Lewis, Ben - Flinders University - Department of Clinical Pharmacology

研究领域

Ben's current research is focusing on the development a cytochrome P450-based gene therapy model for cancer treatment. Ben aims to utilise the body’s own ability to metabolise drugs and chemicals in a way that will activate an ordinarily inactive chemotherapeutic drug. Ben aims to use a retrovirus to target synthesis of the drug activating enzyme (a human protein) specifically in tumor cells, or in a specific tissue type. Administration of the inactive chemotherapeutic drug would circulate through the blood stream to the tumour site where is it then activated into the desired cytotoxic agent. The targeted therapy proposed by Ben should increase exposure of the tumor to the active cytotoxic agent, thus reducing systemic toxicity to the remainder of the body. Treatment options for cancer, such as Ben’s, are desirable to reduce the adverse effects associated with conventional chemotherapy currently used in the clinic today. Ben’s work is funded by the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer and the Flinders Medical Centre Foundation. In addition to this, Ben and Professor Arduino Mangoni (Head of Clinical Pharmacology) are currently establishing a new angiogenesis laboratory within the Department of Clinical Pharmacology. This laboratory will primarily focus on the role of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) expression and post-translational modifications on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-dependent and -independent angiogenesis pathways. The research conducted by Ben and Arduino aims to elucidate the modulating effects DDAH may have on VEGF initiated angiogenesis during tumor development. Since a significant number of patients do not respond to anti-VEGF therapy used singly or in combination with other agents, this research is critical for finding alternative molecular targets to treat cancer.

近期论文

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Smolilo, D.J., Lewis, B.C., Yeow, M. and Watson, D.I. (2015). Omental infarction mimicking cholecystitis. Case Reports in Surgery, 2015(Art: 687584) [10.1155/2015/687584]