SPbU’s students: How to investigate ways of reducing or preventing chemotherapy resistance
Those who participate in the student business project competition “Start-Up SPbU 2017” focus on how to make treatment of the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma more effective. They are investigating the ways of treating this type of cancer by natural mechanisms in our body.
Today chemotherapy is a common treatment for cancer, although it can produce toxicity and often causes side effects. The researchers worldwide are investigating more effective and safer ways of cancer treatment. Targeted cancer therapies seem a promising area of research, as they attack cancer cells while doing less damage to normal cells.
In the investigation of the targeted cancer therapy, SPbU’s scientists focus on two aspects: apoptosis and RNA interference. Apoptosis, or a programmed cell death, is a naturally occurring process in the body which kills tumor cells. RNA interference, opened in the 20 century, is a biological process in which RNA molecules inhibit gene expression or translation, by neutralizing targeted mRNA molecules.
Bcl-2 expression levels are dramatically increased in the B-cell lymphoma cells (the BCL-2 protein family determines the commitment of cells to apoptosis and thus are not subject to natural destruction. Bcl-2 expression is significantly associated with lymphoma cell growth. Large B-cell lymphoma cells have CD4 receptors.
“We are planning to develop biologically active drug which can, first of all, penetrate the cells with CD4 receptors without affecting intact cells. Secondly, it will contain interfering RNA to BCL-2 gene: in other words, eliminate cell growth with this gene. Thirdly, the drug will contain a proapoptosis gene which stimulates natural apoptosis, which eventually will lead to cancer cell death”, — said Ivan Voropaev, a student in Biology and leader of the team.
The leader of the project is now making an extensive research and collaborating with experts in biology and medicine. The researchers have already talked with an expert from European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and an expert in cell cultures, including cancer cell cultures. Iana Vorobieva, a member of the team and a student in General Medicine, investigates the side effects of the therapy, while Sergei Barichev, a student in Management, is responsible for financial issues.
May 25, SPbU is going to hold a final and announce the winner that will be awarded 1,000,000 rubles to open their own small innovative company at the University.