Three exciting approaches to cancer research

TheoryLab

The American Cancer Society is committed to maintaining a broad cancer research portfolio—any type of cancer, within any part of the cancer research continuum. This episode is a perfect example of this commitment and features three cancer researchers from the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Kathy Shair, PhD, studies how the Epstein-Barr virus causes cancer. Sarah Hengel, PhD, is investigating why unrepaired DNA leads to cancer. And Yuri Bunimovich, MD, PhD, conducts research into the role of our body’s nerves in melanoma growth. 1:47 – Yuri Bunimovich, MD, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology and member of the Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy program at Hillman Cancer Center Sarah Hengel, PhD, is an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellow at the Hillman Cancer Center in the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology in the Kara Bernstein lab. Kathy Shair, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and an investigator in the Cancer Virology program at the Hillman Cancer Center 3:11 – Dr. Shair on how her lab is focused on understanding how chronic infections can turn bad and result in cancer 4:13 – Dr. Hengel’s research into a subset of breast and ovarian cancers 6:17 – Dr. Bunimovich on the role of nerves in the tumor microenvironment in melanoma and other cancers 12:13 – Dr. Shair on recent advancements that help us understand the circumstances under which the Epstein-Barr virus can lead to cancer 22:24 – Dr. Hengel explains how our improved understanding of different mutations is leading to more personalized therapies 26:38 – Dr. Bunimovich explains how melanoma can injure nerves, creating an immune-suppressive environment that protects the melanoma from the body’s immune response. 35:16 – Dr. Shair on how Epstein-Barr viruses’ interference with DNA repair can be used to our advantage 38:00 – Dr. Hengel on how gathering more information about these mutations is critical to developing novel therapeutic targets 40:29 – The three aspects of his research Dr. Bunimovich is most excited about 45:28 – Dr. Shair and Dr. Hengel talk DNA repair and studying cancer in model organisms 47:21 – Dr. Bunimovich and Shair on viruses and cancers 51:42 – The impact of ACS funding 53:45 – A message for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers