Scientific Interest(s):
Dr. Lily Wu's research is aimed at developing a better understanding of cancer biology and improving gene-based therapy. She and her colleagues have utilized the efficient gene transfer property of adenovirus to create tissue-targeted therapy for cancer. By applying this targeted gene-expression approach to molecular imaging, metastatic lesions were detected in living tumor-bearing mice. To gain a better understanding of metastasis, the advanced and deadly stage of cancer, she and her colleagues are actively investigating tumor blood and lymphatic vasculatures that serve as routes of tumor cell spread. A variety of therapeutic approaches are being implemented in prostate and breast cancer models. In one strategy, they are modifying adenovirus and herpes virus to mediate cancer-specific lysis. Molecular imaging techniques such as optical charge-coupled devices (CCD) imaging and positron emission tomography (PET) are fundamental tools of their investigation. Wu's ultimate goal is to create potent and effective cancer-targeted therapy to diagnose and treat advanced stage and metastatic cancer.
Selected Cancer-Related Publications:
Figueiredo ML, Sato M, Johnson M, Wu L. Specific targeting of gene therapy to prostate cancer using a two-step transcriptional amplification system. Future Oncol. 2006; 2(3): 391-406.
Bao Y, Peng W, Verbitsky A, Chen J, Wu L, Rauen KA, Sawicki JA. Human coxsackie adenovirus receptor (CAR) expression in transgenic mouse prostate tumors enhances adenoviral delivery of genes. Prostate. 2005; 64(4): 401-7.
Bj÷rndahl MA, Cao R, Burton JB, Brakenhielm E, Religa P, Galter D, Wu L, Cao Y. Vascular endothelial growth factor-a promotes peritumoral lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis. Cancer Res. 2005; 65(20): 9261-8.
Ilagan R, Zhang LJ, Pottratz J, Le K, Salas S, Iyer M, Wu L, Gambhir SS, Carey M. Imaging androgen receptor function during flutamide treatment in the LAPC9 xenograft model. Mol Cancer Ther. 2005; 4(11): 1662-9.
Inubushi M, Wu JC, Gambhir SS, Sundaresan G, Satyamurthy N, Namavari M, Yee S, Barrio JR, Stout D, Chatziioannou AF, Wu L, Schelbert HR. Positron-emission tomography reporter gene expression imaging in rat myocardium. Circulation. 2003; 107(2): 326-32.