Chemoresistance

(1:17:19) Guests: Josh Andersen, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at BYU  Mike Alder, head of the BYU Technology Transfer Office (techtransfer.byu.edu)  The American Cancer Society estimates more than a million and a half new cancer cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year and just over half a million people will die of cancer. One reason the disease is so devastating is that it’s wily. Cancer tumors have proven adept at becoming resistant to chemotherapy treatment. They adapt and keep growing, so doctors have to find other ways to try and eradicate the disease before it kills the patient.  BYU biochemist Josh Andersen and the students in his lab believe they’ve found a way to prevent tumors from becoming resistant to chemotherapy.  “We study the protein called 1433. …We have tried to make direct inhibitors. And we have also tried to look at how this 1433 has been regulated in cells and we have discovered this off switch and so by targeting the regulation you can shut it down,” says Andersen.