken Newport, in the role of Director. Mr. Newport is a passionate executive and advocate of Ontario s life science sector, having decades of leadership experience in both public and private ventures. A chartered accountant by training, Mr. Newport founded and was President of CroMedical Global Inc., a contract research organization he helped grow to 600 employees and later merged with PRA International Inc. He has also founded several other biotech start-ups including globa
A single genetic test can identify the presence and cause of mismatch repair deficiency
Researchers have developed a new integrated genetic/epigenetic DNA-sequencing protocol known as MultiMMR that can identify the presence and cause of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in a single test from a small sample of DNA in colon, endometrial, and other cancers. This alternative to complex, multi-step testing workflows can also determine causes of MMR deficiency often missed by current clinical tests. Their results are presented in the
Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, published by Elsevier.
MMR genes monitor and repair errors that can occur in normal cell replication and recombination. In some inherited and acquired cancers, one or more of the MMR genes are deactivated. The impact of MultiMMR is broad. Tumors with MMR deficiency respond well to new cancer immunotherapies, explains lead investigator Trevor J. Pugh, PhD, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto; Princess M
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IMAGE: Researchers have developed a new integrated genetic/epigenetic DNA-sequencing protocol known as MultiMMR that can identify the presence and cause of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in a single test from a. view more
Credit: Trevor J. Pugh
Philadelphia, January 21, 2021 - Researchers have developed a new integrated genetic/epigenetic DNA-sequencing protocol known as MultiMMR that can identify the presence and cause of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in a single test from a small sample of DNA in colon, endometrial, and other cancers. This alternative to complex, multi-step testing workflows can also determine causes of MMR deficiency often missed by current clinical tests. Their results are presented in the
Ontario First capital supports early stage commercialization of cancer intellectual property
TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - FACIT, Ontario s oncology commercialization venture firm, announced the newest recipients of Ontario First seed capital through the latest round of its Prospects Oncology Fund: Dr. Rebecca Laposa of the University of Toronto, as well as London-based start-up Multi-Magnetics Inc., scientifically led by Dr. Jeffrey Carson and spun out of the Lawson Health Research Institute. Both entrepreneurial scientists were previously finalists in FACIT s Falcons Fortunes pitch competitions. FACIT s programs bridge the seed gap and support Ontario s life sciences entrepreneurs and their innovations throughout various stages of early commercial development.