Thanks to almost $1 million in new funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research
Institute of Texas (CPRIT), the University of Houston (UH) will soon be enhancing
its cancer research facilities. 
“This state-of-the-art equipment provides us with a broader range of research applications
that will hopefully result in more effective treatments for cancer patients,” said
CNRCS director Dr. Jan-Åke Gustafsson, who is the principal investigator on this grant.
“We look forward to further expanding the impact of our research with the continued
support of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.”
Designated for core facility support, the funds will be invested in a new IVIS Spectrum
imaging system. This optical imaging technology will make it possible for researchers
to study the molecular processes of disease progression and gene expression occurring
in live animals through noninvasive methods. Increasing accuracy and offering more
sensitive detection, the technology allows scientists to look deeper and further,
improving the quality of data, as well as reducing the required number of animals
for experiments.
“With this new imaging system, we will be able to more accurately evaluate our research
into emerging cancer therapeutics and diagnostics,” Gustafsson said. “This includes
next-generation small molecule drugs, chemotherapeutics and both viral and nonviral
gene delivery systems.”
Gustafsson’s collaborators on securing this grant were assistant professor Daniel
Frigo and research assistant professor Maria Bondesson, both with CNRCS, and assistant
professor Fatima Merchant from the College of Technology. The equipment also will
be available to UH researchers from other disciplines, such as computer science, engineering
technology and pharmacy, resulting in collaborations expected to advance the field
of preclinical tumor model analysis and strengthen the emerging UH cancer research
initiative.
CPRIT was established in 2007 to invest in groundbreaking cancer research and prevention
programs in Texas. The institute focuses on expediting the innovation and commercialization
of research, increasing the potential for breakthroughs and enhancing access to evidence-based
prevention programs and services. During the last two years, CPRIT has awarded more
than $550 million in funding statewide. This is the second CPRIT award for UH in 2011.
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Editorial Note: High-resolution photos of Jan-Åke Gustafsson are available to media
by contacting Lisa Merkl.
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university
recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s best colleges for undergraduate
education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing
world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located
in the nation’s fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 38,500 students in the most
ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country.
About the UH Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling
Established in 2009, UH’s Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling (CNRCS)
is a leader in the UH Health initiative. Led by Gustafsson, a world-renowned expert
in the field of nuclear receptors, CNRCS researchers are involved in many aspects
of nuclear receptor research, all focused on understanding the roles of these receptors
in health and disease. CNRCS researchers are working toward the goal of finding new
treatments for an array of significant diseases including cancer, diabetes and metabolic
syndrome. Working from the center’s world-class labs, the researchers combine interdisciplinary
research and dynamic collaboration with the Texas Medical Center and industry partners.
About the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
The UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, with 181 ranked faculty and approximately
4,500 students, offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in the natural sciences,
computational sciences and mathematics. Faculty members in the departments of biology
and biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, earth and atmospheric sciences, mathematics
and physics conduct internationally recognized research in collaboration with industry,
Texas Medical Center institutions, NASA and others worldwide.
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