NIH Launches SOM Center for Organoid-Based NAMs

Explore a comprehensive review in The Journal of Liquid Biopsy on “The role of molecular biomarkers in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment stratification of oral squamous cell carcinoma.” This article delves into how liquid biopsy biomarkers can revolutionise early detection, improve prognostic accuracy, and guide personalized treatment decisions in oral cancer care. Stay ahead in oncology research by understanding the molecular landscape shaping patient outcomes. Read the full open-access review here: http://spkl.io/6041AJ7fb

Exciting milestone for our team at Cyteph! We have completed patient recruitment for our Phase I clinical trial of CYT-101, a first-in-class therapy evaluated in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), one of the most aggressive and challenging brain cancers. This achievement marks an important step forward in our mission to bring new hope to patients and families affected by GBM. This would not have been possible without our scientific team, led by our Founder and CSO Professor Rajiv Khanna. A heartfelt thank you to the investigators, clinical partners, and most of all, the patients and their families for their trust and participation. Learn more about the study here: https://lnkd.in/gF9E2AHC #ClinicalResearch #Oncology #Glioblastoma #Innovation #Cyteph QIMR Berghofer

Researchers find potential targets for pancreatic cancer Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine have found a link between two proteins, redox effector factor-1 and peroxiredoxin 1, that help pancreatic tumor cells survive oxidative stress. Targeting both proteins could lead to new treatments for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and other tumors relying on the redox pathway, according to the study in the journal Redox Biology. https://lnkd.in/eHjB5bBs

Genomic Profiling Redefines Adjuvant Therapy in Early-Stage Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer A landmark publication in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, led by Dr. Michael Mann and an international team of investigators, marks a turning point in personalized lung cancer care. The AIM-HIGH phase 3 trial evaluated the role of a 14-gene expression profile in guiding adjuvant chemotherapy decisions for patients with stage IA–IIA non-squamous NSCLC. Using this molecular tool, the team identified patients at high genomic risk who derived significant benefit from platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy—achieving a 24-month disease-free survival rate of 96% compared to 79% in the observation group (HR = 0.22; p = 0.0087). Dr. Mann’s contribution was central to this work, bridging molecular diagnostics with clinical decision-making to create a precision-based model for early-stage lung cancer management. His efforts are paving the way for more tailored postoperative treatment strategies. The AIM-HIGH trial represents a milestone in demonstrating that molecular risk profiling, rather than stage alone, can define which patients benefit most from adjuvant therapy potentially improving long-term survival outcomes in early NSCLC. We commend Dr. Michael J. Mann for his leadership and dedication to advancing precision oncology, and for his vision in integrating genomic science into clinical practice. 📖 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e5nWEhrR #OncologyFrontier #LungCancer #NSCLC #PrecisionOncology #MichaelJMann #AdjuvantTherapy #LancetRespiratoryMedicine #MolecularProfiling #CancerResearch

Exciting news from Myrio Therapeutics, which has partnered with the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and NYU Langone Health to accelerate next-generation T cell immunotherapeutics for solid tumors. The collaboration combines complementary strengths in:   •  Targeting oncogenic drivers via peptide-HLA (pHLA) binders   •  Amplifying innate immune functions to enhance natural defenses   •  Developing novel CAR architectures with heightened target sensitivity This multidisciplinary partnership represents a powerful example of innovation through collaboration, uniting cutting-edge immunology, antibody engineering, and cellular therapy to advance durable, effective treatments for solid tumors. I find this kind of synergy especially exciting, where scientific collaboration meets translational purpose, pushing the limits of immunotherapy for hard-to-treat cancers. #Immunotherapy #Oncology #CellTherapy #CancerResearch #SolidTumors #DrugDevelopment #Collaboration #TranslationalScience

#cannabinoid #cancer #biology #physiology #medicine #medicalsciences  https://lnkd.in/euAzmdcc The #Endocannabinoid System (ECS) plays a critical role in maintaining #physiological #homeostasis, influencing a range of processes such as #neuroprotection, inflammation, energy #metabolism, and immune responses. Comprising cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2), endogenous ligands (endocannabinoids), and the enzymes responsible for their synthesis and degradation, the ECS has attracted increasing attention in cancer research. Cannabinoid receptor activation has been associated with the regulation of cancer-related processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis, suggesting that the ECS may have a role in tumor progression and cancer treatment. Preclinical studies have shown that cannabinoids, through their interaction with CB1 and CB2 receptors, can inhibit tumor cell growth, induce programmed cell death, and suppress the formation of new blood vessels in various cancer models. Despite these encouraging findings, the clinical translation of ECS-targeted therapies remains in its early stages. The complexity of tumor heterogeneity, the variability in patient responses, and the challenges associated with the pharmacokinetics of cannabinoids are significant obstacles to the broader application of these findings in clinical settings. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of the ECS’s involvement in cancer biology, focusing on key mechanisms by which it may influence carcinogenesis. Additionally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting the ECS in cancer treatment, while highlighting the limitations and uncertainties that need to be addressed through ongoing research.

