Indian-American scientist Navin Vardarajan awarded $1.1mn grant for groundbreaking cancer-research
An Indian-American scientist has been awarded a grant of over $1.1 million for his groundbreaking research on cancer. Navin Varadarajan, along with another University of Houston researcher Sanghyuk Chung, was awarded huge grants by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), an organization that funds pioneering cancer research and prevention programmes in the state. Here's more about it.
Varadarajan to bring consistent results to cancer patients using grant
Associate Professor of Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering, Navin was given $1,173,420 to improve effectiveness of T-cell immunotherapy, while his fellow researcher Sanghyuk Chung, Biology and Biochemistry Associate Professor, was awarded $811,617 to define molecular targets for cervical cancer treatment. Varadarajan will use his grant to bring consistent results to cancer patients undergoing T-cell immunotherapy by manufacturing programmed T-cells to meet, recognize, and destroy tumors.
What does Navin Naradarajan say?
"We have to understand every single T-cell and what each one is capable of," said Varadarajan, who is looking for a perfect cell composition in order to manufacture only those that cure tumors. "Once we know what is required to get a positive response, we can control the composition of the cells so that they all can work to fight cancer," he added.
Development of next-gen genetically modified cells
Varadarajan said studying what makes better T-cells will guide the development of the next-generation of genetically-modified-cells and all of immunotherapy. Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide; but there's been little progress in its treatment over the past decade.
The big challenge with T-cells, according to Varadarajan
"The big challenge with T-cells is that there isn't one single thing that can be used to define what a T-cell is supposed to do," Varadarajan said. "Because it's a living cell, it's capable of so many different things but studying them at the single-cell level allows us to map all of these different things onto the same cell," he added.
Chung to study role of estrogen in cervical cancer
Meanwhile, Varadarajan's fellow researcher Sanghyuk Chung will use his $811,617 award to delve into the little-researched topic - the role of estrogen in the development of cervical cancer. "It is clearly demonstrated that human papillomavirus (HPV) is required for the development of cervical cancer, but evidence indicates that other co-factors are required for cervical cancer," Chung said.
