Website: University Health Network
Department: Department of Medical Biophysics
Research Interests:
The Schimmer lab is focused on developing novel therapeutic strategies that target leukemia and leukemia stem cells. Using chemical and genetic approaches, the laboratory investigates targeting protein synthesis and degradation pathways in the mitochondria and cytoplasm. Mechanistic studies are coupled with preclinical evaluation to understand the biology of leukemia stem cells and the highlight therapeutic strategies with potential therapeutic windows. In addition to acting as biological tools, these molecules also serve as leads for potential new treatment strategies. To rapidlyidentify and test new therapeutic strategies in early proof-of-principle clinical trials, the Schimmer lab has compiled and screened libraries of known drugs for compounds with previously unrecognized ability to kill leukemia cells and leukemia stem cells. Byleveraging their prior toxicology and pharmacologythree such drugs have already been advanced them into clinical trial for this new indication.
Recent Stem Cell Publications:
Skrtic M, Sriskanthadevan S, Jhas B, Gebbia M, Wang X, Wang Z, Hurren R, Jitkova Y, Gronda M, Maclean N, Lai CK, Eberhard Y, Bartoszko J, Spagnuolo P, Rutledge AC, Datti A, Ketela T, Moffat J, Robinson BH, Cameron JH, Wrana J, Eaves CJ, Minden MD, Wang JC, Dick JE, Humphries K, Nislow C, Giaever G and Schimmer AD. Inhibition of mitochondrial translation as a therapeutic strategy for human acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer Cell. 2011 Nov 15;20(5):674-88.
Xu GW, Ali M, Wood TE, Wong D, Maclean N, Wang X, Gronda M, Skrtic M, Li X, Hurren R, Mao X, Venkatesan M, BeheshtiZavareh R, Ketela T, Reed JC, Rose D, Moffat J, Batey RA, Dhe-Paganon S and Schimmer AD. The ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1 as a therapeutic target for the treatment of leukemia and multiple myeloma. Blood. 2010 Mar 18;115(11):2251-9.
Eberhard Y, McDermott SP, Wang X, Gronda M, Venugopal A, Wood TE, Hurren R, Datti A, Batey RA, Wrana J, Antholine WE, Dick JE and Schimmer AD. Chelation of intracellular iron with the antifungal agent ciclopiroxolamine induces cell death in leukemia and myeloma cells. Blood. 2009 Oct 1;114(14):3064-73.
