Events – Page 6 – Blog about neuroblastoma research

Jungle Jazz – Diner Dance

On Saturday – April 9th, the Conor Foley Neuroblastoma Cancer Research Foundation had their annual fundraising Dinner. This year the theme of the Dinner was Jungle Jazz in memory of the favourite movie of Conor – Madagascar at Trim Castle Hotel.

So many people came to support this fantastic family. The family, who lost their beloved son to neuroblastoma, but has found unacceptable to stop their fight against neuroblastoma. They do know that a cure won’t be found tomorrow. Instead, it may take time, money and efforts to crack the code of this disease so other kids can do better. Thier deal with the situation is priceless and infectious – none can stand still around.

Should you continue your education?

If you asked me after completion of my PhD, would I have ever thought of further education? I would have said – unlikely. Maybe short-term courses to advance my skills, but definitely no to a different field and a 2 years commitment.

Never say never. About four years ago, I started to feel uncomfortable with where I was – a piece of my life jigsaw was missing… I looked up different courses for further education in my field and for anything just relevant to my day job, like project management or teaching. I was even looking around for another job. But nothing…Nothing could be compared with my long life affair – science. This is the only thing that fuels me regardless the career or grant success trajectory.

Ten years after PhD I decided to do Masters in Science Communication, but part-time. The full-time job, family and research challenges did not leave me a choice. This was the same missing piece of the jigsaw. There were a lot to learn exploring another dimension – social sciences. All concepts and ideas of social sciences were studied through lenses of my current interests: cancer research, gender issues, science for public to name the least.

The experience was priceless. It is also inspired me to look outside the ‘box’, see research everywhere and communicate it, and last but not least to start my own blog.

Dr. Declan Fahy – supervisor of my MSc Dissertation at Graduation Ceremony in DCU on March, 25th

The IACR Meeting 2017 is targeting childhood cancer challenges and advancements

This week Newpark Hotel Kilkenny is hosting the Irish Association for Cancer Research annual meeting 2017. This meeting is the biggest event for Irish cancer researchers.

This is the first time in the history of the IACR meetings when an entire plenary session is solely dedicated to challenges and advancements in childhood cancer.

This session will unite Internationally recognised leaders in childhood cancer research. They will speak about what we know about origin and evolution of childhood cancers (Prof. Tariq Enver), how blood biomarkers can help in stratification and treatment of children (Prof. Sue Burchill), what impact Down syndrome has in the white blood cell cancer development and progression (Prof. Irene Roberts), how epigenetic changes affect tumour pathogenesis and future of therapeutics targeting theses changes (Prof Raymond Stallings).

International Childhood Cancer Day: 15 February 2017

Today, we are celebrating International Childhood Cancer Day to raise awareness and to express support for children and adolescents with cancer, survivors and their families.

Childhood cancer is an umbrella term for a great variety of malignancies which vary by site of disease origin, tissue type, race, sex, and age.

The cause of childhood cancers is believed to be due to faulty genes in embryonic cells that happen before birth and develop later. In contrast to many adult’s cancers, there is no evidence that links lifestyle or environmental risk factors to the development of childhood cancer.

Every 100th patient diagnosed with cancer is a child.

In the last 40 years the survival of children with most types of cancer has radically improved owing to the advances in diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care. Now, more than 80% of children with cancer in the same age gap survive at least 5 years when compared to 50% of children with cancer survived in 1970s-80s.

Childhood cancer is the second most common cause of death among children between the ages of 1 and 14 years after accidents.

Unfortunately, no progress has been made in survival of children with tumours that have the worst prognosis (brain tumours, neuroblastoma and sarcomas, cancers developing in certain age groups and/or located within certain sites in the body), along with acute myeloid leukaemia (blood cancer). Children with a rare brain cancer – diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma survive less than 1 year from diagnosis. Children with soft tissue tumours have 5-year survival rates ranging from 64% (rhabdomyosarcoma) to 72% (Ewing sarcoma).

