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The memorandum of understanding (MoU) will strengthen existing partnership and form basis for future collaborations Official signing took place during an official visit by delegation from NEFU and AEMG on 22 May Delegation met senior staff from College of Engineering and Physical Sciences as well as NEFU students studying at Aston University. Aston University in Birmingham, UK and Northeast Forestry University (NEFU) in Harbin City in Heilongjiang Province, China have signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop their strategic partnership. The MoU will see the universities renew and strengthen their existing partnership and explore future collaborations in the areas of both teaching and research. The partnership is facilitated by AEMG Education, who have over 20 years of experience in brokering strategic relationships with Chinese universities. The official signing by Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, Professor Li Shunlong, Vice President of Northeast Forestry University and Mr Stephen Connelly, Vice President of AEMG Education, took place on 22 May during a visit to Aston University by a senior delegation from NEFU and AEMG Education. The delegation from NEFU also included Professor Liu Zhiming, Dean of Aulin College, Mr Sun Zhiping, Director of the International Cooperation Office and Professor Li Hongfen, Associate Professor of the College of Civil Engineering. AEMG Education was represented by Mr Stephen Connelly, Vice President of Business Development and Engagement, Dr Jacko Feng, Director of Research and Partnerships and Ms Sarah Armstrong, Director of Business Development, UK & Europe. During the visit, the delegation met with senior staff from the Department of Civil Engineering and the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, including Executive Dean, Professor Stephen Garrett. They also had the opportunity to meet with the NEFU students studying at Aston University who have just completed their final year examinations. The Aston University/NEFU partnership was established around the development of a joint programme in BSc Construction Project Management which was approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education (MoE) in January 2018, under which students from NEFU are able to transfer into the final year of the programme at Aston University. In 2021/22, the first cohort of 21 students successfully finished their studies,10 of whom achieved first class degrees. Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, commented: “I am delighted to welcome visitors from NEFU and AEMG to Aston University and to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with NEFU. “This represents an important milestone in taking forward our collaboration. We are committed to continuing to strengthen our strategic relationship with NEFU and look forward to welcoming more students in the future.”
Expertise Marketing and Content Marketing - Is There a Difference?
We often get asked the question about how Content Marketing compares to Expertise Marketing. It’s ironic that still to this day many of our academic clients don’t refer to what they do as “content marketing.” But corporate customers are well acquainted with the importance of developing content to build reputation, relationships and revenue. Adding to the confusion are all the names that are bantered about by marketing departments and agencies - There’s inbound marketing popularized by companies such as Hubspot. And there are more bespoke “Thought Leadership” programs that are often developed by outside agencies such as Weber Shandwick and Edelman. While there are a lot of common elements to these programs there are some important differences that we focus on when developing and launching Expertise Marketing programs with our institutional and corporate clients. Here’s a deeper dive to help you better understand the value of Expertise Marketing. Introducing Expertise Marketing Expertise marketing is the practice of making the knowledge and skills of your human resources more visible to your partners and audiences. It draws attention to the value that your people can bring as brand ambassadors and strategically leverages the work your experts are doing to tell a more personal story. In many cases, expertise marketing can also be used to showcase your strengths in research and innovation. Creating a stronger digital presence, expertise marketing more effectively uses your channels to connect with audiences such as media, customers, partners and donors. It builds a sense of trust with your customers and above all else, it helps establish your reputation as an industry leader. ex•per•tise mar•ket•ing 1. The practice of collectively promoting an organization’s experts as brand ambassadors to demonstrate their skills or knowledge. 