Purdue University
Technology shines the light on ovarian cancer treatments
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[November 19, 2020]
Scientists estimate that nearly 60% of all cancer patients do not
respond effectively to chemotherapy treatments. Even worse – many of
those same patients experience toxic and sometimes deadly side
effects.
Now, a Purdue University scientist and entrepreneur is working to
use simple LED light to help determine if certain chemotherapy
options will work for specific patients. The work is published in
Scientific Reports.
“We are using a technique very similar to doppler radar used in
weather to advance personalized medicine,” said David Nolte, the
Edward M. Purcell Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy
in Purdue’s College of Science. “We take the LED light and shine it
on biopsies. We then apply chemotherapy to the biopsies and analyze
how the light scatters off the tissues.”
Nolte, who also is a member of the Purdue University Center for
Cancer Research, said the light scattering dynamics give scientists
and doctors detailed information about the likelihood of a
chemotherapy drug being effective for a patient. Nolte said they
have results within 24 hours. This first trial looked at biodynamic
imaging on human patients with ovarian cancer.
“We look for signs of apoptosis, or what we call the controlled
death of cells,” Nolte said. “Apoptosis is the signal that indicates
the effectiveness of the chemotherapy for this patient’s tissues and
tumors. For some cancers, there are so many treatment options
available that it’s like a doctor is trying to fit square pegs in
circular holes until a desired outcome is found. We want to make
this process better for patients.”
Nolte has worked with several groups within the Purdue
entrepreneurial and commercialization ecosystem, including the
Purdue Foundry, on business plan development and management
searches. AniDyn, a medical technology startup, was spun out of
Purdue by professors Nolte and John J. Turek. AniDyn is focused on
the development and commercialization of live-tissue imaging
platform technologies.
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Nolte also works closely with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of
Technology Commercialization to patent and license his technologies.
About Purdue Research Foundation
The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to
advance the mission of Purdue University. Established in 1930, the foundation
accepts gifts; administers trusts; funds scholarships and grants; acquires
property; protects Purdue's intellectual property; and promotes entrepreneurial
activities on behalf of Purdue. The foundation manages the Purdue Foundry,
Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization, Purdue Research Park, Purdue
Technology Centers and University Development Office. In 2020, the IPWatchdog
Institute ranked Purdue third nationally in startup creation and in the top 20
for patents. The foundation received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity
Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Land-grant
Universities. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the
Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. For more
information about involvement and investment opportunities in startups based on
a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at
foundry@prf.org.
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About Purdue University
Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical
solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative
University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers
world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on
and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to
all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and
most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate
debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next
giant leap at purdue.edu.
[Writer: Chris Adam
Source: David Nolte] |