Dr. Hoyun Lee
A study in Sudbury into a potential breakthrough treatment for cancer is being published in one of the world’s most prestigious cancer journals.
The latest online edition of Cancer Research features research being led by Dr. Hoyun Lee, a Senior Scientist at the Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada (AMRIC), the research affiliate of Health Sciences North/Horizon Santé-Nord (HSN).
Lee’s article is available at www.aacrjournals.org. Select Cancer Research journal, “View OnlineFirst Articles.”
Lee and his team have created a small synthetic chemical molecule called VR23. Preliminary studies indicate VR23 preferentially kills cancer cells over non-cancerous cells.
When used in combination with other cancer-fighting drugs, VR23 can boost the ability of effectiveness of those drugs while reducing toxic side effects. VR23 also has the potential to be used as a stand-alone drug for cancer treatment.
The research team tested VR23 on a variety of tumour samples including breast, cervical, and brain cancers, leukemia and multiple myeloma.
“It is quite an honour and accomplishment to have our research published in such a respected journal as Cancer Research,” says Lee. “It certainly validates the work of the excellent team here at AMRIC, and sends a strong message that world-class and ground-breaking cancer research is being done in Greater Sudbury.”
Lee’s team includes Dr. V. Raja Solomon, Dr. Sheetal Pundir, Dr. Hai-Yen Vu, and Dr. Rebecca McClure.
In addition to his role at AMRIC, Lee is also a Full Professor of Medical Sciences at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and Laurentian University, both located in Sudbury.
Dr. Lee will now work with the National Cancer Institute in the United States to test VR23 on more types of cancer tumours. The team is hoping to progress to human clinical trials within the next three years.
Source: News Release
