A magnetic force against cancer
A meeting of the minds between engineering and medicine at Ohio State has the potential to help improve future therapies and treatments for one of the most deadly forms of brain cancer – glioblastoma.
As a member of the Cancer Biology Program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James), Radiation Oncology Assistant Professor Monica Venere studies the biology of glioblastoma. Her lab focuses on a subset of cells within glioblastomas called cancer stem cells, which are the most malignant cells and drive tumor recurrence. Recently it was discovered that the malignant cancer stem cells absorb more iron than the rest of the tumor cells. This finding presents the possibility that the increase in iron can make the cancer stem cells more magnetic.
Enter Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Professor Jeffrey Chalmers, whose research focuses on the interaction of magnetic forces and cells. The two met while Chalmers was running an analytical lab at the OSUCCC – James. Venere needed help with cell separation, and they started talking about their respective research. That conversation lasted four hours and a partnership was formed.
“It’s difficult to differentiate cancer stem cells from non-stem cells, so we’re developing a new technique that can separate them magnetically, which can be very helpful toward identifying and treating these cells,” said Chalmers.
In April of this year, the team earned a two-year, $174,204 grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for their research. As part of that project, Chalmers is improving a previously developed magnetic sorting instrument – called cell tracking velocimetry (CTV) – which could prove superior to current isolation methods used for cancer cells.
“Magnetism is a function of the cell,” he explained. “Current separation techniques are looking at surface markers, which come and go. If we can develop better technology for identification and separation of cancer cells, that facilitates better understanding of how to kill them.”
At a place with as much breadth and depth as Ohio State, many opportunities exist for collaborations like this, but it takes a commitment from both sides to understand one another and build bridges, said Chalmers.
“You could argue in this case that there are two different languages – engineers have one and biologists have another,” he said. “It can be a challenge to speak the same language.”
Leaders from the College of Engineering and OSUCCC recently established the new Center for Cancer Engineering, which serves as a nexus for high-impact research, innovative training opportunities, collaborative cross-disciplinary funding, as well as technology development and commercialization.
Another common obstacle is a lack of funding for graduate students.
“Our research is often impeded by grants,” said Chalmers. “It’s almost like a big Venn diagram: you have a sphere of research ideas; a sphere of funding; and then you have sphere of grad students that are interested. And all three of them have to overlap. That’s the challenge.”
More fellowships for graduate students would free up grant money for things like equipment or supplies. Not only would the fellowship support current research, it would train the next generation of researchers waging the war against cancer.
“That’s the ultimate dream,” he said.
by Meggie Biss, College of Engineering Communications | biss.11@osu.edu
