New tech from KAIST may change the future of cancer therapy
Scientists from KAIST have developed technology that can transform cancer cells into normal cells, offering a potentially new approach to cancer therapies.
Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have created innovative technology that allows cancer cells to revert to a state resembling normal cells. This approach could revolutionize cancer treatment by eliminating the side effects of traditional therapies and the risk of resistance.
Will the new cancer treatment method become a reality?
This technology involves reintroducing the expression of differentiation-related genes that are typically mutated or turned off in cancer cells. This allows for the restoration of their normal function or even transformation into a completely different type of cell. Previous studies have demonstrated the possibility of "reverting" cells associated with leukemia or breast cancer.
The team, led by Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho from KAIST, focused on colorectal cancer cells. By creating a digital twin of the gene network of the cells, they identified key molecular switches that induce normal differentiation. After applying these switches, the cancer cells returned to a state resembling normal cells, as confirmed in animal studies.
The future of cancer therapies
These studies show that reverting cancer cells to a normal state is possible through the analysis of digital twins of cancer cell gene networks. This approach could lead to new, reversible cancer therapies that can be applied to various types of cancer cells.
The professor emphasizes that "the fact that cancer cells can be transformed back into normal cells is an astonishing phenomenon." The research findings were published in Advanced Science.
