St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

About: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a healthcare organization based out in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Virus. The organization has 9344 authors who have published 19233 publications receiving 1233399 citations. The organization is also known as: St. Jude Children's Hospital & St. Jude Hospital.

Challenges to curing primary brain tumours

Abstract: Despite decades of research, brain tumours remain among the deadliest of all forms of cancer. The ability of these tumours to resist almost all conventional and novel treatments relates, in part, to the unique cell-intrinsic and microenvironmental properties of neural tissues. In an attempt to encourage progress in our understanding and ability to successfully treat patients with brain tumours, Cancer Research UK convened an international panel of clinicians and laboratory-based scientists to identify challenges that must be overcome if we are to cure all patients with a brain tumour. The seven key challenges summarized in this Position Paper are intended to serve as foci for future research and investment.

Are Ducks Contributing to the Endemicity of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Influenza Virus in Asia

Abstract: Wild waterfowl are the natural reservoir of all influenza A viruses, and these viruses are usually nonpathogenic in these birds. However, since late 2002, H5N1 outbreaks in Asia have resulted in mortality among waterfowl in recreational parks, domestic flocks, and wild migratory birds. The evolutionary stasis between influenza virus and its natural host may have been disrupted, prompting us to ask whether waterfowl are resistant to H5N1 influenza virus disease and whether they can still act as a reservoir for these viruses. To better understand the biology of H5N1 viruses in ducks and attempt to answer this question, we inoculated juvenile mallards with 23 different H5N1 influenza viruses isolated in Asia between 2003 and 2004. All virus isolates replicated efficiently in inoculated ducks, and 22 were transmitted to susceptible contacts. Viruses replicated to higher levels in the trachea than in the cloaca of both inoculated and contact birds, suggesting that the digestive tract is not the main site of H5N1 influenza virus replication in ducks and that the fecal-oral route may no longer be the main transmission path. The virus isolates' pathogenicities varied from completely nonpathogenic to highly lethal and were positively correlated with tracheal virus titers. Nevertheless, the eight virus isolates that were nonpathogenic in ducks replicated and transmitted efficiently to naive contacts, suggesting that highly pathogenic H5N1 viruses causing minimal signs of disease in ducks can propagate silently and efficiently among domestic and wild ducks in Asia and that they represent a serious threat to human and veterinary public health.

Establishment of human tumor xenografts in immunodeficient mice.

Abstract: Heterotransplantation of human cancer cells or tumor biopsies into immunodeficient rodents (xenograft models) has, for the past two decades, constituted the major preclinical screen for the development of novel cancer therapeutics. Despite limitations, these models have identified clinically efficacious agents, and remain the 'workhorse' of the pharmaceutical industry. However, if therapeutic approaches to treating tumors according to their molecular characteristics are to be achieved, additional new models of human cancer will be required to represent the genetic diversity that exists within tumor histologies. This protocol details a method for establishing xenografts from primary solid-tumor isolates or cells grown in culture. The procedure relies on immunodeficient mice to provide a host for the establishment of human xenografts. The procedure can be completed in 1–2 h with results being obtained in 1–4 months.