Currently browsing: Explainer Post

Why Gene Therapy is No Longer a Pipe Dream

CAC2 Research Explained CAC2 members and guests who are also professionals in the field of childhood cancer research find and curate important work and provide pointers and explanations for our general membership. CAC2 Member Laurie Orloski, PharmD, found and curated the article in the link below: https://psmag.com/social-justice/gene-therapy-no-longer-pipe-dream It is well appreciated that cancer is a disease of the human genome, arising from alterations in DNA. In 2017, the US FDA granted its very first regulatory approval of a gene therapy, specifically for the treatment of pediatric and young adult B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy [...] Read more

Oncohistones

CAC2 Research Explained CAC2 members who are also professionals in the field of cancer research find and curate important work and provide pointers and explanations for our general membership. Raquel Sitcheran, PhD found and curated the three articles cited below. One of the most remarkable findings in childhood cancer research in recent years has been the discovery that defects or mutations in genes that encode histones are directly linked to tumor growth. Histones are proteins that bind DNA and control how DNA wraps and coils itself to form more condensed chromosomes (see Figure). They not only provide structural support for [...] Read more