The researchers have been collaborating for a number of years, including publication of joint studies. This is the first time their work has received a major grant.
“Now we will be able to allocate resources better and recruit new researchers,” says Dr. Tommy Martinsson, the principal applicant for the project.
Various kinds of experts
All of the researchers are contributing to the effort through their specialization in a particular field. Dr. Martinsson, who is a Professor of Cancer Genetics, is performing genetic diagnoses of all cases of neuroblastoma in Sweden. He has assessed a total of 700 patients so far. Dr. Ruth Palmer, a developmental biologist, and Dr. Bengt Hallberg, a cell biologist, are studying the ALK oncogene in various ways. Sahlgrenska Academy recently recruited the two of them from Umeå University. Dr. Erik Larsson Lekholm specializes in bioinformatic methods for analyzing large quantities of data. Dr. Chandrasekhar Kanduri studies non-coding RNA molecules and their role in tumor progression.
Biomarkers and treatments
“Our team has just the right balance of resources,” Dr. Martinsson says. “We want to identify new biomarkers that can help determine the optimum treatment for a particular patient. We are also looking to discover treatments for the most serious form of neuroblastoma. We are already on the scent of several interesting possibilities.”
Dr. Per Kogner, a pediatrician at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital, and Dr. John Inge Johnsen, a pediatric oncology researcher, are participating in Stockholm. Both of them are affiliated with Karolinska Institutet.
A disease with many different forms
Neuroblastoma is an uncommon type of cancer that is limited almost entirely to children. Around twenty Swedish children are diagnosed with the disease every year, most of them before their second birthday. Neuroblastoma is a complex condition that can manifest in various stages and subtypes. The mildest form may go away without treatment. The most severe cases may require surgery, chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. Almost 40% of high-risk pediatric neuroblastoma cases prove fatal.
