A promising University of Virginia scientist, Ku-Lung (Ken) Hsu, an assistant professor of chemistry, has earned one of the National Science Foundations coveted Early Career Development Program Awards, which support junior faculty members who perform outstanding research and are regarded as exceptional teachers.
Part of the grant is used to integrate education and research in academic activities. Hsus award is for $681,000.
Hsu uses chemistry to control biological systems, particularly to modify the immune system to become an active combatant against cancer. His work understanding and controlling the inflammation response spans the search for new non-addictive drug options for treating pain, to modifying immune cells so they can recognize and kill cancer cells.
The five-year NSF CAREER grants are among the most prestigious available to young faculty in science and engineering, and are designed to provide significant resources to the early stage development of careers.
Many of Hsus laboratory studies are conducted in collaboration with clinical researchers in the School of Medicines Cancer Center as part of UVAs efforts to enhance research into precision medicine using immunotherapy to target life-threatening diseases at the fundamental molecular level.
Hsu discusses here his research and grant for readers of UVA Today.
Q. What drew you to this area of chemistry?
A. Chemical biology is an exciting area of chemistry because it is very creative, highly interdisciplinary and allows scientists to answer fundamental questions that ultimately improve human health through drug discovery and other new therapies. I enjoy the opportunity to work with experts in so many different fields, including pharmacology, pathology, neurology and cancer biology. As a result, I learn something new from each project.
My students also benefit greatly from being in this field because of an emphasis on collaborations, which increases diversity through individuals they interact with and expands the skillsets they obtain during their training. Medical research is becoming increasingly collaborative, so my students are becoming well-prepared for the research environments in which they will spend their careers.
Activating the immune response to fight cancer represents a very exciting treatment modality and UVA is well-positioned to be a leader in this front. The UVA Cancer Center has been a major supporter of my research program, and I look forward to continued interactions and collaborations in this community.
- Ken Hsu
Q. Describe the most compelling aspects of your latest research.
A. I am excited about two recent discoveries that embody research from our group in the field of chemical biology. Both reports are published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
In our first paper, we describe a new chemical reaction with broad applications for synthetic chemistry and drug discovery. The reaction we discovered possibly could come into common use for developing new treatments for cancer and other diseases in the future. This finding was especially rewarding because I teach related material in my organic chemistry course and our paper describes a new methodology for synthetic chemists and chemical biologists to tune chemical reactions for diverse real-world applications. This is compelling for my students, to know that what they are learning in class is also current and active to catalyze breakthrough research in our labs.
In our second report, our findings are directed toward fundamental discoveries in the realm of fat (lipid) molecules, which play a major role in the bodys metabolism at the cellular level. We used protein engineering to design artificial lipid kinase enzymes a specialized protein involved in cell growth, proliferation and other functions that can include the growth of cancers in order to better understand how cells regulate their fat composition. To our surprise and delight, we narrowed in on a very specific region of these lipid kinases that allow us to control how they operate in cells. Our findings will teach us and others in the field a more effective way to design therapeutics to combat these enzymes when they misbehave.
Q. How will this grant allow you to connect your research with teaching?
A. The NSF CAREER Award will provide new opportunities for applying our chemistry and technologies to study how individual cells control the metabolism of fats and lipids. We plan to develop compounds that attach to enzymes to illuminate how cells are similar or distinct based on their metabolism kind of like a molecular fingerprint. Our long-term goal is to create new opportunities for cell type discovery and push the boundaries of cell engineering.
The research is intimately connected to an educational outreach program designed to broadly impact Native American student communities by providing opportunities for UVA graduate students to teach how lipid biochemistry influences healthy food choices and eating behaviors in society.
Q. Where do you see your research going from here?
A. In the next five years, I am looking forward to applying our chemistry and technologies toward deeper understanding of lipid biology and metabolism in physiologically relevant models. We remain committed to discovery of new molecular pathways for immune system modulation, and our recent findings represent important steps toward our long-term goal.
Q. How promising is the future regarding immune system modulation?
A. Activating the immune response to fight cancer represents a very exciting treatment modality and UVA is well-positioned to be a leader in this front. The UVA Cancer Center has been a major supporter of my research program, and I look forward to continued interactions and collaborations in this community.
I believe the chemistry we are pursuing will provide new opportunities and technologies for exploring creative ways to study and control the immune system. Support from the NSF CAREER Award will pave the way for new ways to engineer immune cells for cancer and other potential disease indications.
