Overview
Cancer is expected to become the first cause of mortality in this century.
The search for new therapies is becoming critical for biomedical research
community and pharmaceuticals. An explosion of genomic information is providing
new insights in the molecular events associated with cancer development and
invasion but also new target opportunities for drug discovery. Novel therapeutics
such as recombinant proteins, anti-angiogenic molecules as well as the move
from cytotoxic to cytostatic agents have unlimited potential to the clinic.
However, they present chemists and scientists involved in drug discovery with
challenges in finding promising agents that justify the transition from basic
research to clinical development. A fundamental problem is to find a model
system that is more suitable to predict targeted human disease.
Oncoscreen Service is devoted on providing Biopharmaceuticals and Research Laboratories with the state-of-the-art biotechnology for preclinical testing of novel molecules with potential anticancer activity. Our expertise includes a battery of in vivo/in vitro bioassays driven by specific molecular and genetic alterations identified in human cancers. This range from syngeneic rodent models, transgenic animals, and knockout mice carrying many of the genetic abnormalities observed in humans. We developed a comprehensive bank of rodent and human transplantable tumors that overexpress specific oncogenes and cell surface receptors known to be involved in cell proliferation and progression. In addition matched non-invasive and invasive tumor models where metastases can be traced by imaging systems are established. We are providing expertise to maximize screening systems based on two- and tri-dimensional in vitro testing, drug pharmacodynamics, and specific orthotopic sites. In addition to drug screen, we have been providing consultations on preclinical studies and regulatory protocols to several biopharmaceuticals, both domestic and foreign.
The facility is part of my laboratory headquartered at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, which provides exposure to scientific activities from many academic and research institutions and hospitals. Our personal regroups research assistants and PhD/MD with extensive expertise with syngeneic, xenograft and transgenic animal models, animal surgery, molecular pathology of cancer, imaging systems, and preclinical pharmacology of anticancer drugs.
Services offered
· Define the appropriate in vivo model that incorporate target selection,
organ selection, tumor micro-environment, and drug resistance markers
· Analyze and maximize the appropriate dosing schedule of specific
targets with different biological and clinical endpoints
· Evaluate the safety and efficacy of novel agents given alone or in
combination with conventional or experimental drugs, based on molecular and
pharmacodynamic endpoints
· Assessment of surrogate endpoints to measure efficacy of cytostatic/angiostatic
agents
· Examine the anti-metastatic efficacy of a molecule at a specific
organ using imaging systems and pathology.
· Analyze and interpret the data based on mathematical methods
· Evaluate the potential of a new compound before launching into clinical
trials
For more details, contact the Laboratory Director
(M. Alaoui-Jamali)
