Chadley Uekman

3D Prediction of Patient-Specific Response (3D-PREDICT)

3D-PREDICT is a prospective, open-label, non-interventional study to validate KIYATEC’s ovarian cancer drug response profile, which leverages the company’s ex vivo 3D cell culture technology platform to assess pre-treatment, patient-specific response to a panel of 11 drugs most commonly used to treat patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent ovarian cancer.

Details on the study can be found at
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03561207.

“The Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute is proud to offer 3D-PREDICT to our ovarian cancer patients. It is our hope that this trial will help develop a method to assist us in determining which drugs will most benefit individual patients and get them on the most effective treatment as quickly as possible,” said Michael Birrer, M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor and director of the Cancer Institute.

KIYATEC leverages its proprietary ex vivo 3D cell culture technology platforms to accurately model and predict response to approved and investigational cancer drugs targeting a spectrum of solid tumors. The company’s Clinical Services business is currently engaged in the validation of clinical assays as well as investigator-initiated studies in ovarian cancer, breast cancer, glioblastoma and rare tumors, in its CLIA-certified laboratory. The company’s Drug Development Services business works in partnership with leading biopharmaceutical companies to unlock response dynamics for their investigational drug candidates across the majority of solid tumor types.

Clinical Study: Time for Your Mammogram?

Is it time for your routine screening mammogram?

If so, will you consider participating in a breast cancer screening study starting with your next mammogram?

We are currently recruiting women to a trial comparing two standard types of mammograms for breast cancer screening: tomosynthesis (3D) mammograms and digital (2D) mammograms.

Researchers do not know whether one method is better than the other at finding life-threatening breast cancers.

Download PDF about this trial.
Learn more at clinicaltrials.gov

Lung-MAP: A Master Screening Protocol for Previously-Treated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

This screening and multi-sub-study randomized phase II/III trial will establish a method for genomic screening of similar large cancer populations followed by assigning and accruing simultaneously to a multi-sub-study hybrid Master Protocol (Lung-MAP). The type of cancer trait (biomarker) will determine to which sub-study, within this protocol, a participant will be assigned to compare new targeted cancer therapy, designed to block the growth and spread of cancer, or combinations to standard of care therapy with the ultimate goal of being able to approve new targeted therapies in this setting. In addition, the protocol includes non-match sub-studies which will include all screened patients not eligible for any of the biomarker-driven sub-studies.

Learn more at clinicaltrials.gov

Head and Neck Cancer Vaccine Trial

This current study has been designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of giving seven injections of PepCan or placebo over approximately a 24-month period in subjects with head and neck cancers who achieved remission. PepCan may prove to be beneficial in treating many stages of HPV-related malignancies starting from infection to cancer. Safety, efficacy in terms of reduced cancer recurrence, immunological responses and profiles, and gut microbiome changes will be assessed.

Learn more about this trial at clinicaltrials.gov

Are You Battling Cervical Cancer?

You may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study regarding potential future immunotherapy treatments

The INTR@PID CERVICAL 017 Study is a global clinical research study evaluating an investigational drug in patients diagnosed with cervical cancer that cannot be removed surgically and/or has started to spread locally or to other parts of the body. The study is looking at the safety of the investigational drug and whether it works.

You may be eligible to participate in the INTR@PID CERVICAL 017 Study, if you (a) are 18 years of age or older, (b) have been diagnosed with cervical cancer that cannot be removed surgically and/or has spread locally or to another part of the body, and (c) have received treatment with chemotherapy that did not work, or the cancer returned after treatment.

If you take part, you will receive the investigational drug at no cost and your health will be closely monitored at regular study visits.

To learn more about the INTR@PID CERVICAL 017 Study, please visit https://clinicaltrials.emdgroup.com/en/ and contact the study team today.

For information about this trial at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, call 501- 352-9261.

Cancer by Seymour Berger

Cancer will be the word of the past
Our researchers will find a cure that will last
Never give up any hope, always look ahead
Things that are changing is going to make cancer dead
Countless of people with this horrible disease
For the light that cast upon them, they shall be please
Never think for a second your life is over
Your life is, in the hands of the beholder
For the scientist are like an instrument in God’s hands
They have a gift to make everyone well as it stands
To make them healthy from this aliment
In all the time they have spent
They will develop a miracle pill
No matter what stage you’re in, it will kill
Don’t get discourage, have faith
You will see it’s worth the wait
Your doctor will call and say it’s here
That miracle pill has arrived that will make cancer disappear
I dedicate this poem to everyone who has cancer, don’t become sadden
Many are cured you’re next and it will happen
My wife has lung cancer, no matter what the doctor, may say
Reading different articles the cure for all cancers its on its way
Never give up and say you’re done
Have faith always you will be the happy winning one

Findings on DNA Damage Repair Published By UAMS Cancer Researcher

A UAMS research team led by Justin Leung, Ph.D., (pictured front) was published in the journal Nature Communications. Co-authors of the study are Jessica Kelliher, B.S., (left) and Kirk West, Ph.D.

Findings on DNA Damage Repair Published by UAMS Cancer Researcher

By Susan Van Dusen

June 3, 2020 | LITTLE ROCK — A research team led by cancer researcher Justin Leung, Ph.D., at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has uncovered the role of the protein RNF168 in DNA damage repair and shown how mutations of the protein affect people with a rare genetic condition.

The study titled “Histone H2A variants alpha1-extension helix directs RNF168-mediated ubiquitination” was published in the May 18 issue of the open-access journal Nature Communications.

“Every day our cells are subjected to environmental sources of DNA damage, such as ultraviolet radiation and toxic chemical exposure. If left unrepaired, these damages can accumulate, leaving mutations in our DNA and ultimately cause cells to become cancerous,” said Leung, assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology.

In most cases, this damage is detected and repaired by a tightly regulated method involving many proteins. To develop better cancer therapies, researchers such as Leung strive to understand the regulation of DNA damage and repair by sensitizing cells to radiation therapy and chemotherapy drugs that target DNA.

“Our lab studies the repair of double stranded breaks, where both strands of DNA are broken apart completely. When a double strand break occurs, a cascade of protein activity is set off to try to resolve the damage,” Leung said.

Mutations in one of these proteins, RNF168, have been found in patients with RIDDLE syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that increases a person’s predisposition to blood cancer and is characterized by several attributes:

Susceptibility to DNA damaging agents
Immunodeficiency, or failure of the immune system to protect the body from infection
Developmental abnormalities
Learning disabilities

RNF168 adds a small signaling molecule called ubiquitin onto a subunit of chromatin, where we store our genetic information. The ubiquitin signal brings repair proteins to DNA double strand breaks. However, exactly how RNF168 recognizes the specific target remains unclear.

Using molecular and structural analysis methods, Leung’s team uncovered crucial components of RNF168 and chromatin required for the implementation of repair pathways in response to DNA damage. Their findings suggest that a recognition between RNF168 and chromatin is required to activate the downstream DNA repair processes.

“RNF168 is a central DNA damage response protein. Understanding the precise mechanisms by which it activates its targets is essential for understanding how the DNA damage response goes awry. Our results help demystify the role of RNF168 in proper DNA damage repair and understand the implications of RNF168 mutations such as those seen in RIDDLE syndrome,” Leung said.

UAMS authors for this study included Jessica Kelliher, B.S., research assistant, and Kirk West, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow.

UAMS is the state's only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS' clinical enterprise including its hospital, regional clinics and clinics it operates or staffs in cooperation with other providers. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report named UAMS Medical Center the state's Best Hospital; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide; and named six areas as high performing — COPD, colon cancer surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. UAMS has 2,876 students, 898 medical residents and four dental residents. It is the state's largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children's Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

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UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute To Host ‘Be a Part of the Cure’ Sept. 2 on KATV

Be a Part of the Cure, UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute To Host ‘Be a Part of the Cure’ Sept. 2 on KATV

By Susan Van Dusen

June 1, 2020 | LITTLE ROCK — Arkansans are invited to “Be a Part of the Cure” on Sept. 2 when the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) hosts its first-ever televised event to raise funds and awareness for its research and treatment programs.

The event is set for 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Sept. 2 on KATV, Channel 7, and will allow Cancer Institute supporters to phone or text their donations in support of the institute’s programs. Natalie and Win Rockefeller Jr. are the event chairs.

Members of the Cancer Institute’s Board of Advisors, along with other supporters and local celebrities, will answer phones throughout the event, which will air live on KATV periodically throughout the day.

To make a donation prior to Sept. 2, visit the Be a Part of the Cure webpage.

Individuals also are invited to share stories and photos about their cancer experience and how the Cancer Institute impacted their lives by visiting the Cancer Institute’s Facebook page.

“The lives of Arkansans are saved every day thanks to the world-class doctors, nurses and scientists at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Unfortunately, however, we are still far from finding cures for many types of cancer,” said Win Rockefeller.

“That’s why,” added Natalie Rockefeller, “we are proud to give every Arkansan the chance to support the Cancer Institute safely from the comfort of their own home.”

