Rally Foundation funds 'Next Steps' Undifferentiated Sarcoma Research

We are grateful to the Rally Foundation for new $40,000 award for the grant entitled, The Next Step in Defining Targeted Therapies for Undifferentiated Sarcoma.  This award follows a prior grant for in vitro studies of tumor cells from undifferentiated sarcoma mouse models, and allows Elaine and Jinu to proceed with preclinical studies in mice that will test whether our best drug(s) from a screen of 60 agents would be worth pursuing in a clinical trial.  
  
This award is in memory of a little 4 year old girl named Ava Sentell whose life was interrupted by this same cancer, and in honor of Brady Wolfe and Aidyn Reid.  
  
[update 2/7/2013:  Please see the Rally Foundation webpage for Ava's Angels Research Fund! ]

Partnership with JAX creates new childhood cancer models

We are excited to partner with Jackson Laboratory on the creation of a series of mouse models of childhood cancers.  Our first successful patient-derived xenograft model is now established for an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, with many more models in development.  The sample came from an autopsy-derived Legacy Gift.  This model accompanied by the creation of a primary cell culture model (pictured), with genetic characterization.  These resources are intended to be broadly available to all laboratories in North America and beyond.

Because pediatric cancers are rare, few established cell lines are available and many of these cell lines are very old.  For embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, the RD cell line was established in 1968 and reported in the literature in 1969.  We are grateful to the family that made their child's Legacy Gift possible in order to advance the field.  

Moving the field, One cell line at a time

An interesting idea of the Chordoma Foundation is to create a $10,000 prize for new chordoma cell lines.  Not sure what chordoma is?  It wouldn't be surprising... this is a very rare cancer of the cranial base and spinal column.  Few cell lines or tissue resources existed before the Chordoma Foundation initiatives.  Now, though, a great deal is known and the path towards treatment is ever closer.    

Tools for Pediatric Cancer Drug Discovery

Finding a cure for cancer means knowing what drugs are available and how they are currently performing on the market.  There are any number of sources for this information including personal networking, publications and databases of current research aims and goals.  Drugpath.org is an online database that lists cancer drugs that are currently being developed.  The drugs are listed by a variety of characteristics that allows scientists to search for particulars that are relevant to their interests. 

The database is maintained by a research team of faculty and students at Texas Tech University System and collaborates with the National Center for Integrative Biomedical Informatics (NCIBI).  Both researchers and members of industry can join in order to maximize exposure to new drugs and new applications for both groups. 

Valuing our Colleagues

As we mentioned last time, the core of the PPTI is the mouse colony.  Thanks to the hard work and diligence of the laboratory animal technicians of OHSU’s Department of Comparative Medicine, we know that our mice will always have the best care any one of them could ask for.  While we rely on the talented and dedicated staff as a whole, we would like to take the time during International Laboratory Animal Technician Week to thank the two primary caregivers of our rooms.

Larry Belle manages our barrier room where we keep the bulk of our mouse colony.  His attention to detail means that we can maintain complex mouse strains without any worries.  Larry’s sense of humor makes the trials of such a full room much more fun than they have a right to be!

Freian Valbuena has only recently been introduced to our mice in a more conventional room.  These experimental mice form the backbone of our data collection and are critical to Keller lab members and PPTI projects alike.  Freian’s great communication skills have made the establishment of this room smooth and problem free.  We are looking forward to getting to know him better.