Follow this link:
Q&A: Chemical Biologist Ken Hsu to Use NSF CAREER Award to Fight Cancer - University of Virginia
- Neutrophil diversity and function in health and disease - Nature.com - December 6th, 2024
- Harnessing the Power of the Immune System for Breast Cancer Treatment - Breast Cancer Research Foundation - December 6th, 2024
- Study Examines Neoantigen Landscapes and Their Role in Immunotherapy Efficacy - Consult QD - December 6th, 2024
- The 5 Best Teas to Support Your Immune System This Cold & Flu Season - EatingWell - December 6th, 2024
- Engineered immune cells may be able to tame inflammation - Medical Xpress - December 6th, 2024
- Hybrid model of tumor growth, angiogenesis and immune response yields strategies to improve antiangiogenic therapy - Nature.com - December 6th, 2024
- Opioids interfere with cancer immunotherapy, but another type of drug could help - Medical Xpress - December 6th, 2024
- RANKL cytokine restores thymus cells in old mice, reducing tumor growth and improving T cell immune response - Fierce Biotech - December 6th, 2024
- Predictive role of neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and systemic immune-inflammation index for mortality in... - December 6th, 2024
- Immuno-Oncology Strategic Industry Research Report 2023-2024 & 2030: Approval of Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and Nivolumab (Opdivo), which Target... - December 6th, 2024
- Study cracks the cold case of immunotherapy resistance - News-Medical.Net - December 6th, 2024
- New immune therapy improves survival and reduces tumor burden in glioblastoma - News-Medical.Net - December 6th, 2024
- Identification of immune-related hub genes and potential molecular mechanisms involved in COVID-19 via integrated bioinformatics analysis - Nature.com - December 6th, 2024
- Immune Cell Breakthrough: Scientists Discover a Hidden Ally in the Fight Against Cancer - SciTechDaily - December 6th, 2024
- Rising temperatures impact the immune system of wild monkeys - Earth.com - December 6th, 2024
- Study declaring Alzheimer's to be a "brain disease" proven to be fabricated - Earth.com - December 6th, 2024
- Warming temperatures impact immune performance of wild monkeys, U-M study shows - University of Michigan News - December 6th, 2024
- New study explores heart risks of cancer immunotherapy - News-Medical.Net - December 6th, 2024
- 'Incredible' way to boost your immune system naturally and ward of colds and flu this winter - The Mirror - December 6th, 2024
- Tis the Season to Boost Your Immune System - Mix93.3 - December 6th, 2024
- A mathematical model simulating the adaptive immune response in various vaccines and vaccination strategies - Nature.com - October 14th, 2024
- Fox Chase Cancer Center Researchers Find Gene That Triggers Immune Response in Treatment-Resistant Small-Cell Lung Cancer - Fox Chase Cancer Center - October 14th, 2024
- What Does It Mean to Be Immunocompromised? - The New York Times - October 14th, 2024
- Scientist hopes to cure Type 1 diabetes by disguising stem cells - The University of Arizona - October 14th, 2024
- Watching an infection unfold with a sphingolipid probe - Drug Discovery News - October 14th, 2024
- The cells that protect your brain against infection could also be behind some chronic diseases - BBC.com - October 14th, 2024
- On Nutrition: Foods that help strengthen the immune system - LimaOhio.com - October 14th, 2024
- An integral T cell pathway has implications for understanding sex-based immune response - Medical Xpress - October 14th, 2024
- Immune Response Linked to Lewy Body Formation - Neuroscience News - October 14th, 2024
- Are vaccines the future of cancer prevention? - Genetic Literacy Project - October 14th, 2024
- The Gut Microbiome and Autoimmunity - Inside Precision Medicine - October 14th, 2024
- Researchers discover how oral cancer cells may block the body's immune response - News-Medical.Net - September 21st, 2024
- Are Vaccines More Effective When You Believe in Them? - Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley - September 21st, 2024
- Researchers discover immune response to dengue can predict risk of severe reinfections - Medical Xpress - September 21st, 2024
- Texas Researchers Find Acid Walls That Shield Cancer Tumors from Bodys Immune System Response - DARKDaily.com - Laboratory News - September 21st, 2024
- Lysosomes in the immunometabolic reprogramming of immune cells in atherosclerosis - Nature.com - September 21st, 2024
- A new way to reprogram immune cells and direct them toward anti-tumor immunity - MIT News - September 21st, 2024
- Unravelling the many mysteries of the immune system - Cosmos - September 21st, 2024
- Long COVID patients maintain robust immune memory two years after infection - News-Medical.Net - September 21st, 2024
