Extracellular Vesicles as Diagnostic and Therapeutic Tools for Cancer

Sponsored by: Thermo Fisher Scientific/Gibco

Speaker

Abstract

DATE: November 13, 2018

TIME: 9:00am PST, 12:00pm EST

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-secreted nanoparticles that play a pivotal role in intercellular communication that affects both physiological and pathological processes. Therefore, EVs have great potential for diagnostic and therapeutic applications for cancer. EVs can be isolated from cell culture media and patient-derived biological fluids, and exploited as biomarkers or delivery vehicles. In this project, the uptake of EVs in various cancer cells has been evaluated. Moreover, EV RNA profiling has been used as a biomarker of various liver cancer cell lines. Additionally, EVs isolated from cancer cells have been projected into a 2D supported lipid bilayer as the initial step to develop a first of its kind EV biosensor. Taken together, cancer cell derived EVs have great potential for improving the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Learning Objectives:

Understand basic extracellular vesicle concepts: biogenesis, function and future applications
Become familiar with extracellular vesicles isolation techniques
Explore the role of extracellular vesicles for cancer research: biomarkers, biosensors, and drug delivery vehicles