Collaboration
The Univeristy of Florida’s iGEM 2022 Team worked in collaboration as a mentor for Lambert High School from May to September. Historically, teams from the eastern seaboard have collaborated with Lambert, so we reached out early to establish a connection for this year’s competition cycle. Through our Zoom meeting, we met each of their leads and helped them analyze the scope and feasibility of their project. Additionally, our Human Practices Lead spoke at a summer camp they put on every year for middle school students in the area
Meetings
- May 23rd: Created GroupMe to plan collaborations
- May 25th: Introduction Zoom and stayed after to talk with their HP lead about how to narrow down their project and possible sources for their HP write up
- June 10th: Spoke at summer camp advertising science curriculum and iGEM at the collegiate level
- July 24th: E-mail based check in
- September 12th-23rd: Explaining final plans and checkin in on plans for Jamboree
Impact of Project
When designing this project, our team had both scientific and social values in mind. While the specific causes of Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are unknown, their cells are known for showing higher levels of genetic mutations in comparison to other forms of astrocytoma brain cancers. These mutations could originate from inherited DNA defects or other genetic abnormalities which could have accumulated over time. Due to its unpredictability, GBM can affect anyone at any given time. This not only has profound consequences on the individual, but also their friends and family who have to watch the aggressive cancer grow. While the incidence rate is only 3.19 per 100,000 persons in the United States, less than 5% of patients survive for more than five years following diagnosis.
The current standard therapy for GBM includes surgical resection, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Despite initial resection and subsequent therapy, about 70% of patients will experience disease progression within one year of diagnosis. New forms of treatment such as viral therapy have been introduced in recent years to target GBM. The five main viruses that have been used to target GBM are retroviruses, lentiviruses, adenoviruses, herpes simplex viruses, and oncolytic viruses. In comparison to retroviral vectors, lentiviral vectors are more stable, which makes them more resistant to insertion mutation. Our project aims to harness the power of lentiviral vectors to make GBMs more sensitive to radiotherapy, and therefore possibly present a better quality of life for survivors.
Within the few survivors of the disease, the quality of life is altered, which is a subject not often addressed within the realm of cancer survival. The intervention of viral vectors offers a scientifically sound alternative to pre-existing treatment that could provide better quality of life and longer survival times for diagnosed patients. One of our Human Practices team members, Haisley Smith, was particularly concerned with consulting communities or individuals affected by GBM, and as part of our efforts conducted a formal interview with a 2-year survivor of GBM, patient M.M. (male, mid 50s).
In the interview, M.M. stated that he was diagnosed with a 4.2 centimeter lesion. He experienced cognitive issues, and later lost feeling in the side of his body opposite the tumor. He was taken in for surgery and the surgical team was able to remove 90% of the tumor, and while he was able to continue working, he mentioned the extreme fatigue and restriction of physical activity brought on by anti-seizure medication and Optune, a wearable medical device that emits electric fields that are believed to disrupt cancer cell division. While M.M. is one of the few who survive years beyond their surgery, his quality of life has been greatly diminished. Additionally, due to his survivor status, he is unable to participate in clinical trials that could possibly aid in the repair of his cognitive or mobility functions. This presents a direct connection to our project, as our results could positively change the course of those living with the effects of GBM treatment.