2. Best practices to publish and connect The Value of Expertise Marketing Reputation - Positions research, client work, thought leadership perspectives and achievements in the context of relevant topics that are in the news. Market Awareness - Expertise marketing makes it easier for key audiences to find expert content and people in search engines and on the organization’s website. Audience Engagement - Provides more intuitive search features for visible content which can be expanded to include assets such as video, social, and publications to drive richer conversations with audiences. Metrics on performance in areas related to expert development, content contribution and audience engagement page views and inquiries can be tracked. Demand Generation - Increased number of direct leads/ inquiries from audiences such as: Customers/Students Industry Partners Alumni Donors Media New Employee Recruits Conference Organizers Talent - Better engage stakeholders, researchers & subject-matter experts in the development and distribution of content while improving recruitment and retention of talent. Internal Collaboration - Better coordinate the knowledge and resources across internal communications teams and other departments as they engage experts. Provide a faster, more efficient way to generate content for breaking news and events. Content Contribution - Increase the size of the organization’s digital footprint by aggregating more content and distributing it contextually to multiple websites and third-party databases. Efficiency - Help employees get their jobs done faster and more efficiently. Enable them to find information faster, speed up internal processes and foster collaboration among people in multiple locations. Leverage Current and Future Infrastructure - Properly integrated, new technology investments should integrate seamlessly to leverage existing/proposed infrastructure such as content management systems (such as WordPress™) and marketing automation systems (such as Hubspot) How is Expertise Marketing Different from Content Marketing? A More Human Approach: People buy from people. That’s why content that is more personalized and attributed to specific experts who are well-identified as expert sources is far more trusted than most company-sponsored content. A More Collaborative Process that Engages Employees: A more structured “win-win” model empowers experts to contribute their knowledge. Expertise marketing is a proven way to build culture and celebrate diversity which assists with talent retention and recruitment. An Efficient Way to Create More Content to Boost SEO & Website Traffic: Engaging your experts creates a larger hub of “owned” content that is proven to boost PageRank in search engines and site traffic. Expert content is used by organizations to enhance their “About Us” page, staff/faculty/physician directories, newsroom pages, research pages and speakers bureaus. Optimized Content Formats Better Connect with Audiences: A variety of short format, long format and visual content formats (such as expert profiles, blogs, Q&A and videos) are designed to engage specific audiences at various stages of the customer journey. Improved Calls to Action & Analytics Boost Demand Generation & Leads/Inquiries: Experts become more approachable as “lead magnets” that generate measurable inbound opportunities, avoiding common issues of lost customer leads due to poor processes and workflow. You might be surprised at how much value expertise marketing can bring to your organisation. The chances are, that the time you are currently spending on ineffective content marketing strategies will be greatly reduced with a redefined focus on expertise marketing. By putting the focus back on the skills and relevance of your experts, as people, you're not only making them more visible but also establishing your brand reputation which will simultaneously generate more leads and increase efficiency.
Aston University hosts campus reunion for Malaysian alumni
A group of Malaysian alumni visited Aston University for a special reunion with the University alumni team on 4 May. During the visit, the Malaysian alumni group enjoyed a variety of activities, including meeting with the alumni relations and development team. The group was also taken on a campus tour, which included visits to the library and the Students' Union building which opened in May 2019. Whilst touring the campus the alumni group had the opportunity to meet with faculty members and learn about the latest research being conducted at Aston University. They also had the chance to catch up with old friends, reminisce about their time at the University and share stories about their current work and lives. Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said: "We were delighted to welcome our Malaysian alumni back to campus and hear about their experiences since graduation. “Our alumni are an important part of our University community, and we are proud of their achievements and contributions to economies and societies worldwide. We are committed to building strong relationships with our alumni networks around the world." The group of Malaysian alumni included graduates of the University who have gone on to hold executive positions in different industries: Tan Sri Al Amin, chairman of SME Corporation Malaysia, a government agency for the development and enhancement of SMEs Datuk Mustaza, a retired former CEO of Senai Desaru Expressway Berhad Datuk Adnan, chairman of the board of directors of RPM Engineers Sdn Bhd Ir Abdul Rashid Haron, technical director of Transafe Consult Sdn Bhd Dr Wan Maimun, president of Wanita Industri Binaan Malaysia, a company that aims to facilitate the participation and success of women in the Malaysian construction industry. Kerrie Holland, executive director of alumni relations and development at Aston University, said: "It was fantastic to see so many alumni returning to campus, catching up with old friends, and sharing their stories. We look forward to seeing them again soon, either on campus or at one of our alumni events."