For majority of children who do survive cancer, the battle is never over. Over 60% of long‐term childhood cancer survivors have a chronic illness as a consequence of the treatment; over 25% have a severe or life‐ threatening illness.

References:
Gatta G, Botta L, Rossi S, Aareleid T, Bielska-Lasota M, Clavel J, et al. Childhood cancer survival in Europe 1999-2007: Results of EUROCARE-5-a population-based study. Lancet Oncol. 2014.
Howlader N, Noone A, Krapcho M, Garshell J, Miller D, Altekruse S, et al. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2011. National Cancer Institute.
Lackner H, Benesch M, Schagerl S, Kerbl R, Schwinger W, Urban C. Prospective evaluation of late effects after childhood cancer therapy with a follow-up over 9 years. Eur J Pediatr. 2000.
Ries L a. G, Smith M a., Gurney JG, Linet M, Tamra T, Young JL, et al. Cancer incidence and survival among children and adolescents: United States SEER Program 1975-1995. NIH Pub No 99-4649. 1999;179 pp
Ward E, Desantis C, Robbins A, Kohler B, Jemal A. Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Statistics , 2014. CA: Cancer J Clin. 2014.

Feeling good, excited and accomplished

This week can be rated for sure as feeling good, excited and accomplished. A UK based charity – Neuroblastoma UK has awarded a small grant to characterise a pre-clinical model of neuroblastoma which is a collaborative project between our lab and Tissue Engineering Research Group at RCSI. This project will study features of neuroblastoma cells growing on collagen-based scaffolds. The NBUK grant will contribute to one of the most expensive parts of the study – characterisation of cell secreting proteins using antibody-based profiling platforms.

Another research was accomplished yesterday – John Nolan had his Voice Viva examination and successfully defended his PhD Thesis. This 3 year PhD project was funded by the National Children’s Research Centre. As his supervisor, I am delighted for him and wish him best of luck in his research career.

The best Christmas present for researcher

Pic is taken from The Upturned Microscope

One of my classmates shared a funny image of the Upturned Microscope and I could not agree more… That week was exactly 12 months since I have started to apply for funding to carry out neuroblastoma research. Seven applications were submitted to various national and European funding bodies. Some were for a PhD student project, other were for PostDoc or both, Four came back with nothing. Two – decision pending and another one was shortlisted but not funded in the first round. A possibility existed that it could be funded at some day in 2017. So, this pic illustrated my feelings very well..

However, either my efforts were paid off or some Christmas miracle has happened, and I have received a note informing on the green light to funding my application. The funding comes from the National Children’s Research Centre and covers a PostDoc position and research consumables over 3 years. It was the very Christmasy news! I was over the moon.

The conditions of the award states:

Finally, the applicants must indicate how the investment in this research will be measured and communicated, not only to the academic community but also to the hospital, the fundraisers, to parents and patients and to the wider public.

This place will be my research diary to share ups and downs of the ongoing work. Please join me in this exciting journey!

Towards 3D neuroblastoma cell models

It seems I have got a conference season. Three conferences within 2 months – no complains though. This time I went to the Matrix Biology Ireland Meeting in Galway. It was fantastic mix of topics and speakers ranging from new approaches in bone and heart repair to new matrixes in reconstruction of body tissues and diseases in the lab to minimise use of animals in pre-clinical studies.

My talk was focused on neuroblastoma microenvironment and cell-to-cell communication through exosomes. I wrote about it in October post. I talked about things that did work and did not as well as new directions. One of the new directions is reconstructing neuroblastoma by growing neuroblastoma cells on collagen based scaffolds in 3D. Collagen constitutes most of our tissues to keep it shape and strength. These scaffolds are sponge-like matrixes built from collagen and other components. Of course cells grow differently on these matrixes. They have a different shape and growing properties in 3D. Neuroblatoma cells look like water drops on the cotton wool-like collagen scaffolds. In contrast, when they grow on plastic in 2D, they are flat. Studies show that cells in 3D respond to cytotoxic stress in a similar pattern as if being within a body (details in recent reviews 1-4). It would be a great breakthrough once these models are optimised for neuroblstoma research field. It will help to test all new and known drugs in the environment close to clinical settings. It could be a step forward to personilised therapies for children with neuroblastoma by isolating cancer cells, growing them in 3D and testing how they respond to all therapies available. It will facilitate more efficient design of treatment for relapsed or poorly responding tumours, sparing patients unnecessary rounds of chemotherapy and ultimately increasing survival.

