Cellecta’s SLAS 2012 Schedule

Booth: #648

Podium Presentation:

“Viability screens in leukemic and breast cancer cells with pooled lentiviral shRNA libraries identify potential therapeutic targets and synergistic lethal interactions.”

When:  Tuesday, Feb. 7, 4:30 – 5:00pm
Where:  SDCC, Ballroom 6C
Session:  RNAi Screening Technologies
Presented by:  Dr. Alex Chenchik, President/CEO/CSO
Read the abstract and add it to your calendar, via www.slas2012.org

Alex presents viability and synergistic lethality screen data, generated using pre-made DECIPHER Pooled shRNA libraries and dual expression combinatorial shRNA libraries, that identified potential cancer drug targets in hematopoietic and HMEC isogenic cell lines. The DECIPHER shRNA Libraries (in plasmid pooled formats) are freely available to researchers in academic and non-profit organizations. For more information, visit the DECIPHER Project website.

Poster Presentation:

“HT Screening for bioactive peptides that increase radiation tolerance using a pooled lentiviral peptide scanning library.”

When: Tuesday, Feb. 7, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Poster Sequence #: TP120
Track Title: Track 3 – High Throughput Technologies
Presented by: Dr. Alex Chenchik

Authors: A. Komarov¹, M. Makhanov¹, V. Natarajan², A. Gudkov², A. Chenchik¹.

Institutions: 1) Cellecta, Inc., Mountain View, CA.; 2) Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY.

Abstract:

There is much interest in developing therapeutics that increase tolerance to radiation exposure. However, despite significant effort, few compounds have yet been identified. To address this need, we have adopted a novel approach that uses a pooled lentiviral scanning peptide expression library to screen for peptide sequences that stimulate the NF-kB pathway, which is thought to increase resistance to ionizing radiation. The peptide expression library, designed from all known extracellular proteins, was used to transduce an NF-kB reporter cell line. Cells expressing peptide agonists that demonstrate modulation of the NF-kB pathway were isolated by FACS and the peptide sequences then identified by high throughput sequencing. Subsequent validation of both individual lentiviral peptide constructs and chemically-synthesized peptides confirmed activation of NF-kB, proving that the approach identifies activity, not just binding. In vivo testing is underway to evaluate the extent that the individual peptides confer actual protection from radiation.

Cellecta’s ASCB Schedule

Booth: #901

Mention that you saw this and get a free mini 8GB USB flash drive containing a wealth of Cellecta product information, user manuals, price list, and data.

Tutorial:

“Open-Source RNAi Genetic Screen Platform: Discovery of Drug Targets in Cancer Cell Models”

When: Monday, Dec. 5, 6:45 – 8:15pm
Where: Room 109
Hors D’oeuvres and light dinner buffet
Presented by: Dr. Paul Diehl

Paul presents viability and synergistic lethality screen data, generated using pre-made DECIPHER Pooled shRNA libraries and dual expression combinatorial shRNA libraries, that identified potential cancer drug targets in hematopoietic and HMEC isogenic cell lines. The DECIPHER shRNA Libraries (in plasmid pooled formats) are freely available to researchers in academic and non-profit organizations. For more information, visit the DECIPHER Project website.

Poster Presentation:

“Viability screens in cancer cells with pooled shRNA libraries identify potential therapeutic targets and synergistic lethal interactions.”

When: Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2:00 – 3:30pm
Where: Board #B862, Exhibit Hall ABEF, Presentation# 1895
Presented by: Karim Hyder

Authors: D. Tedesco¹, K. Bonneau¹, M. Makhanov¹, K. Hyder¹, P. Diehl¹, C.G. Frangou², A. Chenchik¹.

Institutions: 1) Cellecta, Inc., Mountain View, CA.; 2) Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY.

Abstract:

Genes modulating proliferation and survival in oncogenic cells have been identified using pooled lentiviral-based libraries expressing many thousands of shRNAs. A viability assay with leukemic and prostate adenocarcinoma cell lines transduced with these shRNA libraries targeting thousands of genes identified a few hundred essential genes for each panel of cells. Subsequent validation using single shRNA-expressing constructs showed that about 80% of the shRNAs identified in the complex library screen did in fact lead to cell death when transduced in cells. Analysis of the identified essential genes for known biological interactions revealed several non-random clusters of interacting
proteins that provide some insight into signaling pathways and protein networks specific to these cancers. Also, we have recently adapted the approach to combinatorially screen shRNA sequences targeting hundreds of genes to discover additive and synergistic combinations that generate a synthetic-lethal phenotype. Analysis of the lethal combinations indicates redundant, complementary, and compensatory responses in cancer cells. This presentation will provide an overview of the screening platform, our approach to shRNA library design, and results from the screens for cancer cell-specific lethal and synthetic-lethal genes.

Cellecta’s ICHG/ASHG Schedule

Booth: #1425

Mention that you saw this and get a free mini 8GB USB flash drive containing a wealth of Cellecta product information, user manuals, price list, and data.

Ancillary Event (Workshop):

“Open-Source RNAi Genetic Screen Platform: Discovery of Drug Targets in Cancer Cell Models”

When: Friday, Oct. 14, 12:30 – 2:00pm
Where: Room 523, Level 5
Presented by: Dr. Paul Diehl

Link to ICHG/ASHG Schedule

Paul presents the latest viability screen data, generated using pre-made DECIPHER Pooled shRNA libraries and hematopoietic cell lines, that identified potential cancer drug targets. Also, he will discuss a screen with a dual-shRNA combinatorial library which was used to identify synergistically lethal combinations. Researchers in academic and non-profit organizations can have access to these pre-made human and mouse pooled plasmid shRNA libraries and required software. For more information, visit the DECIPHER Project website.

Poster Presentation:

“Viability Screens with Pooled shRNA Libraries Identify Novel and Synthetically Lethal Anti-Cancer Targets”

When: Wednesday, Oct. 12, 3:00 – 4:00pm
Where: Poster #1210W, Level 2
Presented by: Dr. Paul Diehl

Authors: P. Diehl¹, D. Tedesco¹, K. Bonneau¹, M. Makhanov¹, C.G. Frangou², A. Chenchik¹.

Institutions: 1) Cellecta, Inc., Mountain View, CA.; 2) Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA.

Abstract:

Genes modulating proliferation and survival in oncogenic cells have been identified using pooled lentiviral-based libraries expressing many thousands of shRNAs. A viability assay with leukemic and prostate adenocarcinoma cell lines transduced with these shRNA libraries targeting thousands of genes identified a few hundred essential genes for each panel of cells. Subsequent validation using single shRNA-expressing constructs showed that about 80% of the shRNAs identified in the complex library screen did in fact lead to cell death when transduced in cells. Analysis of the identified essential genes for known biological interactions revealed several non-random clusters of interacting proteins that provide some insight into signaling pathways and protein networks specific to these cancers. Also, we have recently adapted the approach to combinatorially screen shRNA sequences targeting hundreds of genes to discover additive and synergistic combinations that generate a synthetic-lethal phenotype. Analysis of the lethal combinations indicates redundant, complementary, and compensatory responses in cancer cells. This presentation will provide an overview of the screening platform, our approach to shRNA library design, and results from the screens for cancer cell-specific lethal and synthetic-lethal genes.