Aston University predicted as one of the UK’s leading centres for lab-made meat
• Aston University named as one of the UK’s leaders in the potential future of food • Highlighted for research, teaching, public outreach, industry links and location • Process uses cells taken from animals via biopsy, so doesn’t involve slaughter. Aston University has been named as one of the UK’s leading lights in what is predicted to be the future of food - lab-made meat. The University is one of 17 higher education institutions that are expected to play a major role in the development of cultivated meat. Cultivated or lab-grown meat is made from cells taken from animals via biopsy. The cells are used to create meat which doesn’t involve the slaughter of animals. The process promises fewer greenhouse gases and a decrease in land required for its production compared to traditional livestock. The list of universities has been compiled by Cellular Agriculture UK, a non-profit organisation which promotes the UK’s so-called ‘cell-ag’ sector. Aston University is one of five institutions they chose to highlight in their report Mapping the potential for UK universities to become research and teaching hubs for cellular agriculture. Aston University is described in the report as having potential to be an anchor institution for cellular agriculture, and was highlighted for its research and teaching, public outreach work, links with emerging industry and its central location. Dr Eirini Theodosiou, senior lecturer in the School of lnfrastructure and Sustainable Engineering, focuses on ways to produce enough cell mass to create the meat. She said: “This is still a relatively new food technology. Unlike many others we work on biomaterials for microcarriers/scaffolds for cultivated meat, which puts us in a very strong position, in the UK at least.” Meanwhile Dr Jason Thomas’ work explores the psychology behind supporting people to accept lab-made food. Although many people are willing to try it, there are still many who are reluctant to do so. A recent study of the US and UK found that 35% of meat eaters and 55% of vegetarians claimed they were too disgusted by the idea of cultured meat to even try it. A key goal of his research is how to support people to not just try it but to integrate it into their diet. Dr Thomas said: “We are interested in finding out what factors can influence consumer purchase of and consumption of lab-made meat.” “The engineering/psychology link is one of our USPs and is something Aston University can capitalise on; learning what the consumer wants from cultivated meat, and what would encourage them to consume it, using psychological science, and then incorporating this directly into the production process via engineering. “It is a relatively new food technology, and much work still needs to be done to make it affordable, acceptable and on a massive scale, but it could easily end up being one of the most transformative new foods of the 21st century.”
Ana Palacios’ interview on “Eagle Eye View,” the official podcast of Georgia Southern University. Palacios discusses her research and how being a mom motivated her. Several esteemed nutrition researchers collaborated on “Effectiveness of Lactation Cookies on Human Milk Production Rates: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” which was recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. David B. Allison, Ph.D., dean of the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington (SPH-B), is among the researchers who conducted a one-month, randomized controlled trial of lactating parents of healthy babies in the same age range. Their findings revealed no evidence for an effect of consuming lactation cookies on human milk production. “Too often in the field of nutrition and food, strong beliefs—sometimes even well-reasoned conjectures based upon some scientific knowledge—are mistaken for demonstrated facts,” Allison said. “Conjecture is good, but knowing is better. We come to know about the effects of nutrition and dietary supplements through rigorous, randomized, controlled trials. Having conducted such a study on lactation cookies, we found no evidence for their effectiveness. “This does not mean that it is impossible for any lactation cookie to affect human milk production,” he continued. “This study does suggest that the cookies we studied—under the conditions we studied them—have no discernible effect. The burden of proof seems to now be on those who claim there is an effect.” The study followed 176 U.S. parents who were exclusively breastfeeding healthy two-month-old babies. One group of parents was provided a serving of commercially available lactation cookies to consume daily for a month; the other group of parents ate a serving of conventional cookies not designed to increase lactation, each day for a month. Through a weekly survey, parents reported the quantity of milk they produced after following a validated milk expression protocol using a hospital-grade breast pump, providing data that were analyzed by both the study authors and an independent statistician. These data demonstrated that the impact of consuming lactation cookies did not have a significant effect on how much milk was actually produced or perceived to be produced by the lactating parents. The authors assert that consumers should be cautious when considering the potential effect of this product, or any food and/or supplement that promotes health-promoting benefits without published, peer-reviewed scientific evidence to support its claims. As the researchers noted, these lactation cookies can contain substantial calories and sugars, which could affect postpartum weight loss efforts and related health issues. “Despite being a physician and nutrition scientist focused on early-life nutrition, I still remember how difficult breastfeeding was for me with both of my children,” said study lead author Ana M. Palacios, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Health Policy and Community Health, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University. “Our research highlights that lactation cookies, which include added sugars and saturated fat, may not have the said purported benefits of increasing milk production. Purchasing lactation cookies to increase milk production may pose an unnecessary cost and may have additional implications for parents, such as limiting post-pregnancy weight loss and reducing consumption of healthier foods. More research is needed to better understand what foods and nutrients can best help increase milk supply in diverse populations.” The full article, along with the list of contributing authors, is available by simply clicking the article below: Interested in learning more? For more information about this research or to speak with Ana