Ms Brenda Green

Position:

• PhD candidate, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

Biography:

In collaboration with several Toronto hospitals, we examine circulating tumor cells in the blood from lung, colon and prostate cancer patients, and characterize them based on the expression of cancer-specific markers. 

Using nanotechnology, cancer cells are captured from whole blood in a microfluidic device, and separated into distinct subpopulations based on the expression level of epithelial adhesion proteins.

Captured prostate cancer cells are examined for levels of androgen receptor and androgen receptor variant 7 (ARV7), and the expression levels are then correlated to PSA, LDH, ALP levels and to the degree of metastases. 

CTC studies are expected to provide the most benefit for patients that do not have metastatic disease, as an early diagnostic tool or to monitor disease recurrence. With the rapid development of new CTC technologies, it may be possible to monitor heterogeneous CTCs at earlier stages of cancer and gain new insight into the utility of CTC analysis.

Best publications:

1. Mohamadi R.M., Besant J.D., Mepham A., Green B., Mahmoudian L., Gibbs T., Ivanov I., Malvea A., Stojcic J., Allan A.L., Lowes L.E., Sargent E.H., Nam R.K., Kelley S.O. 2015. Nanoparticle-mediated binning and profiling of heterogeneous circulating tumor cell subpopulations. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 54(1):139-43
2. Silva, P.N., Green, B.J. (co-first author), Altamentova, S.A., Rocheleau, J.V. 2013. A microfluidic device designed to induce media flow throughout pancreatic islets while limiting shear-induced damage.  Lab on a Chip,  13(22):4374-84
3. Sun, M.Y., Yoo, E., Green, B.J., Altamentova , S.M., Kilkenny, D.M., Rocheleau, J.V. 2012. Autofluorescence imaging of living pancreatic islets reveals Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21)-induced metabolism. Biophysical Journal, 103 (11): 2379-2388

4. Sankar, K., Green, B. J. (co-first author), Crocker, A. R., Verity, J. E., Altamentova, S. M., Rocheleau, J. V. 2011. Culturing Pancreatic Islets in Microfluidic Flow Enhances Morphology of the Associated Endothelial Cells. PLoSONE 6 (9): e24904

5. Renton, P., Green, B., Maddaford, S., Rakhit, S., and Andrews, J.S. 2011. NOpiates: Novel Dual Action Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors with μ-Opioid Agonist Activity. ACS Med. Chem. Lett.  3(3) 

Work Focus:

• Work Focus (Biomedical): Biomedical, Circulating Tumor Cells, Engineering, Microfluidics, Nanotechnology, Prostate Cancer

Research keywords and interests: Biomedical, Engineering, Circulating Tumor Cells, Microfluidics, Nanotechnology, Prostate Cancer.