A new publication - Chk1 inhibitors

We have a second publication out this year.  This work is a major collaboration between chemists and biologists to find new chemical inhibitors of the enzyme Chk1.  The chemistry was led by Dr Françoise Perron-Sierra and Dr Patrick Casara; they developed a new method to modify an amazing class of compounds known as "indolocarbazoles".  By testing these new molecules we found several potent inhibitors of Chk1.  These compounds add to our arsenal of tools to study how cancer cells enter mitosis with damaged DNA.  The compounds also have potential as anti-cancer agents in solid tumours and leukaemias. 

If you have questions or would like to know more, feel free to contact either myself (roy.golsteyn@uleth.ca) or Françoise (francoise.perron-sierra@fr.netgrs.com).

New Academic Year - New Laboratory Members

A new academic year begins with much promise and optimism.  This year we are optimistic because we have two new graduate students and two new undergraduates joining the laboratory.  New people mean new ideas and more energy to tackle the hard problem of how cancer cells divide.  We are also optimistic because the our cell based model seems to hold the answers to what are the biochemical pathways that enable cancer cells to divide, when they should not.  One enzyme, Checkpoint kinase 1, is clearly  important but we also find that it is not acting alone.  With help from the new recruits we are working to find the master regulator of checkpoint adaptation