OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – A University of Oklahoma researcher has been awarded a significant federal grant to investigate natural products for their potential in cancer prevention and treatment. Dr. Chinthalapally V. Rao, a professor at the OU College of Medicine and director of the Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, has received nearly $1 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct this groundbreaking research.The three-year grant, with the potential for an additional $1 million if key milestones are met, will allow Dr. Rao and his team to evaluate thousands of natural products for their anticancer properties.
This research aims to bridge a critical knowledge gap in understanding how natural compounds target cancer pathways.”Currently, we don’t have sufficient understanding about how natural products target cancer pathways,” Dr. Rao explained. “With this grant, we aim to discover the precise target of natural products, and that target must be relevant to the progression of cancer.”
Innovating Treatment Methods
The study will focus primarily on colon cancer, known for its slow progression, making it an ideal candidate for prevention and early treatment strategies. Dr. Rao’s team will collaborate with the National Cancer Institute’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, accessing a vast repository of approximately 500,000 diverse natural product samples. The researchers will rapidly assess these natural products using high-throughput screening methods, identifying and isolating active compounds for further analysis. Promising candidates will then be tested in mouse research models to evaluate their effectiveness in inhibiting tumor growth, optimal dosing, and potential toxicities.
Dr. Rao, who brings over 30 years of experience in studying natural products for drug development, has previously identified several natural compounds with potential anticancer properties. These include curcumin, caffeic acid esters from honeybees, oleanonic acid found in fruit plants, and diosgenin from herbal plants.
Dr. Robert Mannel, director of Stephenson Cancer Center, emphasized the importance of this research, “The best way to fight cancer is to prevent it or treat it before it metastasizes. Natural products hold the potential to be used in drugs that target specific cancers without causing the severe side effects that often come with more traditional therapies.
Innovating Cancer Approaches
This project, titled “Discovery and Development of Natural Products for Interception of CRC,” represents a significant step forward in cancer research. It underscores the University of Oklahoma’s commitment to innovative cancer prevention and treatment approaches, further solidifying its position as a leader in medical research.
As the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Oklahoma, OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center is well-positioned to translate this research into clinical applications, potentially leading to new, more effective, and less toxic cancer treatments derived from nature.
