Imagine the helplessness of a loved one, facing a cancer diagnosis and turning to you for answers you don't have. That was the spark that ignited Dr. Samantha Pattenden's relentless pursuit of understanding cancer at its most fundamental level – the cellular level. Her research isn't just about lab work; it's deeply personal, fueled by a desire to make a real difference in the lives of patients, a journey intensified by her own battle with breast cancer.
Dr. Pattenden, an associate professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, focuses on chromatin biology, a field that's absolutely crucial to understanding how cancer operates. Think of chromatin as the meticulously organized scaffolding within a cell's nucleus, where our DNA resides. It's not just a passive container; it actively controls which genes are accessible and 'switched on' or 'switched off.'
“For the DNA sequence to be read, the chromatin needs to be opened,” Pattenden explains. But here's where it gets controversial... sometimes, these accessible areas, or "openings," in the chromatin are exploited by cancer cells to fuel their uncontrolled growth and define their unique characteristics. It's like cancer cells finding a loophole in the system to rewrite the rules of the cell.
Dr. Pattenden's lab is currently tackling some of the most devastating pediatric cancers through two major projects. One focuses on Ewing sarcoma, a particularly aggressive bone and soft tissue cancer that primarily affects children and young adults. In collaboration with Dr. Ian Davis, chief of pediatric hematology oncology at UNC Children’s Research Institute, her team is working to identify compounds that can counteract the effects of an abnormal protein that drives tumor growth in Ewing sarcoma. This abnormal protein essentially forces open areas of the chromatin that should be closed, leading to the activation of genes that promote cancer progression. Pattenden’s lab designed a sophisticated assay to target this specific activity – the ability to improperly open chromatin.
And this is the part most people miss... The team, supported by the National Cancer Institute’s Experimental Therapeutics (NExT) program, has screened over 120,000 compounds to identify potential drug candidates. After more than 15 years of research and three years in the NExT program, they are now narrowing down the most promising compounds that could eventually be tested in clinical trials.
"We’re talking about the molecular mechanism, so we’re getting right down to the cellular level,” she said. “Success for us looks like finding a new target or a new way to target a key pathway in the tumor cell.” This means identifying the specific vulnerabilities in cancer cells that can be exploited to stop their growth and spread.
The second major project targets osteosarcoma, a bone cancer, and neuroblastoma, a cancer originating in immature nerve cells – both aggressive pediatric cancers. Pattenden emphasizes the critical role of teamwork in her research. “I think the only way any of these projects would be possible is because of collaboration,” she says, highlighting the importance of working with pediatric oncologists, chemists, and engineers.
Ultimately, Dr. Pattenden's driving force remains the patients. She understands that cancer is not a single disease but a collection of many, each requiring unique approaches and innovative tools. "These diseases are so complicated. Because cancer isn’t just one thing, it’s many, many, many things, we need this kind of research,” she explains. Her ultimate goal is to discover targets that can be precisely modulated with small molecules, selectively targeting cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy cells. This approach aims to develop more effective and less toxic cancer treatments.
Now, here's a thought: With the increasing complexity of cancer research, do you believe that collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches like Dr. Pattenden's are the only way forward? Or is there still room for individual breakthroughs in cancer research? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
