Research at the Pacific Meso Center

OVERVIEW

The Pacific Meso Center sponsors multiple research and public projects on mesothelioma, with the primary objective of finding a cure for this cancer, and extending the longevity and quality of life of mesothelioma patients. We focus on the discovery of promising new treatments, as well as early detection and prevention programs. The exploration and collegial exchange of innovative ideas form the foundation of the Pacific Meso Center’s frontier research program, and provide a seminal crossdisciplinary platform for accelerating the development of therapeutic breakthroughs. Through our inhouse expertise and our collaborations with both laboratory and clinical scientists worldwide, we shepherd the advancement of translational medical research on mesothelioma from the bench to the bedside.

The Pacific Meso Center supports two research laboratories: the Punch Worthington Laboratory at UCLA and our recently-opened laboratory, dedicated to mesothelioma research, in Santa Monica.

David “Punch” Worthington Laboratory founded in 2005, is located at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. The Laboratory was made possible by a generous initial donation and continuing support from Roger G. Worthington. This facility was named in commemoration of his father, Punch Worthington, Ph.D., who died after battling an asbestos-related cancer. Dr. Punch Worthington earned a Ph.D. in genetics, but left a promising career in academia to pursue his true passion in life: labor union organizing and advocacy.

CRYOABLATION- DEPARTMENT OF BIOENGINEERING, UCLA

In partnership with UCLA School of Engineering's Biophotonics Laboratory in the Department of Bioengineering, the Pacific Meso Center is pioneering a study on cryoablation -- "tissue freezing" – to treat mesothelioma. The goal of this project is to develop a prototype cryosprayer designed to safely deliver liquid nitrogen into the chest cavity of mesothelioma patients undergoing surgery. This initiative grew out of research findings recently presented by Drs. Robert Cameron and Dongmei Hou, both affiliated with the UCLA Punch Worthington Laboratory, demonstrating that human pleural mesothelioma cells are sensitive to extreme cold. Under the direction of Professor Warren S. Grundfest, M.D., FACS, Director of the Biophotonics Laboratory, the UCLA team has designed and manufactured a unique cryogenic coolant nossle to target mesothelioma cells. The study will determine if liquid nitrogen used to freeze a thin portion of the chest wall surface after all visible mesothelioma tumors have been surgically removed can destroy any remaining tumor cells. If cryoablation is an effective tool in preventing local mesothelioma in the lab, it might be beneficial in reducing the risk of mesothelioma recurrence in patients in the clinic.