M. Palacios — simply reach out to Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Allen Friedland, M.D., MACP, FAAP, has been recognized with the Dema C. Daley Founders Award for his national impact as an educator, innovator and leader in internal medicine. Given by the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, the award honors internal medicine doctors who have greatly influenced undergraduate and graduate medical education and the development of training programs in internal medicine. Watch the video of Friedland’s acceptance speech here. “Dr. Friedland has been a tireless advocate and innovator for internal medicine, medicine-pediatrics, and residency education over two decades,” said Vinay Maheshwari, M.D., MHCDS, Hugh R. Sharp Jr., Chair of Medicine and physician executive of the Medical Group at ChristianaCare. “He is a mentor to countless physicians across the country and beloved by those who have had the privilege of working alongside him. What is most evident about Dr. Friedland is how much he cares about those he has taught locally and nationally – all of them will forever be a part of his family. This award is a testament to a lifetime career dedicated to graduate medical education.” Friedland is ChristianaCare’s section chief of Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) and has served as the director of ChristianaCare’s combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency program for 25 years. He also teaches medical students at ChristianaCare, which is a branch campus of Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. His accomplishments include: Spearheading the development of what is now known as ChristianaCare’s Center for Special Health Care Needs, dedicated to providing primary care and specialty care for adults ages 18 and older with complex medical and social conditions that originated in childhood. Creating the elective Leadership Excellence Education for Residents/Fellows (LEED-R), which partners emerging resident leaders with ChristianaCare senior leaders for mentorship, real-world experience in applying leadership education and the ability to share those learnings with other residents. Known affectionately by his colleagues as “Mr. Med-Peds,” Friedland has held leadership positions with all of the major national med-peds organizations. He co-founded the Med-Peds Academic Channel and received the Leadership Award from the Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association. He recently launched a professional association named the Association of Med-Peds Physicians. Kimberly Bates, M.D., FACP, FAAP, director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Dignity Health – St. Rose Dominican, nominated Dr. Friedland for the award. Bates is a ChristianaCare Med-Peds alumna (Class of 2003). “Dr. Friedland is an exceptional human being and a natural leader and mentor who leaves a powerful imprint on every person he meets, whether they are students, residents, physician colleagues or patients,” Bates said. “He has dedicated his career to medical education, and he takes an innovative and problem-solving approach to all that he does.”
Aston University wins grant to make research more sustainable and environmentally friendly
University awarded grant to develop more sustainable separation method through AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation CoSolve Challenge at ELRIG Dr Vesna Najdanovic will explore use of the solvent ethyl lactate It is a biorenewable and environmentally friendly alternative. An Aston University scientist has won a $25000 grant in the AstraZeneca Open Innovation CoSolve sustainability challenge to help to make research more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Dr Vesna Najdanovic, senior lecturer in chemical engineering at the University’s Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI), successfully pitched her idea to explore a new method using ethyl lactate as a solvent. Ethyl lactate is a biorenewable and environmentally friendly alternative solvent produced from lactic acid and ethanol, both obtained by fermentation of biomass. Currently hazardous organic solvents such as acetonitrile are widely used instead. Dr Najdanovic won the AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation CoSolve Sustainability Challenge at the European laboratory research & innovation group (ELRIG) Research and Innovation meeting. She said: “Throughout my research career, I have been working with various green solvents, such as supercritical fluids, ionic liquids and biosolvents, to improve chemical and separation processes. “I am delighted to be selected by the expert judging panel and the highly engaged audience to apply my knowledge to develop greener analytical methods using ethyl lactate as a solvent for liquid chromatography. “I hope this project will pave the pathway to use this environmentally friendly alternative solvent while reducing carbon footprint and pollution”. The pharmaceutical industry generates the highest amount of waste per mass of products compared to other chemical industry sectors, such as the petroleum industry, bulk and fine chemicals. Dr Kelly Gray, CoSolve sustainability programme lead at AstraZeneca, said “In order to protect people, society and planet we have to identify and develop solutions to deliver sustainable science. The goal of the CoSolve sustainability programme was to do just that and identify innovative ideas to practical challenges faced by researchers across scientific disciplines in R&D.” Sanj Kumar, CEO of ELRIG, said “Ensuring that drug discovery processes become sustainable is a priority issue to the ELRIG community, so partnering with AstraZeneca on the CoSolve initiative, by hosting the pitching and final award ceremony, is not only an honour, but raises the awareness of sustainability to our community. Dr Najdanovic and her innovation are a worthy winner and ELRIG is proud that we are able to share her success story.” As much as 80% of this waste presents hazardous organic solvents obtained from petrochemical sources. For example, the pharmaceutical industry consumes 50% of globally produced acetonitrile, of which 20% is a solvent for liquid chromatography, a widely used analytical tool in research and development laboratories. After its use, most acetonitrile is discarded as chemical waste and subsequently incinerated, generating greenhouse gases and other pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and highly toxic hydrogen cyanide. The CoSolve sustainability challenge award builds on Dr Najdanovic’s previous work employing ethyl lactate as a solvent for various separation processes. Her new project supports EBRI’s wider objectives of using bioproducts to deliver low-carbon and environmentally sustainable solutions.
