2010 UALC
Christine Lovly, MD, PhD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Research Project:
Developing novel therapeutic strategies for ALK-fusion positive lung cancer
Summary:
Molecularly-targeted therapies have proven more effective than standard chemotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer. For example, patients harboring EGFR mutations initially respond very well to EGFR-targeted therapeutics. In 2007, another subset of patients was identified, harboring a different mutation to the ALK gene. ALK inhibitors are currently in development, notably in a Phase 3 trial with promising results. However, little is known about how ALK mutations cause cancer. Dr. Lovly aims to further understand how ALK is activated and its downstream signaling pathways with the goal of identifying more effective targets and potential new therapies for patients with ALK-positive lung cancer.
More Content:
Final Report
Dr. Lovly has identified IRS-1 as a mediator of ALK signaling and is further exploring the role of this protein in downstream signaling events. She predicts that in the absence of the adaptor molecule needed for ALK to engage downstream effector pathways, that signaling and hence cell proliferation will be impaired. Also, in collaboration with the thoracic clinical program at Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Dr. Lovly is actively in the process of establishing a clinical trial with the combination ALK inhibitor plus IGF-1R inhibitor for ALK TKI naive and ALK TKI resistant lung cancer patients. Ultimately, she hopes to determine the most specific and most effective therapeutic strategies to treat patients with ALK+ lung cancer. These studies could also have potential implications for other ALK-driven malignancies.
Notable Accomplishments
Dr. Lovly has published her work in Cancer Research and Clinical Cancer Research. In addition, she has received $150,000 in follow-on funding to support her work, and has formed new collaborations with two UALC-funded investigators as a result of UALC’s Investigator Meeting.