December 2006

Joshua Shroll, American Brain Tumor Association summer fellow.

It was announced on December 28, 2006, that medical student Joshua Shroll, an American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) summer fellow, has won the ABTA’s Lucien J. Rubinstein Award. Joshua worked this past summer with Balveen Kaur, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery, in the Dardinger Laboratory for Neuro-oncology and Neurosciences. Shroll’s work was groundbreaking in that it led to the identification of a secreted protein that can be used as a potential biomarker for the ongoing oncolytic viral (OV) therapy of brain tumors.

Although the exciting results are only preliminary experimental findings, no publication to date has shown the induction of a cellular-secreted protein upon OV infection and the impact of this induction on the propagation of the OV in tumors. Understanding the changes that occur in infected tumor cells and the tumor environment and the effect of such changes on the propagation of OV will elucidate why “cures” are not seen in clinical trials and will thus lead to better treatment strategies.

Commenting on his summer experience, Joshua remarked, “Being one of my first research experiences ever, this opportunity is one for which I am forever grateful, one I will never forget. Most of all, I gained first-hand experience of the rigorous processes involved in the research behind therapy. This greatly motivated me, and I hope to make a difference one day in the lives of patients with brain tumors and their families.”

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