Researchers find an association between autistic traits and young children with ear, nose and throat problems The study used data from the Children of the 90s study which found 177 children were identified with a probable diagnosis of autism – 139 boys and 38 girls The study looked at data from over 10,000 children from birth to four years old. Ear, nose and throat (ENT) problems, relating to the ears, hearing and the upper respiratory system, are more common in young children with a subsequent diagnosis of autism, or who have demonstrated high levels of autism traits - finds new research published in BMJ Open. The study, which was led by researchers from the University of Bristol and Aston University, looked at data from over 10,000 young children from birth to four years old, who were part of the Bristol’s Children of the 90s study. The team investigated whether early ear and upper respiratory signs are associated with the development of autistic traits. Previous studies have found increased prevalence of ENT and related hearing conditions in children with autism compared with typically developing children, but much of this research has been carried out using health records, which can be biased. In the new study, researchers used data from Children of the 90s study, a general population cohort which recruited over 14,000 pregnant women from the Bristol area between 1991 and 1992 and has followed the lives of their offspring ever since. Within Children of the 90s, 177 children were identified with a probable diagnosis of autism – 139 boys and 38 girls. Those with autism traits were defined as the 10% of the sample with the highest trait scores. The team analysed responses to three questionnaires in which mothers recorded the frequency of nine different signs and symptoms relating to the ears, hearing problems and upper respiratory system when their child was aged 18 to 42 months. These included signs such as mouth breathing, snoring, pulling/poking of the ears, ears going red, worse hearing during a cold, ear discharge and rarely listening. The results found that the frequency of these symptoms was associated with high scores on each of the autism traits: social communication, coherent speech, sociability and repetitive behaviours, plus those with a clinical diagnosis of autism. Pus or sticky mucus discharge from the ears was especially associated with autism (an increased risk of 3.29) and for impaired hearing during a cold (an increased risk of 2.18). Dr Amanda Hall, senior lecturer in audiology, at Aston University, said: “Thanks to the data available from Children of the 90s, we were able to analyse results from a large number of children. We found that common ear and upper respiratory signs and symptoms appear to be more prevalent in those with a subsequent diagnosis of autism or demonstrated high levels of autism traits. “However it is also important to note that these ENT symptoms are very common in childhood and most children who experience these signs and symptoms do not go on to be diagnosed with autism. “For example, of the group of around 1,700 children who snored at age 30 months, most of those 1,660 children did not get a later diagnosis of autism. Our results suggest the need for increased awareness of possible ENT conditions.”
• Professor Stephen Garrett to discuss why the UK needs to up its game in maths education • He has a particular interest in the development of mathematical and computational solutions to real-world problems • Lecture will take place on Thursday 27 April at Aston University. The latest inaugural lecture at Aston University is to explore why the UK’s low level of mathematical skills don’t add up to a positive digital future. Professor Stephen Garrett will discuss why school-level mathematics is so important in many areas of life and will discuss how the UK needs to up its game in maths education at all ages for the modern digital world. Currently just half of all 16–19-year-olds study maths. Earlier this year the Prime Minister proposed that all students in England will study some form of maths to 18 to ensure that they leave school better equipped for the jobs of the future. Professor Garrett joined Aston University in spring 2022 as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Stephen said: “I’m concerned that too many people are being held back by poor maths – not just at work but in their personal lives too. “Improving maths skills at any age can bring confidence, open up more career options and benefit the local and national economy.” The professor’s research interests are at the boundary of applied mathematics with other disciplines and he has a particular interest in the development of mathematical and computational solutions to real-world problems. He is primarily known as a fluid dynamicist. As an academic leader, Stephen is particularly keen to develop synergies between teaching and research activities and believes the two should always be closely intertwined within the HE sector. His talk, My career in five equations, and the importance of mathematics education in the digital age will also explore the importance of some key areas of school mathematics in his research career. He will start with traditional classroom maths topics such as Pythagoras and trigonometry, through familiar sounding concepts and will link them to a model for fluid flows relevant to the aerospace sector. The free event will take place on the University campus at Conference Aston, on Thursday 27 April from 6 pm to 8 pm and will be followed by a drinks reception. To sign up for a place visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-inaugural-lecture-by-professor-aniko-ekart-tickets-516518760517 There are more details about mathematics courses at Aston University at https://www.aston.ac.uk/courses/mathematics