Neuroblatoma cells look like water drops on the cotton wool like collagen scaffolds. In contrast, when they grow on plastic in 2D, they are flat. Arrows point towards cells. — This is microscopic images of neuroblatoma cells growing on the collagen scaffolds and plastic. Arrows point towards cells.

I’ve always felt that a selection of abstracts for an oral presentation is biased. The overall background and views of conference organisers would affect works selected for an oral presentation. The same abstract was not selected for an oral presentation by one committee, but was supported by the other. Never give up!

Readings:

Schweiger PJ, Jensen KB.Modeling human disease using organotypic cultures. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2016 43:22-29.
Salamanna F, Contartese D, Maglio M, Fini M. A systematic review on in vitro 3D bone metastases models: A new horizon to recapitulate the native clinical scenario? Oncotarget. 2016 7(28):44803-44820.
Picollet-D’hahan N, Dolega ME, Liguori L, Marquette C, Le Gac S, Gidrol X, Martin DK. A 3D Toolbox to Enhance Physiological Relevance of Human Tissue Models. Trends Biotechnol. 2016 34(9):757-69.
Nyga A, Neves J, Stamati K, Loizidou M, Emberton M, Cheema U. The next level of 3D tumour models: immunocompetence. Drug Discov Today. 2016 21(9):1421-8.

E-poster at SIOP2016

Ok. Now, when the stress of the presentation is over, I am happy to share new technologies used during the SIOP2016. As I mentioned yesterday, my work was selected for e-poster presentation. It looked this way:

This is e-poster station, where anyone can look up all posters displayed during the meeting.

It is definitely a step forward. Anyone can look up any poster, listen to a commentary recorded by the author, zoom in and out and send a request/comment to the author. It looks cool and trendy. Though, you can feel invisible as no physical copy displayed in a designated area. No crowds of poster presenters and judges. No waiting faces desperate to share their study…

The actual Poster Discussion session was a traditional presentation when my poster was up on the big screen, I had 8 minutes to convince the audience navigating through figures. This session was late and no many attendees survived to come and challenge your statements. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable experience. 🙂

Last minute discovery with SIOP2016

SIOP is the International Society of Paediatric Oncology. It is a global multidisciplinary society representing doctors, nurses, other health care professionals, scientists and patients or their relatives. The Society’s motto is ‘no child should die of cancer’. The meeting 2017 is being held in Dublin, the city where I live and work.

Indeed, it was appealing to attend the key meeting in childhood oncology field. As any participant, I had an opportunity to submit an abstract about my research. To no surprise at all, I received email notifying me on my work being selected for e-Poster presentation. Common stuff. The email also said that it would be displayed at designated stations, like big screens throughout the meeting. Very unusual format, but we are living in the digital technology era; things are changing all the time. So, I would not need to stay by the poster this time. Great – more time for networking and talks.

Then I received another email informing about a Poster Discussion session, which I assumed to be a standard procedure when a group of selected piers stand by your poster and ask Qs. None comes in majority cases. A participant stands and waits and waits till the session is over. So, of course I took it easy.

A day before the meeting, I downloaded the meeting app and started to browse along the content and features. Out of curiosity, I checked details of the Poster Discussion session. This was the moment of mental breakdown – I discovered being selected for an oral poster presentation! My chances were 1 in 1475 (the number of submitted abstracts). I should probably also buy a lottery ticket tonight. Could lucky things come together?

I will reflect on the new e-poster presentation experience later today…

siop-2016-ppt

http://www.siop2016.kenes.com/