Mass Spectrometer-based Flow Cytometer, Methods and Applications
Summary
There is mounting evidence to suggest that many types of cancer - including leukaemia and cancers of the brain, breast, colon, and skin - involve rare cancer stem cells. Dr. John Dick led this project, which developed tools to identify rare cancer stem cells in patient samples and examined the distinct cancer pathways within these stem cells in different types of cancer.
Most current cancer treatments make no attempt to identify and exploit the unique cellular properties of diseased cells. Scientists know little about such cells - which are rare and difficult to isolate by conventional means - and lack relevant assay methods. The inability to deliver patient-specific therapy is a major limitation. It is hoped that the outcomes of this project will help physicians personalize diagnoses and hence deliver appropriate therapy.
The project made significant strides towards the development of new diagnostic tools that will improve future care. Industrial participation is helping transform the science into real products for the clinic, with the aim to provide cheaper and more effective healthcare, while also creating many highly skilled jobs for Canadians and generating millions of dollars of new revenue.
Notable Publications
Jin L, Hope K, Zhai Q, Smadja-Joffe F, and Dick JE. 2006. Targeting of CD44 eradicates human acute myeloid leukemic stem cells due to abrogation of stem cell trafficking and induction of differentiation. Nat Medicine.12: 1167-74.
O’Brien C, Pollett A, Gallinger S, and Dick JE. 2007. A human colon cancer cell capable of initiating tumour growth in immunodeficient mice. Nature. 445: 106-10.
Tanner SD, Ornatsky O, Bandura DR, and Baranov VI. 2007. Multiplex Bio-Assay with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry: Towards a Massively Multivariate Single Cell Technology. Spectrochimica Acta Part B. 62: 188-195.
Williams DA and Cancelas JA. 2006. Leukaemia: niche retreats for stem cells. Nature. 444: 827-8
