The important discovery of the IAP family of animal cell death regulators by CHEO Research Institute investigators nearly two decades ago paved the way for a unique research centre that is focused on the understanding and manipulation of programmed cell death (apoptosis) to treat disease. The Apoptosis Research Centre (ARC) hosts several principal investigators who share a common goal of curing or improving the treatment of adult and childhood diseases, including cancer and diabetes, and genetic disorders such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy (DM), and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). All this work occurs in a highly collaborative environment with state-of-the-art cell and whole-body imaging instrumentation and with robotic high-throughput screening equipment, which helps identify key genetic factors that contribute to the disease process. The ultimate translation of the basic discoveries by ARC scientists into the clinic involves a wide range of approaches, including gene therapy, analysis of cell signaling pathways, identification and therapeutic assessment of small molecule compounds, and the investigation of “oncolytic” viruses that target cancer cells for death.
Related News
Research Projects
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Suspension-Induced Stem Cell Transition: A Non-Transgenic Method to Generate Adult Stem Cells from Mouse and Human Somatic Cells
23/10/2022
Our initial observations revealed that when fibroblasts are cultivated in suspension culture, they undergo a notable transformation in morphology and concurrently exhibit the expression of stem cell-associated markers. However, this intriguing phenomenon is transient, as these cells subsequently enter a phase of rapid apoptosis (anoikis or detachment-induced cell death). Therefore, we explored whether or not ASCs could be derived in larger numbers from suspensions of somatic cells cultured under non-adherent conditions. We initially studied mouse dermal fibroblasts (tail/ear fibroblasts, TEFs) [10] in novel suspension culture conditions together with newly formulated growth factor (GF)-enriched [11], serum-free culture media with the Rho-kinase inhibitor [12], designed to support the transformation, survival and proliferation of ASCs.
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SMAC mimetics and RIPK inhibitors as therapeutics for chronic inflammatory diseases
18/02/2020
This may benefit and guide the development of SMs or selective RIPK inhibitors as anti-inflammatory therapeutics for various chronic inflammatory conditions.
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Acid Sphingomyelinase Inhibition Attenuates Cell Death in Mechanically Ventilated Newborn Rat Lung
12/10/2018
Ventilation-induced ceramides promote autophagy-mediated cell death, and identifies SMPD1 as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ventilation-induced lung injury in newborns.
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Smac Mimetics Synergize With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors to Promote Tumour Immunity Against Glioblastoma
01/02/2017
Overall, this combinatorial approach could be highly effective in clinical application as it allows for cooperative and complimentary mechanisms in the immune cell-mediated death of cancer cells.
Researchers
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Tommy Michel Alain
Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
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Shawn Beug
Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
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Kyle Cowan
Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
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Robert P Jankov
Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
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Robert Korneluk
Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
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Eric LaCasse
Associate Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
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Alex MacKenzie
Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
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Behzad Yeganeh
Associate Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
