Nathanael Hail
Pronouns: he/him
Research Mentor(s): Simpa Salami
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Urology / Medicine
Program: UROPF
Session: Session 6 (3:40pm – 4:30pm)
Authors: Simpa Salami, Trinh Pham, Nathanael Hail, Cole Bennett , Sydney Tran
Abstract
Renal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and aggressive forms remain difficult to treat. Similarly, Kidney injuries demand a high number of organ transplants yearly, and the pressure towards innovative treatment and novel medicines in cancer research is critical for improving the survival rate of patients with Renal and Kidney Cancers. In our study we extracted DNA and RNA from patient urine samples, using the concentrations to sequence the genes using next generation single cell sequencing technology. Alongside this we were able to extract cancer cells from surgical tumor specimens of patients and derive organoids as a model for cancer therapy and drug testing. Since organoids mimic the original organ from the patient, they act as an excellent model for studying the tumor microenvironment and serve as less invasive cancer therapy testing. Through sequencing and analysis, we hope to find the expressed genes that are causing the cancer and likewise the pathway that the cancer initializes. Using these biomarkers, we can create a novel approach for personalized treatment and medicines for kidney and renal cancer patients, which may have potential use in decreasing patient exposure to high levels of drug toxicity and new models for studying these cancers.
