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The Walker Cancer Research
Institute, Inc. (WCRI) has to date carried out 13,368 procedures and
experiments as part of 1108 research projects for the search for cures
to cancer diseases. Of these, 12,450 were carried out at our Chemical
Synthesis Laboratory in Detroit, Michigan as part of 1042 research
efforts. Nine hundred and eighteen (918) were carried out at our Natural
Products Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida as part of 66 programs.
Additional research efforts have been carried out in collaboration with
other cancer research organizations and governmental agencies. New
materials have been sent recently to other laboratories for further
study, including samples to the National Institute of Health's National
Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland for drug trials.
The Walker
Cancer Research Institute, Inc. has carried out a wide range of research
projects. These include: anti-sense RNA drug development and testing;
Time Delay Toxin Activation (TDTA) drug system synthesis, development,
and testing; nitrogen mustard prodrug synthesis; and studies on cancer
and normal cell mortality modification. A preliminary TDTA drug system,
a partial proof-of-principle system, has already been developed and
tested with good results. The drugs were entirely non-toxic to healthy
tissue and toxic to cancer cells. An improved drug system based on this
same chemical approach has now been synthesized and is undergoing
evaluation tests. The new drug system will provide greater differential
toxicity than the previous system.
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The
Walker Cancer Research Institute’s Natural Products Laboratory initiated a study in collaboration with the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
of the Departments of Engineering at Florida State and Florida A&M
Universities to study high magnetic field effects on cancer cell
developmental chemistry. Successful results have been obtained at field
strengths higher than ever before used in such investigations. It has
been found that high strength magnetic fields can alter the functioning
of many enzymes that control much of the dividing cell's growth
activity. Since high enzymatic activity characterizes the rapid division
of cells in cancer tissue, there exists a significant potential for the
control of cancer growth by means of such magnetic fields directed onto
specific regions of cancerous growth.
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A collaboration between the
Department of Pharmacognocy, University of Athens, Athens, Greece and
the WCRI Natural Products Laboratory has led to the finding of potential
new anti-cancer drugs. These findings derive from a much larger study
providing a significant additional body of natural products
chemicals--chemicals extracted and characterized from 150 East European
plant species at present count--that have been extensively tested. Of
these, 30 presently show promise in our anti-cancer pharmaceuticals
screening trials.
Professor Marina Kouladi, third from
the left with Dr Walker (deceased), Elsa Pilarinou, and
WCRI's botanical specialist, Angus Gholson at his
Herbarium |
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The Walker Cancer Research Institute, Inc. has
funded two expeditions to the South American rainforests of
Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Columbia for the purpose of
discovering new natural product materials capable of being
developed into anticancer pharmaceuticals. Several materials
used by the indigenous populations for the treatment of cancer
(most importantly prostate cancer) have been tested with some
showing significant promise.
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One of our programs, the Luffa Project,
comprised a cooperative effort by WCRI’s Natural Products
Laboratory, the Departments of Agriculture and Corrections of
the State of Florida, as well as members of the faculties of
Florida State University and Florida A&M University. The Luffa
Project involved research on a plant of interest both
agriculturally and pharmacologically for its anticancer
potential. This joint effort received recognition from the State
of Florida and from the former Governor of Florida, Lawton
Chiles.
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In the photo, Governor Lawton Chiles holds
a presentation of a sample extract product resulting from the
Project. To the left of
Florida State Governor
Lawton Chiles stands Dr. Evelyn Ploumis Devick; WCRI's Florida
Natural Products Laboratory Director, Elsa Pilarinou is to the
right. |
In connection with the Luffa Project, our
Research Director at our Natural Products Laboratory represented the
United States Department of Agriculture at the International Luffa
Research Conference held in Sardinia, Italy. This conference was
financed by the European Common Market.
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