by David P. Welsh
As a researcher with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) in Washington, D.C., Alison Director-Myska, '96 Ph.D., has access to some of the most extensive resources a geneticist could want. She also has the opportunity to help improve and even save the lives of victims of a deadly form of eye cancer.
Director-Myska, in her second year as a research biologist with the AFIP, became involved in a project to explore the genetic origins of uveal melanoma, a tumor that almost invariably leads to eye loss, death, or both.
"I like the idea of being able to use my training, my hands, and my mind to find out what makes cancer tick and potentially finding ways to apply that knowledge to increasing patients' survival and quality of life and potentially even curing the disease," Director-Myska said. "I know this sounds a bit idealistic, but you can ask any of my friends and family and they'll tell you this has been an important part of my life for a long time.
"My WVU dissertation is dedicated to two of my cousins," she said. "Seth, who passed away from a brain cancer at 18 years old, and his mother, Elaine, who was diagnosed with lymphoma at the same time Seth was diagnosed with his tumor. Elaine is now fighting her second battle with lymphoma.
"I can only hope that one day my research, either directly or by inspiring some other researcher, may lead to a way to help my friends, family, and all of those afflicted with cancer," she added.
In need of collaborators for her AFIP research, she turned
to her former mentor at WVU, Dr. Joginder Nath. Nath, coordinator
of WVU's interdisciplinary program in genetics and developmental
biology and a faculty member in the College of Agriculture, Forestry,
and Consumer Sciences, keeps in close contact with program graduates
and actively supports their professional development. The call
from Director-Myska ended up providing the opportunity for Nath
to simultaneously support both a former and a current student.
Nath encouraged Jason White, a Ph.D. candidate in the program,
to work with Director-Myska on the project. It's been a happy
collaboration for all involved.
"The project needed to move forward and we needed someone
with the drive to do the work, the desire and ability to learn
the techniques, and someone we could employ on the project's
limited budget," Director-Myska explained. "To me,
a graduate student was the perfect answer. A graduate student
has the drive, desire, and ability to learn the skills and do
the work on a reasonably independent basis."
"Jason's progress has been phenomenal," said Nath,
White's faculty advisor.
"Alison and I clicked immediately," said White, who
has earned national recognition for his research efforts from
the Environmental Mutagen Society.
Director-Myska, White, and Nath's research focuses on identifying
the gene or genes associated with uveal melanoma. The collaborators
hope to target the genes responsible for this tumor's development,
making possible early intervention and treatment.
"Uveal melanoma is the primary eye tumor observed in adults,
often leading to loss of vision and death," White said.
"There is a critical need for large-scale profiling of the
genomic changes in this tumor correlated with extensive case
follow-up to identify indicators of tumor growth and prognosis."
The first phase of research has involved assembling preliminary
data on the cell lines on tumor tissue to identify chromosomal
regions that are particularly relevant for future study.
The AFIP has provided 100 tissue samples for examination. The
samples are being studied for common chromosomal regions likely
to contain genes that play key roles in tumor development and
metastasis. The researchers hope future study of these genes
will translate directly into medical applications such as improved
diagnosis and potential treatments.
Approximately half of the samples are from individuals who succumbed
to the uveal melanoma. The other half were taken from those who
survived. The samples are accompanied by extensive case histories,
allowing the researchers to track genetic changes in relation
to treatment strategies and changes in patient circumstances.
"There's no limit to the things we can learn from these
samples," White said, adding that the 100 used in this study
are a mere fraction of the over 4,000 samples of uveal melanoma
tissue available at the AFIP. "There's data from up to 40
years ago at our disposal."
But the project isn't without challenges. The body of genetic
research on uveal melanoma is small, and the cost of the research
is high.
Director-Myska and Nath are both pursuing additional funding
to keep the research moving.
Still, the AFIP is proving to be an invaluable resource, and
the collaboration promises to produce benefits beyond this specific
research project.
Nath hopes this work is the first in a series of collaborations
between WVU scholars and the AFIP. Within the AFIP, there are
22 sub-specialty departments with more than 120 path-ologists.
In 1997, the AFIP reviewed over 60,000 surgical pathology and
autopsy consultation requests from around the world. Each year
the AFIP offers over 50 pathology education courses.
Director-Myska feels it's a perfect setting to pursue her goals.
"I don't know of many people who, four years out of graduate
school, can say that they have the job they have always dreamed
of," she said. "I love my job, working with chromosomes,
trying to unlock the secrets of cancer. It's what I've wanted
to do for the longest time and I wouldn't be here now without
the education and opportunities that I received by attending
WVU."
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