"If you only take a snapshot of which metabolites are present at any given time, you can miss the bigger picture of what is taking place, especially because many metabolites turn over every few seconds," said Rabinowitz, an associate professor of chemistry and genomics. "Adding isotope-labeled nutrient is the equivalent of determining how fast a stream is moving by adding red food coloring at a given point upstream and seeing how long it takes for the food coloring to make its way downstream."

The project complements clinical trials investigating ways to modulate autophagy in cancer cells, some of which are already under way at CINJ. One study is assessing whether adding hydroxycholoroquine, an anti-malaria drug known to have autophagy-blocking activity, to standard therapy for recurrent colon cancer will increase the number of cancers that go into remission or boost the length of remission.

"The ultimate test will be to take all of our findings and use that information to develop novel approaches for eradicating cancer," White said. "If we can prevent tumor cells from utilizing this altered metabolic state then that should be the Achilles' heel of tumors."

The cutting-edge research effort demonstrates the merits of the collaboration between Princeton and CINJ, which developed through a natural progression driven by science.

"By uniting Princeton's expertise in systems biology, genomics and metabolism with CINJ's top-rate cancer molecular biology and clinical expertise, these collaborations provide opportunities for interaction that promises what the National Cancer Institute has been encouraging - translational research that harnesses basic discoveries for the prevention and treatment of cancer," said James Broach, a Princeton professor of molecular biology who directs the partnership in collaboration with CINJ Deputy Director Edmund Lattime.

"For years our world-class scientists at both facilities have been collaborating on individual cancer research projects," Lattime said. "By entering into a formal partnership, we are strengthening our team science approach so that we can collectively advance cancer research in New Jersey. This will enhance the development of the most innovative, cutting edge cancer treatments for patients in New Jersey and beyond. "

The partnership has already generated groundbreaking results: Last year, a group of Princeton and CINJ researchers led by Princeton molecular biologist Yibin Kang identified a gene, known as Metadherin or MTDH, which is responsible for metastasis and treatment resistance in some 30 to 40 percent of breast cancer patients. The work constituted a breakthrough in the understanding of the disease, laying the groundwork for the development of new treatments, and also established research methods that could be used to identify genes responsible for the metastasis of other types of cancer.

Source: Princeton University