Bio
Currently my research focus is in cancer therapeutics, with a specific focus on compounds that inhibit vegfr-3 and CXC chemokine -receptor phosphorylation.4 used to inhibit melanoma, endothelioma and undifferentiated neuroblastoma adhesion in vitro and in vivo. The compounds will be assessed individually and in combination. Treatments include chemokine receptor antagonists CTCE-9908 and 3-(4-dimethylamino-naphthelen-1-ylmethylene)-1, 3-dihydroindol-2-one (MAZ 51) a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor. The effects of CTCE-9908, MAZ-51 and the combination of the compounds on the expression of integrin proteins, growth factors and the overall effect of intracellular signalling pathways on the parameters of metastasis, with a special focus on adhesion proteins. This will provide a better understanding on the compound effects on cell-cell or cell–extra cellular matrix interactions and downstream signalling molecules that impact on melanoma, endothelioma and undifferentiated neuroblastoma adhesion in vitro. The knowledge gained on the compounds will allow for progression towards in vivo analysis. Currently I have a collaboration with Prof Rose Hayeshi director of the preclinical drug development program and Dr Wihan Pheiffer at the North West University. The collaboration is aimed primarily for in vitro studies but includes several projects relating to “in vivo mouse modelling for cancer therapeutics” . A second collaboration with the Mathematics department of the University of Pretoria under the leadership of Professor R Anguelov. The aim of the collaboration is to develop mathematical models to analyse the impact of CTCE-9908 and kynurenine metabolites on tumour adhesion specifically in undifferentiated neuroblastoma, endothelioma and melanoma cells. From the collaboration with Prof Anguelov we have presented at several conferences listed below and a submitted manuscript.