Translational research targets gliomas

BLACKSBURG, VA.— A Virginia-Tech veterinarian is partnering with Wake Forest University to develop an improved therapeutic approach to managing gliomas.

The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine reports that the work of Dr. John Rossmeisl, an associate professor of small-animal clinical sciences, is part of a strategy to foster translational medicine projects.

"We are developing technology that destroys these types of brain tumors and opens up the blood-brain barrier so that we can get life-saving drugs to the brain in both dogs and humans," Rossmeisl says.

Rossmeisl and colleagues have identified two novel receptors only present in cancer cells. "These receptors offer unique targets for delivery in molecular toxins to the brain cancer cells to kill them without harming the normal brain," he adds.

Rossmeisl is also working with Rafael Davalos, an associate professor of biomedical engineering, on the use of electrical fields to increase permeability of cell membranes to deliver medication past the blood-brain barrier.