Discovery may lead to more precise treatments for advanced colorectal cancer Researchers at ChristianaCare’s Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute have demonstrated for the first time that microRNA (miRNA) expression leads to a diversity of cancer stem cells within a colorectal cancer tumor. This diversity of cancer cells may explain why advanced colorectal cancer is difficult to treat. Study results have been in the Journal of Stem Cell Research and Therapy. The findings broaden the understanding of how miRNA expression adds to cancer stem cell diversity and may lead to more precise anti-cancer treatments for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The research builds on prior discoveries by scientists at the Graham Cancer Center about how cancer stem cell activity contributes to the development and spread of colorectal cancer. “Our research shows — at least in the laboratory — that there are different subpopulations of cancer stem cells in a tumor, and they may be driving the growth of the cancer,” said Principal Investigator Bruce Boman, M.D., Ph.D., MSPH, FACP, medical director of Cancer Genetics and Stem Cell Biology at the Graham Cancer Center. “In one subpopulation of cancer stem cells, its miRNA will shut down the stem cell genes that are expressed in another subpopulation, and vice versa, within the same tumor.” From left: ChristianaCare researchers Lynn Opdenaker, Ph.D., Brian Osmond, Bruce Boman, M.D., Ph.D., Chi Zhang, Victoria Hunsu, Caroline Facey, Ph.D. Not pictured Victoria Stark, MS. The study focused on the composition of cancer stem cells within a colorectal cancer cell line (HT29) in the laboratory setting. Researchers evaluated the different cancer stem cell subpopulations that were identified by examining patterns of miRNA expression in each subpopulation and looking for differences. The researchers found that each of the four diverse subpopulations that were studied (ALDH, LRIG1, CD166 and LGR5) had a different miRNA expression or gene signature. The researchers found that miRNA expression could inhibit the expression of messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries instructions from the DNA to encode specific proteins within cells. Therefore, miRNA, by controlling gene expression, dictate which proteins are contained in the stem cells. The researchers discovered the miRNA that are upregulated in certain cancer stem cell subpopulations are downregulated in other cancer stem cell subpopulations. In this way, differential miRNA expression leads to cancer stem cell heterogeneity within colorectal tumor tissue. “It’s an early research finding and needs to be followed up with other experiments, but it has clear relevance to the clinic,” Boman said. “The question is: Can you target the miRNA to make cancer more sensitive to certain treatments? Because we know what the current anti-cancer treatments are targeting, we may be able to modulate or manipulate the cancer, so it becomes more sensitive to the treatment.” Identification of a network of genes regulated by microRNAs in a cancer stem cell subpopulation. For more than a decade, ChristianaCare’s researchers have contributed to the understanding of the role that cancer stem cells and miRNA expression play in the development and spread of colorectal cancer. This latest finding builds on earlier discoveries that examined a link between two cellular signaling pathways: retinoic acid (RA) signaling and wingless-related integration site (WNT) signaling, which are dysregulated by different gene mutations in colorectal tumors. The RA signaling pathway induces growth arrest and differentiation of cancer stem cells. Notably, retinoic acid is effective against other types of cancer such as leukemia. The role of the WNT signaling pathway has an opposite effect on tumor growth. The WNT signaling pathway is activated by a mutation in the APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) gene in about 90% of cases of colorectal cancer. In APC mutant tissue, dysregulated miRNA expression may underlie an imbalance between the RA and WNT signaling, which then leads to intratumoral cancer stem cell heterogeneity. Still, this mechanism that may enable the cancer to proliferate could also provide clues on how to more effectively treat cancer. “If you’ve got an imbalance between these two signaling pathways, then you’ve likely got a growth driver,” Boman said. “The question is: Can you suppress the WNT signaling and enhance the retinoic acid signaling?” It may be possible to increase the sensitivity of colorectal cancer to retinoic acid-type drugs, and therapeutically shift the balance between different cancer stem cell subpopulations, thereby suppressing cancer growth. More research is needed to determine how targeted cancer therapies containing retinoic acid-type drugs may be made more effective against advanced cancer. This research will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Orlando, Florida, April 14-19. This research project was supported by a grant from the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation.