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Local cutting-edge childhood cancer research could extend millions of young lives

Posted at 11:55 PM, Oct 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-24 00:58:28-04
WAUWATOSA -- Cutting-edge childhood cancer research could extend millions of young lives in the near future.
 
A doctor who just moved his team of scientists from Canada to the Medical College of Wisconsin is researching a new breakthrough treatment of child blood cancers.
 
Doctor Jeffrey Medin showed us time-lapsed video that demonstrates how his lab can manipulate immune cells, to essentially kill cancer cells. His team of scientists figured out if you arm your own body's T-cells with a certain virus, it can then spot proteins on cancer.
"Each immune cell can kill 2,000 cancer cells," said Dr. Jeffrey Medin, MACC Fund Professor of Pediatrics and Biochemistry. The lab work is being performed at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
 
Doctor Medin also found that these cells remain in your blood and could kill the same cancer cells that come back.
 
The new treatment does come with its own set of risks, which is why it is still in the research phase.
A sponsor in this research project is the MACC Fund, which raises money for childhood cancer research.
 
Dr. Medin may publish this research with the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy. ASGCT's mission is to advance knowledge, awareness, and education leading to the discovery and clinical application of gene and cell therapies to alleviate human disease.