Stanley N. Cohen, M.D.
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California
Pinpointing the genes that control the spread of cancer
NFCR Research Overview
Dr. Cohen and his team are working in an emerging field called genomics. Genomics allows scientists to identify the cells of mammals based on their biological properties.
By painstakingly sequencing and plotting genes and gene variants, Dr. Cohen is a "genetic mapmaker" working to isolate previously unidentified genes which, because they are inactive in mammalian cells, could be part of the mechanism that prevents metastasis.
NFCR Research Findings/Projects
Dr. Cohen and his team have invented a method called random homozygous knock out (RHKO). RHKO makes it possible to perform true genetic selections and screens in the cells of mammals for the first time. The procedure already has been able to identify new tumor suppressor genes. And with support from the National Foundation for Cancer Research, Dr. Cohen is using RHKO to discover genes that control cancer metastasis and to develop new drugs and therapies that could prevent metastasis. In addition, RHKO could help discover which genes might be responsible for building resistance to chemotherapy drugs.
Dr. Stanley Cohen and his team are targeting a tumor susceptibility gene in virus. The product of this gene, TSG 101, plays an important role in virus budding, the step through which viruses leave the already infected cells and begin a new cycle to infect other healthy cells. By utilizing a cutting edge technology called Random Homozygous Knock Out (RHKO), Dr. Cohen is specifically silencing the gene that encodes the TSG 101 protein and investigating the effect of gene silencing on the virus budding process. Dr. Cohen is trying to fully understand the role of TSG 101 in the virus budding process and find an effective way to block the budding. The success of his study might lead to new drugs that are effective in treatment of cancer-causing virus infection.
Impact on Cancer Prevention, Treatment, or Cure
While Dr. Cohen's highly innovative work is still in the early stages, the results are expected to provide insights into basic genetic mechanisms that determine whether and when cancer cells will metastasize. Dr. Cohen's discoveries of genes implicated in resistance to chemotherapy drugs also could help provide better outcomes for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Ultimately, Dr. Cohen's work could have a tremendous impact on diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for cancer patients.
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