UF medical students to publish research on brain tumor treatment

Two University of Florida medical students soon will publish the results of brain tumor treatment research they conducted through the Research Scholars Program operated by Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Institutes of Health.

Hugh Walters and Steven Messina, now third-year students in UF’s College of Medicine, joined 40 other outstanding U.S. medical students last summer for the program at NIH facilities in Bethesda, Md., where they became full-time researchers for almost a year. Both UF students participated in a new intramural program combining research in neurological disorders and cancer.

In October, Walters will publish an article in The Journal of Neurosurgery outlining his work in primates on an innovative technique known as convection-enhanced delivery, which infuses the brainstem with medication and eventually could be used to treat a form of childhood cancer called brainstem glioma. The technique was developed by NIH neurosurgeon Edward H. Oldfield, M.D., who was Walters’ mentor.

Messina’s paper, concerning stem cell therapy for human gliomas implanted in mice, was just submitted to the journal Cancer Cell. Working with NIH neuro-oncologist Howard A. Fine, M.D., Messina used human bone marrow to develop marrow-derived neural competent cells, which were shown to migrate to the infiltrating border of the tumor.

By transforming the cells with a genetically altered adenovirus expressing a gene that can induce apoptosis of glioma tumors and then administering the cells intracranially, researchers helped the mice survive an average of 25 percent longer than control groups.

Both UF students completed additional research that will be reported in future journal articles and hope to return to NIH after graduation for further research. Messina also received a continued support award of $37,000 per year from Howard Hughes Medical Institute to fund his remaining two years of medical school.

“It was quite an honor to have two students from UF’s College of Medicine accepted to this program in the same year,” said Robert Watson, M.D., UF College of Medicine senior associate dean for educational affairs. “We encourage all interested medical students to apply. This is a wonderful opportunity, particularly for those considering a career in research.”