Cancer-killing protein cells, understanding the ice sheet and an alternative to colonoscopies

The Science and Technology Desk compiles a weekly roundup of impactful and interesting research publications and developments at Stanford. Read the latest in this week’s Research Roundup.

A new method for killing cancer cells

In a current science In this article, researchers presented a method for killing cancer cells by sticking two proteins together to activate a gene that signals cell death. Compared to conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation, which inadvertently kill healthy cells, this new method is helpful in selectively targeting cancer cells.

Gerald Crabtree, one of the study’s lead authors, and his team used a molecule called CDK9 to bind to a protein (BCL6) that suppresses the genes that cause cell death. Because CDK9 activates genes, it signals cancer cells to undergo apoptosis – programmed cell death.

According to another co-senior author, Nathaniel Gray, this approach turns a cancer cell’s survival mechanism into a self-destruction signal.

“You take something that the cancer depends on to survive and flip the script and make it the exact thing that kills it,” Gray told Stanford Medicine.

The researchers are currently testing their efforts on mice with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Although this method has only worked on this specific type of cancer so far, the researchers hope that in the future they can attack cancer cells with several of these “cell death signals” to prevent the rapid development of treatment resistance.

Combating climate change by understanding ice sheets

By better understanding ice layers, researchers are one step closer to solving a climate threat that is pervasive in coastal areas like Greenland.

Coastal land areas contain large amounts of ice sheets, which, if melted, have the potential to contribute significantly to sea level rise.

Stanford researchers have developed a cost-effective system called Open Radar Code Architecture (ORCA) to penetrate layers of ice so they can be better studied. ORCA is open source, meaning anyone who wants can use the tool to collect ice sheet data. Using low frequencies, the system directs radio waves at the ice, allowing researchers to observe a reflection of the ice and the underlying sediment.

Unlike older penetration systems that require specific parts depending on the purpose, this system offers the flexibility to use the same parts for different scenarios.

Thomas Teisberg, who developed this ice-penetrating system with Anna Broome, told Stanford Report: “Our hope is that by standardizing the core of the radar, we can continue to give people the ability to make their adjustments and we “It’s easier for people to reuse the data they collect,” he said.

An alternative to colonoscopy

Blood tests that look for cancerous DNA to detect colon cancer were approved by the FDA in July 2024, but their effectiveness has been unclear until now. Stanford researchers have shown that while these blood tests can help determine whether a person may have colon cancer, colonoscopy procedures provide more reliable results.

However, the researchers note that for people who do not want to undergo a colonoscopy due to fear of its invasive techniques, a blood test will be the next best option.

In general, colonoscopies are effective not only for checking for potential cancerous areas in the small and large intestines, but also for removing potential polyps. Although it is recommended to have a colonoscopy at least once a decade or a stool exam approximately every one to three years, approximately 33% of American adults in the specified age range have never been screened. Therefore, scientists hope that blood tests will continue to be a helpful alternative despite their apparently lower effectiveness.

Uri Ladabaum, first author of the article and professor of gastroenterology, explained his opinion on the new test.

“It remains to be seen who will actually use the blood tests,” Ladabaum told Stanford Medicine. “Will they be people who have never been examined using any other method?”

While the future of blood testing is up in the air, researchers recommend, when possible, using what’s already proven effective: a colonoscopy.