Art
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FROM THE LAB TO THE HOT SHOP
Dr. Jim Olson of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, led the creation of a molecular imaging agent derived from scorpion venom that illuminates cancer cells. The “Tumor Paint” can identify tumors with as few as 200 cancer cells making it 500 times more sensitive than magnetic resonance imaging. Although Dr. Olson originally developed “Tumor Paint” for brain cancer, it could revolutionize the treatment of other tumors by helping surgeons distinguish between cancerous and normal tissue. He founded Blaze Bioscience, which is now advancing “Tumor Paint” to patients.
Building on the success of “Tumor Paint”, Dr. Olson is now developing a new class of drugs called optide therapeutics. Inspired by nature, optide drug candidates can be better engineered to fit like a key in a lock, where the lock is a disease-causing protein and the drug “key” specifically blocks its activity. They have the potential to be far more effective and easier on the body than current cancer treatments, and they may also be effective for other diseases, such as autism, mental health disorders, atrial fibrillation and stroke in the elderly.
“As a scientist at Fred Hutch I am constantly amazed at the beauty and symmetry that is found throughout nature from the organismal to the molecular level. For me science and art are intimately linked and I hope that this residency helps me take a fresh look at some grand challenges that we face as cancer biologists.” — Dr. Jim Olson
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