The Cancer Institute’s 25^th Anniversary Gala for Life, originally scheduled for Oct. 2, has been postponed until 2021 due to safety measures related to COVID-19.

“We are grateful to Natalie and Win Rockefeller Jr. for working tirelessly to ensure that the Cancer Institute’s research and treatment programs can continue to thrive and benefit all Arkansans, especially during these challenging times,” said Michael Birrer, M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor and director of the Cancer Institute.

Viewers also will learn about the institute’s quest to achieve National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designation, which is awarded through a highly competitive assessment process. To achieve designation, cancer centers must demonstrate outstanding depth and breadth of high-quality cancer research, including basic laboratory, patient/clinical and population-based research.

Achieving NCI Designation would provide many tangible benefits, including improved access to clinical trials and new therapies unavailable elsewhere in the state; greatly increased access to federal research grant awards; and the creation of more than 1,500 new jobs over five years.

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Developmental Therapeutics Research Program Highly Collaborative and Translational

The Developmental Therapeutics program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute focuses on developing hypotheses and evidence-based translational strategies for improved cancer treatment.

Hong-yu Li, Ph.D., professor in the UAMS College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, serves as program leader.

The Cancer Institute’s largest research program, Developmental Therapeutics was originally known as the Therapeutic Science program. It recently received a name change and more focused mission emphasizing technology associated with the discovery and development of small molecule drug agents and biological therapies. This discovery phase is followed by validation using preclinical and clinical models.

“Our focus is both highly translational and highly collaborative. If we want to achieve results, we must collaborate with others, not only in this program, but also across UAMS, nationally and internationally. Collaboration is a priority in our success,” Li said.

The program’s main goals emphasize the optimization of therapies that connect the bench to the bedside through the discovery and development of new drugs for new cancer targets. By establishing a Phase 1 Clinical Trial Unit at the Cancer Institute, scientists could directly connect patient outcomes to their preclinical studies.

“A Phase 1 Unit would allow us not only to take our discoveries from bench to bedside, but also from the bedside back to the bench. If we found new mutations or biological targets, we can go back to the bench and continue working on those to further develop and improve the new drugs,” Li said.

Ultimately, the program aims for its members and collaborators to translate their research into new drugs for the marketplace. This directly ties to the Cancer Institute’s quest for National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designation, as NCI requires evidence of patents received and companies formed based on research accomplished at the centers.

The fact that program members have a wide range of expertise and practical experience in developing Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and conducting IND studies and clinical trials, gives the program an advantage.

“NCI wants to see us translate our basic research into something useful for the public. That, of course, is our ultimate goal as well,” Li said.

Cancer Biology Research Program Aims to Understand Basic Science of Tumor Development and Growth

The Cancer Biology program at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute brings together investigators studying the basic biology of cancer at the molecular, cellular and in vivo levels. Program investigators use biochemical, genetic and other methodologies to study and understand the mechanisms of malignant transformation, tumor progression and tumor metastasis.

Steven Post, Ph.D., professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Pathology, serves as program leader.

“Cancer biology is very broad based as it applies to basic science discovery. However, our program focuses on understanding the basic science as it relates to tumor cell development and how a cell’s environment either supports or inhibits tumor growth,” Post said.

These types of basic science discoveries are the building blocks that scientists in other areas need to conduct their own research.

“If a basic scientist identifies a process that inhibits tumor cell growth, researchers in therapeutics, for example, could design molecules that target that process, making it more difficult for tumors to grow or spread. This could lead to clinical trials of new therapies, bringing clinical relevance to our initial laboratory discovery,” Post said.

Program members are focused in three main areas:

Viral oncology, which includes both how viruses initiate tumor formation and how viruses can be used to target tumor cells
Tumor immune response, which looks at how T cells change their behavior in a tumor and how those changes can be reverted back to the normal immune response
Vaccine targets, which examines new targets for vaccines and how to make them more effective

Since Cancer Biology was named one of the Cancer Institute’s four research programs in late January 2020, Post and his fellow members continue to solidify the program’s short- and long-term focus. A major goal includes encouraging program members to publish research and submit grants together, as well as collaborate with members of other research programs in the Cancer Institute.

“We need to have interactions across program lines where we establish co-authorships and collaborations between programs,” Post said.

After spending his early career researching cardiovascular health, Post moved into the cancer arena after discovering that the protein he studied also played a fundamental role in the microenvironment of tumors. Similarly, he said, researchers focused on other disease sites may also find unexpected connections to cancer research.

“There is a lot of overlap in biomedical research that allows people to transition their focus from other areas to cancer and bring new ideas to the table,” Post said.