Bacteria as Vectors – Imaging and Therapeutic Potential for Cancer and Beyond
Event details
| Date | 14.11.2011 |
| Hour | 10:30 |
| Speaker | Prof. Mark Tangney |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
"Bacteria present an attractive class of gene vector for cancer, possessing a natural ability to grow specifically within tumours following systemic administration. We describe a range of strategies under investigation by our group, designed to exploit tumour-specific bacterial replication, utilising both non-pathogenic and pathogenic/invasive bacterial vectors. We have engineered a number of replication-competent non-pathogenic probiotic bacteria to express heterologous genes and mediate long-term production of agents within tumour masses (external to tumour cells) following systemic administration. Use of safety attenuated invasive strains permits intracellular DNA, RNA or protein delivery. Luminescent reporter gene (bacterial lux) tagging permits real-time tracking of vector without the need for substrate administration, with high-resolution detail of in vivo bacterial growth within deep tissue achieved using 3D BLI tomography. We have demonstrated that the various vectors can be exploited in a wide range of therapeutic strategies and tumour models, presenting a powerful and safe approach to specific gene/cell therapy of primary tumours and secondary metastases."
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Contact
- Elena Dubikovskaya; Sylvie Dentan