Event Title
Discovering New Treatments for Children with Neuroblastoma: Investigating the Effects of DFMO on Neuroblastoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Biomedical Sciences
Mentor Information
Martin Burg, Giselle Sholler
Department
Biomedical Sciences
Location
Henry Hall Atrium 92
Start Date
10-4-2013 3:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2013 4:00 PM
Keywords
Health, Life Science
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a pediatric cancer that is usually diagnosed in children less than 5 years of age. To identify potential new treatments, our lab at VAI uses genomic data to find genes abnormally expressed in NB such as ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). This gene codes for the enzyme ODC which creates polyamines necessary for cell growth and proliferation. Alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) is a drug that inhibits the ODC enzyme. We tested DFMO alone and in combination with other drugs in NB cells using techniques including cell viability assays, western blotting, and in vivo experiments. Cell viability assays use a range of drug concentrations to determine the 50% survival dose (IC50) for a particular cell type identifying those cells resistant or sensitive to a drug. For my project I examined DFMO in combination with other drugs in NB cells using cell viability assays to assess if these drug combinations show synergy. Optimal combinations will then be used in xenograft models.
Discovering New Treatments for Children with Neuroblastoma: Investigating the Effects of DFMO on Neuroblastoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo
Henry Hall Atrium 92
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a pediatric cancer that is usually diagnosed in children less than 5 years of age. To identify potential new treatments, our lab at VAI uses genomic data to find genes abnormally expressed in NB such as ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). This gene codes for the enzyme ODC which creates polyamines necessary for cell growth and proliferation. Alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) is a drug that inhibits the ODC enzyme. We tested DFMO alone and in combination with other drugs in NB cells using techniques including cell viability assays, western blotting, and in vivo experiments. Cell viability assays use a range of drug concentrations to determine the 50% survival dose (IC50) for a particular cell type identifying those cells resistant or sensitive to a drug. For my project I examined DFMO in combination with other drugs in NB cells using cell viability assays to assess if these drug combinations show synergy. Optimal combinations will then be used in xenograft models.