News and Events
New AI tool classifies brain tumors using images of tumor slides
A new artificial intelligence model has been found to be highly effective at identifying brain tumor subtypes — with 95% accuracy — simply by analyzing a standard pathology image of the tumor tissue.
Read MoreNew imaging technology to detect early-stage hereditary diffuse gastric cancer tested in clinical trial
Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer is a rare inherited condition caused by a mutation in the CDH1 gene. People who carry this genetic mutation are urged to have a screening endoscopy followed by surgery to remove the stomach. However, some patients elect to have regular endoscopic screenings to look for cancer. A new clinical trial is testing an imaging technology called confocal endoscopic microscopy (CEM) that may better detect cells in patients with the CDH1 mutation and potentially make a diagnosis during the endoscopy itself.
Read MoreSecond-generation maturation inhibitors show promise for HIV treatment
CCR researchers have improved upon bevirimat, a first-generation maturation inhibitor developed to treat HIV-1, the primary cause of AIDS. After pinpointing HIV-1 strains not effectively blocked by bevirimat during clinical trials, researchers developed second-generation inhibitors based on knowledge about the sequences of those resistant strains. The new inhibitors turned out to be more potent and active than bevirimat.
Read MoreRegistration now open for Chromatin and Cell Fate Decisions in Development, Aging & Cancer
The Chromatin and Cell Fate Decisions in Development, Aging & Cancer symposium, hosted by the Center of Excellence in Chromosome Biology (CECB), offers an opportunity to learn more about the current status of chromosome structure and function in development and disease, share research and discuss the use and implications of these advances for clinical applications. The mission of CECB is to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms involved in chromosome function, how aberrations in chromosomes and chromatin lead to disease and how these defects can be corrected. Towards achieving our mission, this symposium brings together scientists in the fields of chromatin and chromosome biology, with the focus on stem cells, cell development, aging and cancer. Registration deadline is October 31, 2019.
Read MoreSteve Rosenberg receives 2019 Nathan Davis Award and Steinman Award
Steve Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of the Surgery Branch, has received the American Medical Association’s 2019 Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service and The American Association of Immunologists’ 2019 Steinman Award for Human Immunology Research. The Nathan Davis Award recognizes individuals who promoted the art and science of medicine via government service and demonstrated outstanding leadership in his/her field. The Steinman Award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the understanding of immune processes underlying human disease pathogenesis, prevention or therapy.
Read MoreWatch new Neuro-Oncology Branch video on NCI YouTube
The Neuro-Oncology Branch is comprised of an exceptional team of experts across scientific disciplines and medical specialties dedicated to developing new treatments for patients with brain and spine cancers using the latest technologies. Learn more about this department.
Read MoreSophisticated technology reveals gene expression in real time
CCR researchers made use of CRISPR-Cas9 and other technology to reveal gene expression in real time, demonstrating that RNA synthesis is highly variable due to long intervals between RNA production. The research supports the emerging awareness about the dynamic nature of gene expression and the tremendous variability among genes.
Read MoreProtein mutations lead to human disease by altering a cancer-promoting pathway
Working in collaboration with a team of other scientists, CCR researchers identified the role that the LZTR1 protein plays in disrupting the RAS pathway. It interferes with signaling, largely by dysregulating ubiquitination, a process defined as the attachment of a small protein called ubiquitin to a protein that is degraded by an enzyme.
Read MoreNew therapies tested in mice provide a one-two punch for treating liver cancer
Biopharmaceutical agents that combine the precision of cancer-specific antibodies and the potency of drugs toxic to harmful cells are increasingly being used to treat cancer. A team in CCR has identified two such agents for liver cancer, which were both found to reduce tumor size and prolong survival in mice.
Read MoreStudy reveals function of protein crucial to survival of Staph infections
A team led by Kumaran Ramamurthi, Ph.D.,Senior Investigator in the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, has identified why the GpsB protein is essential for the survival of Staphylococcus aureus, a leading source of infection in cancer patients in hospital settings. These findings, published in eLife, point to GpsB as a possible antibiotic target.
Read MoreStudy reveals regions where harmful DNA breaks are most likely to occur
Center for Cancer Research investigators have discovered that double-strand DNA breaks—the most dangerous form of DNA damage, which can lead to cancer—tend to occur during DNA replication at regions known as poly(dA:dT) tracts. Their findings represent a first step toward investigating ways to prevent these harmful DNA breaks.
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