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Background

The Cancer Stem Cell Theory

Since the development of the cancer stem cell theory, scientists and media have been buzzing with excitement over what they claim could be a breakthrough in the way we view cancer. The cancer stem cell theory says that only a small group of cells in cancers (called cancer stem cells) possess stem cell like characteristics (like the ability to differentiate) and have the ability to form new tumors. This theory has since been experimentally proved; and has shown that these cancer stem cells produce elevated levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase; an enzyme involved in the normal oxidative metabolism of alcohol in the body.

These cancer stem cells have also been implicated in recurrence; current therapies don’t eliminate them and since they are the cells with the tumor-regenerating abilities, they are able to form new tumors and cause recurrence.

Our Project

Our project therefore aims to make biological constructs that would identify these cancer stem cells based on their aldehyde dehydrogenase producing capability and eliminate them as well. To do this, we identified the sequence for four isoforms of the mammalian aldehyde dehydrogenase and created biobricks out of them.

The second part of our project was to create constructs to selectively isolate them. To do this, we chose to use the Plug and Play system of assembly created by DTU-Denmark for the 2011 iGEM competition and then make our biobricks RFC-21 compatible according to the guidelines for iGEM submission. To achieve this plug and play system, we contacted DTU and had them send us some of the parts they had made last year, as they were not available in the Parts Registry.