Researchers who have developed a new research method that reduces the use of animals in the laboratory have been awarded this year's esteemed Voiceless Eureka Prize.
Maria Kavallaris and colleagues at Sydney's Children's Cancer Institute Australia for Medical Research (CCIA) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) used molecular biology and cell culture techniques to develop a method for identifying mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer cells, without the need for animal testing.
Drug resistance in cancer is a major clinical problem. Kavallaris and her team dissected protein pathways involved in response to chemotherapy by developing and using cancer cells lines in culture. This work led to the identification of a new protein involved in drug resistance in leukemia.
1. Though I applaud Maria Kevallaris and her colleagues for wanting to reduce the number of animals used for medical research, I am extremely upset with their use of cell lines. These cells in culture bear no resemblence to human cancer. In the body both normal and malignant cells have fixed phenotypes and tend to be genetically stable and differentiated, despite mutations that malignant and old cells may acquire.. Cells established in culture are grossly unstable and undifferentiated with genetic and phenotypic characteristics that evolve at random over time. I do know that cell lines are and have been for decades, the favorite model of cancer researchers around the world. I also know the now 36 year old "war on cancer" has been a failure and statistics remain the same. I understand that cell lines are convenient for scientists, as they grow so rapidly. Fresh malignant cells from mammals die off in a rather short time and are not convenient. However, if we are to understand the apple, why are we studying the orange? I welcome an open scientific discussion on the use of cell lines as a model for cancer research. Thank you!
Posted at 6:47AM on Aug 27th 2007 by Roz Rosenblum