Dicker Lab

My laboratory in collaboration with the laboratory of Ulrich Rodeck focuses on novel avenues to molecularly define determinants of radiation resistance and sensitivity with a view towards maximizing this ratio for benefit to patients.  A major obstacle in making progress in this area is the fact that current screening procedures for radiation response modifiers in the whole organism are cumbersome and expensive.  Recently, our group has made major strides towards a novel solution to this problem.  Specifically, we have developed a new in vivo model for the in-depth investigation of the radiation response utilizing embryos of the tropical zebrafish (Danio rerio).  Zebrafish has in recent years evolved as a novel and interesting model to study human disease, including carcinogenesis, since greater than 90% of the key genes involved in cell cycle, tumor suppression and oncogenesis are conserved between the two species.  Unlike other vertebrate species, however, zebrafish are rapidly and prolifically bred, easily maintained in the laboratory, and have the unique property of optically transparent embryos, which develop organs within 24-72 hours and into adults in three months.  This makes them amenable to rapid screening of cytotoxic agents, such as radiation, and their modifiers.  We have already validated this model system as identifying two radiation response modifiers currently in the clinic, i.e. the radiation protector Amifostine and the radiation sensitizer ZD1839 (IRESSA) and using  microarray technology, we have already identified stage-specific, differential expression patterns of genes in zebrafish directly relevant to the radiation response.