AI systems are only as good as the questions they’re built to ask. And when you're aiming to defeat cancer, nobody brings better (or harder) questions than an interdisciplinary team of scientists. 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: 🧠 NOETIK, an AI-native startup developing oncology therapeutics, has expanded its Scientific Advisory Board with five world-class leaders from academia and industry: Vijay Kuchroo, Matthew Albert, MD, PhD, William Grossman MD, PhD, Marcia Belvin, PhD, and Kwok-Kin Wong, MD, PhD 🧬 Their combined expertise spans immunology, oncology, clinical development, and translational medicine -- exactly the cross-disciplinary insight required to reinvent how cancer therapeutics are discovered and advanced. 💊 As Ron Alfa, MD, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder of NOETIK says, “Each of these leaders has operated at the interface of biology and technology, and deeply understands what it takes to go from idea to regulatory approval." 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞: https://lnkd.in/ehW4FQmP

As a 5th-year PharmD student deep into my project on breast cancer, I'm always focused on biomarkers and how we monitor therapeutic outcomes. So, I was fascinated when a paper on pancreatic cancer offered some incredible insights that feel directly applicable to my own work. The study, "Reliable on-treatment prognostication and target identification with a customized assay for circulating tumor DNA in patients with newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer" showed how researchers used a custom blood test to track ctDNA in patients on chemo. Here’s what made this so impactful: For patients undergoing chemotherapy, the mere presence of ctDNA wasn’t predictive. The crucial factor was its concentration in the blood. They established a quantitative cutoff that created a significant survival disparity: 3.7 months for the “high ctDNA” group compared to 11.9 months for the “low” group. This isn’t merely another data point; it proved to be a superior predictor than their other established clinical markers. This raises immediate questions about whether we’re relying on the wrong metrics in other cancers. Could a similar quantitative approach in breast cancer provide an honest, real-time assessment of treatment response far sooner than imaging can? Furthermore, the clinical pharmacy angle is compelling. The assay not only predicted prognosis but also identified actionable mutations. This is the holy grail: a single non-invasive test that signals a patient’s distress and potentially offers the molecular blueprint to aid their treatment. It directly connects a simple blood draw to a more intelligent prescription. This is the kind of sharp translational science that excites me about completing my degree and embarking on my career. Congratulations to the authors, including Alexandra Svensson Ph.D and Karin Jirström, for this impactful research. You can read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/d3-WM8JA #PharmD #Oncology #LiquidBiopsy #ctDNA #PrecisionMedicine #CancerResearch #Pharmacotherapy #FutureOfPharmacy

A recent study demonstrates that restructuring a common chemotherapy drug as a spherical nucleic acid (SNA) can increase its effectiveness by up to 20,000-fold while reducing toxicity. This nanostructured approach enables the drug to enter leukemia cells more efficiently and selectively, significantly reducing cancer progression in animal models without harming healthy tissue. The findings highlight the potential of structural nanomedicine to improve drug solubility, targeting, and safety, offering promise for future cancer therapies and other disease treatments as SNA-based therapies advance in clinical trials.

Differentiating prostate cancer subtypes using extracellular vesicle proteomic profiles: in their latest work, Megan Ludwig, Justin Drake, Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota and collaborators applied a shotgun proteomics approach using mass spectrometry to profile the global proteome of extracellular vesicles isolated from prostate cancer cell lines representing distinct clinical subtypes, including AR−/NE+ and AR−/NE− models. They identified 3,952 EV proteins that clustered according to tumour subtype, providing sufficient proteomic depth to recover canonical gene signatures of AR and NE identity, key biomarkers for prostate cancer prognosis. EVs from AR+ cells were enriched in proteins regulated by AR and mTOR signalling, whereas EVs from AR−/NE+ models contained established NE markers such as SYP and CHGA 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e4yea84k In contrast, EVs from AR−/NE− models exhibited basal cell markers and proteins associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Integration of these findings with recently published EV proteomics data from 27 patients with advanced prostate cancer revealed 2,733 overlapping proteins, including clinically relevant surface markers, AR activity indicators, and subtype-specific proteins (AR+, AR−/NE−, AR−/NE+). Their study demonstrated that EV proteomic profiling could aid in identifying rare prostate cancer subtypes that lose AR characteristics and acquire NE features, supporting the clinical application of EV-based liquid biopsies for precision oncology. An article co-authored by Ali Arafa, Saasha Vinoo, Jason C. Jones, Abderrahman Day, Hannah Bergom, Zoi Sychev PhD, Alec Horrmann, Nick Levinson, Scott Dehm, Emmanuel S. Antonarakis, M.D. and Justin Hwang. #extracellularvesicles #exosomes #proteomics #prostatecancer #Vesiculab