Student at forefront of cancer research
Jessica's Field's research will help scientists develop more targeted cancer-treatment drugs
Scientists will now be able to improve cancer treatments through structure-guided drug engineering. The advance means these next-generation drugs could have the potential to curb or evade cancer-cell resistance
"Because we know how it's working and affecting the cancer cell, we can design new drugs that are better," Ms Field said.
She made a striking find earlier in her studies when she was asked to take a compound that had not been previously investigated and find out what it did.
The compound, called zampanolide, can stop cancer cells from dividing, which could stop the spread of cancer, but one of its most astounding functions is the way it works within cancer cells.
"The major problem with a cancer drug is that, over time, cancer cells can find a way to oust the drug, becoming resistant to the medication.
"Because of the way this new compound interacts with cancer cells, it cannot be removed from the cell, so they can't become resistant to the drug by this mechanism."
Zampanolide was initially isolated by Victoria University's Associate Professor Peter Northcote from sea sponges found in Tonga, but can now be made synthetically, which Ms Field says is a major benefit.
Ms Field also has not forgotten the debt of gratitude she owes to her inspirational science teacher at Nelson College for Girls, Lin Drake.
"One of the reasons I'm doing what I'm doing is because I had an amazing science teacher in school. She motivated me."
For her part, Ms Drake, who has been a teacher as long as Ms Field has been alive, is proud of her talented former student's achievements.
"It's fantastic that she's done so well. One of the things I love about my job is students leave and go on and do amazing things and they're all girls," Ms Drake says.
This article has been reproduced from the Dominion Post, 14 Jan 2013
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/8173865/Student-at-forefront-of-cancer-research
Interview with Jessica by Ruth Berans, Our Changing World, National Radio, 9th May 2013.