WHAT’S INSIDE
NEWS 1–2
SPORTS 4–5
OPINION 3
CULTURE 7–8 I SSU E
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The Independent Student Voice of Boise State Since 1933
Volume 23
First Issue
F R E E OCTOBER 28, 2010
When Halloween costumes go wrong
3
Guys and gals debate soul mates
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4
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Broncos hope win impresses BCS
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ARBITERONLINE.COM
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Mitch Esplin/THE ARBITER
And the tides turn After almost being diagnosed herself, Nicole Ankendbrandt begins cancer research Gabrielle Brandini Journalist
Photos by Mitch Esplin/THE ARBITER
Dr. Cheryl Jorcyk examines cultures under a microscope in her lab Tuesday. Jorcyk was recently awarded a $600,000 grant from the Susan G. Komen Foundation for her research into cancer and the protein Oncostatin M.
The search for a cure
Cheryl Jorcyk squints into the nature of one tiny cancer cell protein Samantha Royce Journalist
Boise State biology professor Dr. Cheryl Jorcyk is studying Oncostatin M (OSM), a protein produced by breast cancer cells. Jorcyk believes that OSM may promote metastasis, the spread of cancer from its origin to another part of the body. She is studying the spread of breast cancer from breast to bone. “If our hypothesis is true ... then we would work on developing a targeted therapy to block Oncostatin M as a way to decrease cancer metastasis to the bone,” Jorcyk said. A breast cancer tumor can be removed via surgery. But Jorcyk says it’s the metastasis that can be the real issue. The spread of cancer to bone isn’t studied as much as the spread of cancer to other areas. Jorcyk said bone is the most common place to where breast cancer spreads. OSM actually inhibits breast cancer cell growth. But at the same time it helps cancer spread to the bone and other parts of the body. Normally OSM is made by cells of the immune system and is important in inflammation but there is evidence chronic inflammation leads to cancer. Jorcyk’s research focuses on manipulating breast cancer cell lines so they make either more or less OSM. In order to treat the spread of OSM the
A & Q Q: How did you first get involved in cancer research? Answer: I actually first got involved when I was 19 years old. I lived in Maryland near the National Institutes of Health. And when I was in
cancerous tumor would be removed. Then the patient would be treated with the therapy to block the metastasis. “So the final aim...is to take a neutralizing antibody and see if we can block Oncostatin M’s receptor on the cell surface and that way we can keep (OSM) from binding to its receptor,” Jorcyk said. Several students and post-doctoral researchers are assisting Jorcyk in her efforts. They are conducting the research in a lab in the Science and Nursing Building. Jorcyk has received two research grants for her work with OSM and breast cancer metastasis to bone. The American Cancer Society granted her $720,000 in August 2009 and Susan G. Komen for the Cure granted her $600,000 this past spring. She was expecting to get only one of the grants but was happy when they gave her both after she changed her research aims slightly to include a translational approach or an animal-to-human model of research. Jorcyk said she is pleased to be working with her team of students and other researchers on the project. “I have just great people in the lab and their working together is what’s going to solve this,” Jorcyk said. “(The grants) allow you to get the money but it’s really doing the work that makes the difference.”
Jorcyk talks inspiration, getting involved, students college, after my freshman year, I life-guarded like I had in high school and (my parents) were like, “Well you need to stop life-guarding and get a job that has to do with you major,” which was biology. So I got a summer position after my sophomore year at the National Institutes of Health and it turned out to be in the National Cancer Institute. Q: How did you become interested in breast
cancer research? A: Most of my work when I did my postdoc work...was back at the National Cancer Institute. And I worked in a lab that developed a mouse model of prostate cancer in males but it turned out the females also got breast cancer. So I kind of left that lab...with a little bit of background in breast cancer and then when I moved to Boise I worked with people at the VA and they were working
on Oncostatin M, but they were working on it in breast cancer so over a couple years I slowly transitioned to breast. Q: Were you inspired by anyone who had breast cancer? A: No...I care more about it because I’m a female and it does affect like, one in eight women...I mean, I know people who have died from it and everything but that’s not how I got started.
When Nicole Ankenbrandt was a child, she was almost diagnosed with leukemia. She was only a small child, but everyone around her was terrified. Today she is part of an undergraduate research program, taking her first steps into cancer research. Cancer has largely affected her family, as both sets of her grandparents have passed away from the disease. "I'm emotionally connected to this," she said of cancer research. An 18-year-old freshmen, Ankenbrandt is part of the Idaho Student Temporary Employment Program, where she spends more than eight hours a week doing research and presenting her findings through team meetings and blogging. Each researcher has a specific field of interest and Ankenbrandt's is medical treatment for cancer. "They sent me an e-mail with information about the program and I applied, I was really excited that I had this opportunity," she said. "It's definitely something that you can put on your resume. Graduate schools especially, they'll be looking for something like that." Ankenbrandt has both an academic sponsor and a research employee whom she shadows, Dr. Cheryl Jorcyk and Dollie LaJoie. "Everything (that I'm learning) is way over my head," Ankenbrandt said. "I think it's all really interesting, but for the employee that I'm shadowing, it's probably really easy and basic for her." Ankenbrandt has already starting doing experiments, including a real-time polymerase chain reaction, where she extracted DNA from the tip of a mouse's tail. "I haven't done anything like this before," she said. "I'm prepared for the work load and the time commitment. This is a glimpse of the future, of something that I'm gonna be doing one day." The main goal of her research is to find out more information on Oncostatin M, a pleiotropic cytokine that is being considered for use as cancer treatment. Jorcyk's team has found that OCM may instead contribute to breast cancer progression. Ankenbrandt and Jorcyk's team wishes to discover new treatments for cancer. "Ultimately I want to be working in a children's hospital, researching different treatments for cancer," she said. "I really like kids. Whenever I see a movie where there's a kid who has cancer, it really gets to me." The year-long STEP focuses on giving freshmen and sophomores research experience and opportunities. She hopes to continue researching under Jorcyk throughout her undergraduate career, though she might take a break from the program next year. Ankenbrandt hopes to take cancer research and turn it into the springboard for her career. For more information about STEP, visit: http://tinyurl.com/BoiseStateSTEP
Q: How did you end up at Boise State? A: After I completed my Ph.D., I did a postdoc at NIH, then I applied for a job. And I applied around the country to a couple places but I wanted to teach in addition to do research and the other places I applied were just research. So I felt better coming to Boise State, being part of a growing program. And so I’ve been part of a growing program. It’s
been really fun. Q: What is your favorite part of your research? A: My favorite part of my job...is I really like when students...get good results. And they get really excited and there’s a story to tell. And they can publish it. You know, my job is to manage them, help them grow and to teach them the right directions to go and how to think and that all comes together, it’s just a great feeling.
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