Date Completed: 2/5/08
Faculty Name: Eben Rosenthal
UAB Department: Surgery
UAB School: Medicine
Campus Address: Boshell 564
Telephone: 934-9767
Email Address: oto@uab.edu
Research Program Area: Experimental Therapeutics
Project Title: Use of fluorescent imaging to guide surgical resections
Project Status: Already up-and-running
Proposed Start Date: April 14
Proposed End Date: August 10
Number of Weeks of Internship: 16
Number of Interns: 1
Other faculty, staff, or graduate students who may help supervise intern: Emily Helman
Expected Number of Work Hours Per Week: 37.5 hours
Expected Work Schedule for Intern: NOT very flexible, intern MUST be at work on certain days and times
Category of Research: Animal Research
Cancer Research: Head and Neck; Lung and Bronchus
Project Description: Detection of regional and distant metastasis remains primarily dependent on non-specific anatomical or metabolic imaging techniques that cannot provide real-time information to clinicians or surgeons who depend upon subjective criteria for detection of metastatic disease during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Incremental advances in fluorescent imaging technology and targeting therapeutics have provided the unique opportunity for the development of cancer-specific contrast agents for optical detection of cancer by surgeons and clinicians.
We hypothesize that fluorescently labeled anti-EGFR antibody can be used to detect and guide removal of microscopic regional and distant head and neck cancer metastasis. To test this hypothesis, we propose to systemically inject fluorescently labeled monoclonal anti-EGFR antibodies into immunodeficient mice bearing HNSCC cervical metastasis or pulmonary metastasis to determine the potential clinical utility of this technique. Experiments will be directed at determination of the sensitivity and specificity of the technique and estimation of the minimum volume of tumor detected by this method. The ability to detect microscopic disease in real-time during surgical procedures has the potential to revolutionize the way we identify and resect cancer.
Intern's Anticipated Duties:
Duty 1: Molecular biology (experience preferred)
Duty 2: Animal work
Preceptor will provide intern with access to the following: computer and printer; laboratory work bench space; equipment needed to complete project; supplies needed to complete the project
Likelihood of authoring publications: Very Likely
Background, education, experience, or expertise preferred: Animal Research; Cell Biology; Advanced Knowledge of Lab Skills; Literature Review Skills; Manuscript Preparation
This faculty member has been a CaRES Preceptor for three or more summers.
Intern 1: Will Lancaster