- Nutraceuticals and pharmacological to balance the transitional microbiome to extend immunity during COVID-19 and other viral infections - Journal of... - September 21st, 2024
- Which adults benefit from the pneumococcal vaccine? - Mayo Clinic Press - September 21st, 2024
- UAMS receives $2.2 million grant to study immune response to eye disease - talkbusiness.net - September 21st, 2024
- Low oxygen levels in tumors could enhance some of the body's immune responses against cancer - Medical Xpress - September 21st, 2024
- Overview of the Immune System - The Merck Manuals - March 18th, 2024
- What are the organs of the immune system? - InformedHealth.org - NCBI ... - January 17th, 2024
- Mom who homeschools her children reveals she lets her one-year-old play in and EAT mud - but insists it is goo - Daily Mail - November 26th, 2023
- The limits of nutritional supplements: they dont cure or prevent ailments, nor are they harmless - EL PAS USA - November 26th, 2023
- Here's how your gut affects your mental health, immune function and even cardiovascular health - indulgexpress - November 18th, 2023
- From fear to freedom: Anchor Paul LaGrone shares his story of sudden hair loss & the disease that caused it - ABC Action News Tampa Bay - May 9th, 2023
- Strengthen Your Immune System With 4 Simple Strategies - May 1st, 2023
- Immunodeficiency Awareness Month: What Is The Science Behind These Diseases? Know Warning Signs - ABP Live - May 1st, 2023
- Nearly 90% of patients with rare skin cancer respond to therapy that prevents tumors from evading the immune - cleveland.com - April 23rd, 2023
- University of Cincinnati researchers helping develop 'vaccine' to fight aggressive cancer - WKRC TV Cincinnati - April 23rd, 2023
- Sana Biotechnology Highlights Preclinical Hypoimmune Data for its Allogeneic CAR T Platform and Advancements with its In Vivo Fusogen Platform with... - April 23rd, 2023
- Immune System: Parts & Common Problems - Cleveland Clinic - March 21st, 2023
- Disorders of the Immune System | Johns Hopkins Medicine - March 21st, 2023
- Sometimes 15 Minutes Are More Than Enough To Improve Immune System, Sleep Quality And Depression - Revyuh - March 13th, 2023
- People produce endocannabinoids similar to compounds found in marijuana that are critical to many bodily functions - The Conversation Indonesia - February 24th, 2023
- Spending more time with your kids, grandkidsand their germsmay lower risk of a severe outcome from Covid-19, recent studies show - CNBC - December 20th, 2022
- Published in Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer: Using Single-Cell Analysis to Assess the Effects of an Anti-OX40 Monoclonal Antibody in Its... - November 17th, 2022
- Man who had COVID-19 for 400 days finally cured after getting treated with antibodies, study says - msnNOW - November 17th, 2022
- Social Distancing: The Impact on Your Health and Immune System - Healthline - October 7th, 2022
- Unraveling the Mysteries of the Immune System - Duke University School of Medicine - October 7th, 2022
- When Will ISR Immune System Regulation Holding AB (publ) (STO:ISR) Become Profitable? - Simply Wall St - October 7th, 2022
- VitaGaming Introduces Immune Support and Collagen to help Gamers boost immunity and fight stress - PR Web - October 7th, 2022
- Ohio reports third U.S. death of person with monkeypox who had underlying health conditions - CNBC - October 7th, 2022
- How a select few people have been cured of HIV - PBS - October 7th, 2022
- BeniCaros Wins Nutrition Industry Executive 2022 Immune Health Award - GlobeNewswire - October 7th, 2022
- Seasonal superfoods to give your immune system a boost this autumn - Yahoo Entertainment - October 7th, 2022
- Whats Going Around: Flu cases confirmed locally - ABC27 - October 7th, 2022
- Contributor: How to Fight the Cold and the Flu This Season - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network - October 7th, 2022
- Updated COVID-19 Bivalent Booster Released in Time for Fall and Winter Omicron Wave - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun - October 7th, 2022
- Oralair pill that retrains the immune system to reduce risk of thunderstorm asthma - 7NEWS - October 7th, 2022
- COVID immune reaction could affect brain mechanisms and induce neurological symptoms - Sky News - October 7th, 2022
- 7 Surprising Health Benefits of Pumpkins - AARP - October 7th, 2022
- Why Do Some Allergies Go Away While Others Dont? - The Atlantic - October 7th, 2022
- 15 foods to boost the immune system - Medical News Today - September 4th, 2022
- The powerful supplement that could enhance your immune response to bacteria and viruses - Express - September 4th, 2022
- New research: Cancer-fighting viruses can boost body's immune response - The Indian Express - September 4th, 2022
- Long COVID: How researchers are zeroing in on the self-targeted immune attacks that may lurk behind it - The Conversation Indonesia - September 4th, 2022