Egg automation might hold key to cure
The Children's Cancer Therapy Development Institute in Beaverton is the first to automate the use of quail eggs by mechanizing a system for testing cancer drugs on the eggs that are cracked in dishes.The quail eggs can be used for metastasis research, drug testing, toxicity testing and xenograft models. While mice models could be used for this, quail eggs are much less expensive and tumors grow at a more rapid rate.The primary goal of the quail egg project is to design and automate the handling of the eggs. The institute then plans to automate the drug tests enabling them to run drug screens at low-cost and in less time.
"Once we have a reliable system for quail egg experimentation setup we can conduct large numbers of drug screens and hopefully identify several drugs to enter into clinical trials," Mechanical Engineer Samuel Rasmussen said. "We are creating faster, smarter ways of creating a drug testing system based on quail eggs to aid children's cancer research."
The institute seeks the public's support to help continue to develop new cancer treatments.Donations support the research lab, the team of scientists and engineers who make curing cancer possible and projects such as the quail egg project. "Each September we hope to raise much needed awareness of childhood cancers but we can't do that without your help," Rasmussen said. "Please donate to stop fatal childhood cancers."
By Mandy Feder-Sawyer
Reporter, Beaverton Valley Times
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