Researchers at the Florida Atlantic University have received two major grants for the first time to target a gene, which is a very aggressive and rapidly growing type of brain cancer as a new approach to the treatment of glioblastoma.

Malignant gliomas, such as glioblastoma, are the most common types of primary brain tumors in the United States, the United States. They all make about 78% of malignant brain tumors. Although these tumors are not very common, especially in the US, they cause a large number of cancer deaths because they are very aggressive.

The awards given for $ 562,000 by Cancer Connect Program of Florida Department of Health and $ 50,000 by Palm Health Foundation support a specific collaboration among FAU researchers who unite the supplementary expertise in neurological and cancer biology. Together, the purpose of this partnership is to pursue highly new projects that have the ability to have a meaningful effect on cancer therapy.

The grant will detect a promising new goal – a gene called Mblac1 – whose properties encouraged a collaboration between two FAU research laboratories, one focused on molecular neurological science and another on cancer and treatment.

The Mblac1 plays an important role in regulating copper levels within cells, which affects mitochondrial function and oxidative stress – both cancer cells significant factors in cell survival and development. Since glioblastoma cells depend a lot on the protection against mitochondrial energy production and oxidative damage, targeting the Mblac1 can disrupt these procedures and slowly lead to the progression of the tumor.

Randy D. Blackley, PhD, FAU Styles-Nicolson is the Executive Director of the Brain Institute, David JS Nicolson, reputed Professor in Neuroscience and Charles E of FAU. Professor of Biomedical Science within Schmidy College of Medicine; And greg b. Fields, PhD, FAU Vice President for Research and Executive Director for the FAU Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention (I-Health).

By combining our expertise in cancer biology and neurology, we are contacting glioblastoma with a fresh and powerful perspective. By identifying how MBLAC1 supports tumor growth and test drugs that block their function, our team hopes to lay groundwork to develop new, effective treatments that can improve results for glioblastoma and possibly other cancer patients. ,

Greg b. Fields, PhD, FAU Vice President for Research and Executive Director for the FAU Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention

The project will investigate how MBLAC1 affects the gene deficiency by using GLIOBLASTOMA invasion and copper homeostasis advanced 3D tumor models and genetically engineer mice.

“I am excited to bring my background in neuria to detect new frontiers in cancer research,” said Blackley. “Our function is on how a specific gene controls copper – an important micronutrient – in brain cells, which directly affects that these cells generate energy and manage stress. Because cancer cells depend heavy on energy to increase and expose this process.

Blackley Lab found that MBLAC 1 plays an important role in brain cell function by regulating a pre -unstable gene, copper, which is necessary for safety against cell energy production and oxidative stress. The lower level of Mblac1 has been linked to better existence in patients, suggesting that it can be an important target for new remedies.

Researchers will investigate whether Mblac1 supports tumor invasion from brain cells or from cancer cells itself. Using the 3D tumor model that closely mimic the actual tumor, they will see how the tumor growth is affected and spread by blocking Mblac1 or copper. They are quickly developing a new test to identify drugs that prevent MBLAC1 activity, especially MBLAC1.

Blakely, the project is collaborating with cancer biological sectors and ania knapinska, ph.d., leading investigator and FAU I-Health Professor on Health.

“Our project breaks new land by exposing an molecular route that actively promotes cancer through a gene connected to copper balance and glioblastoma risk,” Napinska said. “We have been leading the novel genetic model to study glioblastoma in never ever done. Our discoveries said that mutations in this gene reduce mitochondrial function and increase cellular stress, which has inspired us to detect its fundamental role in the regulation of copper and metabolisms in living systems. is aimed.”