MOON LAB
Moon lab pursues development of novel therapeutics for breast, ovary, and prostate cancer

Projects

Animal model Immuno-oncology Targeted therapy
Animal model

Humanized mice model

  A humanized mice model, human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells-engrafted immunodeficient mice model, carries functioning human immune system.   A humanized mice model is a robust in-vivo platform for long term studies in the field of immuno-oncology, infectious disease, and graft versus host disease. 
  In our laboratory, we have successfully developed a humanized mice model to study immuno-oncology drugs.


Syngeneic mice model

  A syngeneic mice model is an allograft of immortalized murine cancer cell lines which were originated from the same inbred strain of mice.
   This is an important model to develop novel immunotherapy in the presence of functional immune function.
   In our laboratory we have established various syngeneic mice models and we are studying combination therapies with immune checkpoint blockades using these models in breast and ovary cancers.

Mouse tumor  Cell line  Subtype (ER,PR,HER2)  Mouse strain  
Breast  4T1  ER-/PR-/HER2-   BALB/cfC3H  
Breast  EMT6  ER-/PR-/HER2-  BALB/cCrgl
Breast  JC  ER-/PR-/HER2-  BALB/cRos
Breast  E0771  ER-/PR-/HER2-  C57BL/6  
Breast  MXT  ER+/PR+/HER2-  B6D2F1  
ovary ID8 HGSC C57BL/6

PDTX model

  PDTX mice models are generated by implanting fresh cancer tissues obtained from patient's tumors directly into immunodeficient mice.
 PDTX platform can be used for the preclinical assessment of anticancer drugs before testing their effect in patients.

Immuno-oncology

To potentiate NK cell therapy

The limitation of NK cell therapy
  • - Will NK cells infiltrate into the tumor?
  • - How strongly will NK cells kill tumor cells?
  • - When NK cells are given to patients , How long will it remain alive and active in the body?
To overcome limitation of NK cell therapy
  • - To enhance NK cell migration and invasion
  • - To enhance NK cell cytotoxicity
  • - To prolong survival of NK cells

In vitro screening
In vivo screening
Targeted therapy

We are studying various possible combination of chemotherapy and targeted therapy to overcome acquired drug resistant in ovarian cancer.

Overcoming acquired CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance

  Various CDK4/6 inhibitors, palbociclib, abemaciclib, and ribociclib were FDA approved for use in combination with endocrine therapy, and they significantly increase the progression-free survival of patients with advanced estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. 

  Besides of various promising result in preclinical and clinical settings, acquired resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors and lack of reliable biomarkers has limited the significance of the treatment

  • - We generated the in-vitro and in-vivo, CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance models.
  • - We are elucidating the diverse mechanism of resistance.
  • - We are studying various strategies to overcome the acquired resistance.