Paper on Potential Novel Therapeutic for Shh-Driven Cancers Featured on Cover of Oncotarget

A team led by Bhairavi Tolani, Ph.D. and David M. Jablons, M.D. has developed and characterized a potential novel therapeutic for Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-driven cancers, including some lung cancers. Dr. Tolani is an assistant professor and member of the Thoracic Oncology Program, and principal investigator in the Tolani Laboratory. Dr. Jablons is director of the Thoracic Oncology Program and Thoracic Oncology Lab. 

The researchers reported last October that full-length Shh protein present on the cell membrane identified cells with cancer stem cell (CSC) features implicated in NSCLC. To target these perpetrator CSCs and disable them, they developed therapeutic antibodies against the carboxy (C)-terminus of Shh and characterized their pre-clinical activities in cancer cells and mice. This is the first report of a therapeutic and inhibitory antibody designed to specifically target the carboxy-terminus of Shh. Lead author Tolani played a pivotal role in guiding the team, and collaborated closely with Jablons throughout the project. The paper was featured on the cover of the March 6th issue of the journal Oncotarget.