The degradation of archival surgical and biospecimen limits the utility of many biomarkers that may have prognostic or predictive significance in guiding a patient’s therapy. Previous methods at preventing the degradation of RNA and proteins in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks & slides have no protective benefit.
Cancer diagnosis is based on the assessment of patient biopsies to determine the tumor type, grade, and stage of malignancy. The proliferative potential of tumors correlates to their growth and metastasis. Visually identifying and quantifying mitotic figures (MF) in cancer biopsy tissue can be used as a surrogate for proliferative activity in tumors.
Researchers at the NCI Radiation Oncology Branch and NIH CIT Center for Molecular Modeling developed a tetrahydroxamate chelation technology that provides a more-stable Zr-89 complex as an immuno-PET cancer imaging agent. In either the linear or the macrocyclic form, the tetrahydroxamate complexes exhibit greater stability as chelating agents compared to Zr-89 complexed to the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFB), a trihydroxamate, which represent
The successful development of new cancer therapeutics requires reliable preclinical data that are obtained from mouse models for cancer. Human tumor xenografts, which require transplantation of human tumor cells into an immune compromised mouse, represent the current standard mouse model for cancer. Since the immune system plays an important role in tumor growth, progression and metastasis, the current standard mouse model is not ideal for accurate prediction of therapeutic effectiveness in patients.
The National Cancer Institute seeks interested parties to co-develop transgenic mice having immunocompetent rat growth hormone-firefly Luciferase-enhanced green fluorescent protein.
Cancer diagnosis depends on the assessment of patient biopsies to determine tumor type, grading, and stage of malignancy. Pathologists visually review specimens and count mitotic figures (MF) in a variety of cancer types to help gauge aggressiveness, guide treatment, and inform patient prognosis. Current technology for recording MF counts in surgical pathology is lacking in objectivity, and enumeration of MF by microscopy can be error prone. In particular, a lack of systematic means for recording contributes to recognized variability.
This technology includes improvements in the fluorescence scanner to increase efficiency. This method works by eliminating the need to radially slide the optical assembly during scanning, instead using a galvanometric mirror deflecting a laser beam to different positions in the sample. This allows the scanner to be incorporated into existing commercial analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) systems with minimal modifications.
Cryo-Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM) is used to obtain high-resolution structural images of macromolecular structures. Samples must be purified and loaded onto cryo-EM grids before imaging. The ideal cryo-EM grid consists of particles that are evenly and richly distributed in a broad distribution of orientations throughout the holes of the support film. Current techniques to prepare cryo-EM grids are performed manually and require trial and error, resulting in a bottleneck in cryo-EM workflows.
Researchers at the NCI Center for Molecular Microscopy invented a device to hold transmission electron microscopy grids that allows adherent mammalian cells to be grown on it, as well as the 3D printing software to create the holder. The TEM cell grid holder solves the difficulty of lifting the TEM grid out of a plate without bending or damaging the grid. The holder can be reproduced in various sizes with 3D printing.
Researchers at the NCI Laboratory for Cell Biology have invented a device to guide a stream of oxygen or carbon dioxide over a dish of cells during fluorescence microscopy. The invention includes the 3D printing software to create the device. The device facilitates application of a steady source of oxygen or carbon dioxide to cells while operating a fluorescent microscope to oxidize fluorophores for subsequent visualization via electron microscopy.