[Gettyimages Bank]
A research team led by Choi Jung-kyoon, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) specializing in genomics, and cell biologist Park Jong-eun have created the technology capable of targeting tumor cells. Using a gene database of millions of cells, the artificial intelligence (AI)-based solution detects differences in gene expression patterns between regular cells and cancer cells.
The method was applied to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy. CARs are receptor proteins that have been engineered to give immune cells called "T cells" the new ability to target a specific protein. T cells are administered back to the patient after undergoing a mass culture process. Because the therapy activates the patient's immune system, it causes fewer side effects.
CAR-T cell therapies are known to be effective in treating blood cancers such as leukemia, and lymphoma. Such diseases are mostly caused by the unusual reproduction of white blood cells. The research team said many studies have been conducted to expand the therapy to treating solid tumors. Solid tumors are masses of cancer cells that don't contain any liquid areas.
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