Finding new treatments for aggressive childhood cancers
Background
Cancer is the most common cause of childhood death from disease. High-risk neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma are two of the most difficult childhood cancers to treat, and the effects of treatment can impact quality of life both in the short and long term.
The research
Dr Belamy Cheung and her team have identified a protein (called MYCN) which is present in high levels in aggressive childhood cancers. They’ve also discovered that a particular gene (called USP5) supports MYCN and helps to drive cancer development and growth. In this project, Dr Cheung and her team will test their theory that targeting MYCN and USP5 and blocking their activity is an effective approach for treating these aggressive childhood cancers. In the lab, the team will develop molecular compounds which can target MYCN and USP5, and then test their effectiveness against cancer in pre-clinical tests as a standalone treatment and in combination with standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.
The impact
If their pre-clinical testing is successful, the team hope to translate their findings into a clinical trial of a new combination treatment approach to aggressive childhood cancers.