News from the Alberta Gene Therapy Group
On April 11, 1997, Dr. Lung-Ji Chang and Dr. Ken Petruk announced approval and funding for the first gene therapy trial in Edmonton. The trial involves ten subjects with primary brain cancers or melanomas who will be treated with a tumor vaccine made of retrovirus transduced tumor cells. Funding for the project comes from Briana Biotechnology.
SCID Mouse Colony
We have established a SCID-beige mouse colony at the University of Alberta, which can be used for human PBMC reconstitution (hu-PBL-SCID). Up to 100% reconstitution rates can be reached using this strain of mouse. Please contact Brenda at HSLAS or Dr. Lung-Ji Chang regarding the hu-PBL-SCID reconstitution protocol. More users will reduce the cost for maintaining this colony.
Gene Therapy Seminars of Interest:
Previous Seminars:
- Suming Wang, Staff Scientist at the Human Gene Therapy Institute in
Des Moines, Iowa. "A Novel Herpesvirus Amplicon System for In Vitro and In
Vivo Gene Delivery", July 4, 1997.
- Teruhisa Tsuzuki, Associate Professor. Dept. of Biochemistry, Medical
Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University 69, Fukuoka, Japan. "Targeted Disruption of the DNA Repair Methyltransferase Gene in Mice and Resulting Increase in the Incidence of Cancer". July 9, 1997.
- Michel Sadelain, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center July 24th, 1997.
- Dwight Koeberl, Fred Hutchison Medical Center: Progress in Gene Therapy - Long Term Expression of Human Factor IX in Mouse Hepatocytes. Nov 18th, 1996, hosted by Dr. Diane Cox, Medical Genetics @ 492-0874, University of Alberta.
- Frank Tufaro, Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia: "How Herpex Simplex Virus Gets
Into Cells", Nov. 7, 1996, hosted by Dr. G. McFadden and Dr. S. Rice (Dept. of Biochemistry). Sponsored by the Alberta Heritage Foundation For Medical Research, University of Alberta.
- Dusty Miller, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, will give the Church Lecture (and watch the Calgary Flames), University of Calgary, Friday Nov 8th at 3:00 PM 1996.
- Elizabeth Jazwinska, Queensland Institute Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia: Hemochromatosis: From the Clinic to the Gene, Nov 4, 1996 hosted by Dr. Diane Cox, Medical Genetics @ 492-0874, University of Alberta.
- A. R. Morgan: Tetraplexes (Quadruplexes, Quadriplexes?) are probably important in the structures of telomeres and in recombination intermediates Nucleic Acids Journal Club Nov 4, 1996, University of Alberta.
- Randy Read: "Molecular Pathogenesis of Hamburger Disease".Biochemistry 626 (Northern Lights Proteins/Ezymes Discussion Group) Nov 1, 1996, University of Alberta.
- Gene therapy approaches to Retinitis Pigmentosa using adeno associated virus to deliver wild type copies of rhodopsin. Dr. Peter Humphries, Prof of Ocular Genetics, University of Dublin, Aug 22-23. Hosted by Derrick E. Rancourt and Torben Bech Hansen in Calgary, Ian MacDonald and Michael Walter at the University of Alberta.
- Derrick Rancourt, Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Calgary: Targeted Murine Homeotic Mutations Affecting Brachiocervicalthoracic Structures, July 29th, 1996, Room M149, Biolobical Sciences Building, University of Alberta.
- Xiang-Dong Fu, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, recently gave a lecture on Regulation of pre-mRNA splicing by SR proteins and SR protein specific kinases, University of Alberta, Thursday, Apr 11, 1996, Room 207, Heritage Medical Research Center
- Mang Yu, Director, HIV Gene Therapy, Immusol Inc. recently gave a lecture on HIV and gene therapy, University of Alberta, Apr 12, 1996.
- round table discussion "Carreer Development in Academia and Industry" with graduate students, post docs, Dr. Xiang-Dong Fu, and Dr. Manyg Yu, University of Alberta, Friday, Apr 12 1996. This was very well attended and very enlightening for post doctoral fellows and graduate students.
- Genomics--Impact on Health Care Video Conference, June 11, 1996. Room 141 Arts Building, University of Alberta. Held in conjunction with the BIO +96 Tenth Annual International Biotechnology Meeting and Exhibition in Philadelphia.
- Yawen Chiang, Ph.D., Vice President and Director, Dept. Immunology & Preclinical Studies, Genetic Therapy Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
RAC member, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland: " Cancer Gene Therapy" July 3, 1995, University of ALberta
Please send news items to britchie@clotter.biochem.ualberta.ca