Ph o t o i n itiation
One of the ways of decreasing the harsh side effects of
chemotherapy is to deliver the therapy only to cancerous
cells, thus maintaining the integrity of surrounding healthy
tissue. Currently, one method that is fairly effective at more
precisely targeting cancerous cells utilizes light-activated
therapy. The patient (for example, one with esophageal
cancer) takes the drug in pill form. It remains inert until
a fiber optic bundle of light shines into the esophagus,
which then activates the drug only at the location of the
cancerous cells.
This is a promising therapeutic technique, but it has a few
inherent problems. The main one is that because the light
energy is transferred to oxygen, it is actually the oxygen
that kills the cancerous cells. This treatment method is
not highly effective in aggressive tumors because they are
already depleted of oxygen due to their rapid replication.
Foundation funding to the tune of $300,000 for three
years and is capturing the attention of research partners
at other institutions across the country.
BEFORE
Vero cells. Area of light exposure in red.
Research assistant Matthew Mongelli tests one of the luminescent samples. Photo by Michael Kiernan.
“I am m o s t s u r p r i s e d by
what yo u c a n a c c o m p l i s h
when yo u u s e t h i s t y p e o f
t e a m a p p ro a c h”
AFTER TREATMENT
C o l l a b o r a t i ve Be n e f i t s
Brewer and Winkel agree that the collaborative effort on
this research has been remarkable.
“This is what really sets our research apart from what you see
going on at medical schools,” Winkel said. “Rather than the
trial and error of what works and what doesn’t, we are much
more methodical so we can understand the mechanism and
why things work or don’t work.”
“We decided to come up with some molecular systems
that didn’t require oxygen, but would still be lightactivated,” Brewer said.
The therapy the research group has been developing utilizes a wavelength of light called the therapeutic window,
which is neither absorbed nor reflected away by tissue.
This is the same wavelength that one sees as red light
shining through a hand covering a flashlight. By using
light at this wavelength, the research team believes they
can signal their manmade molecules to release cancerfighting agents at the disease site.
Dead Vero cells
“With the student involvement, the project has really taken
on a life of its own,” Winkel said. “They bring their own ideas
and their own talents. They’re the ones who make valuable
mistakes that lead us in new directions.”
The research team recently started a partnership with
Theralase Technologies Inc. to design molecular systems
that use light that is in the therapeutic window.
Brewer and a former postdoctoral fellow, Shawn Swavey,
co-hold a patent, licenses to Theralase, in this new
technology. The project has received National Science
The Brewer and Winkel research effort is a classic example of
the way the process of university research benefits students
as well as researchers. Over the past 13 years, more than 50
students have been involved in the research.
Live Vero cells
It is clear that Brewer and Winkel are in this project together
as much for the students as for the pure research. “I never
cease to be amazed by our students at Virginia Tech