Translational Science Laboratory at the Frederick National Laboratories for Cancer Research

The Translational Science Laboratory contributes broadly to collaborative projects. For example, detailed cell-based studies including experiments with endothelial cells to assess antiangiogenic potential, cancer cell and normal cells to assess potential for therapeutic benefit that contribute to the evaluation of varied natural product and synthetic compounds are performed regularly. In collaboration with the in vivo group, more than 2000 xenograft tissues collected were processed by snap-freezing, formalin-fixing and isolation of RNA and DNA in a study which will provide a great resource to the cancer research community. The final database will allow comparison of gene expression for the same cell lines grown in culture and as xenografts over the course of several passages. Recently, the Translational Science Laboratory has focused on the development of advanced 3D culture models including patient-derived cell lines from the PDMR along with human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human mesenchymal stem cells to serve as a stromal component; thus, establishing a model that more closely resembles a tumor in cell culture.

The role of this lab is to be flexible and contribute to multiple projects within the branch and in collaboration with NExT projects, other branches and the cancer research community.

References

Kaur G, Evans DM, Teicher BA, Coussens NP. Complex Tumor Spheroids, a Tissue-Mimicking Tumor Model, for Drug Discovery and Precision Medicine. SLAS Discov. 2021 Dec;26(10): 1298-1314.

Kaur G, Doroshow JH, Teicher BA. Format (2D vs 3D) and media effect target expression and response of patient-derived and standard NSCLC lines to EGFR inhibitors. Cancer Treat Res Commun. 2021; 29:100463

Kaur G, Reinhart RA, Monks A, Evans D, Morris J, Polley E, Teicher BA. Bromodomain and hedgehog pathway targets in small cell lung cancer. Cancer Lett. 2016 Feb 28;371(2):225-39.

Kaur G, Behrsing H, Parchment RE, Millin MD, Teicher BA. Analyses of the combination of 6-MP and dasatinib in cell culture. Int J Oncol. 2013 Jul;43(1):13-22.

Polley E, Kunkel M, Evans D, Silvers T, Delosh R, Laudeman J, Ogle C, Reinhart R, Selby M, Connelly J, Harris E, Fer N, Sonkin D, Kaur G, Monks A, Malik S, Morris J, Teicher BA. Small Cell Lung Cancer Screen of Oncology Drugs, Investigational Agents, and Gene and microRNA Expression. J Natl Cancer Inst 2016; 108:djw122.

Hollingshead MG, Stockwin LH, Alcoser SY, Newton DL, Orsburn BC, Bonomi CA, Borgel SD, Divelbiss R, Dougherty KM, Hager EJ, Holbeck SL, Kaur G, Kimmel DJ, Kunkel MW, Millione A, Mullendore ME, Stotler H, Collins J. Gene expression profiling of 49 human tumor xenografts from in vitro culture through multiple in vivo passages—strategies for data mining in support of therapeutic studies. BMC Genomics. 2014 May 22;15(1):393.