Stephen J. Solarz International Laboratory future collaboration｜Taiwan News
Lung cancer is the No. 1 cancer in Taiwan. The Stephen J. Solarz Memorial International Laboratory is a joint Taiwan and US laboratory established in 2019 in Taiwan that focuses on lung cancer research. The National Cancer Institute and Stephen J. Solarz Memorial Fund is in Taiwan to share their latest research and hopes for future collaboration with Taiwan. Our reporter Stephany Yang has the details.
Lung cancer is ranked No. 1 in the top 10 causes of cancer in Taiwan, and also among the most fatal cancers in the U.S. Most patients in Taiwan and the U.S. are diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, but there are big differences in gene mutations. Therefore, identifying the type of gene mutation is important for doctors.
David Schrump
National Cancer Institute senior investigator and chief
Aside from the standard ones such as EGFR and some of the other driver mutations, there are other mutations that are associated with cigarette smoke and with environmental carcinogenesis that I think that are certainly targets that we would like to be able to identify and treat.
The Stephen J. Solarz International Laboratory was established in 2019 at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Through the collaboration between Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, and the U.S. National Cancer Institute, its aim is to explore the differences in cancer genes between Westerners and Asians. The three teams focus their research on lung cancer stem cells, lung cancer tumor immunomodulation, and biomarkers for developing precision medicine for lung cancer. They hope to study and develop more clinical treatment methods by understanding the factors that cause these differences. The National Cancer Institute and Stephen J. Solarz Memorial Fund are now in Taiwan to share their latest research and new tools.
David Schrump
National Cancer Institute senior investigator and chief
The work that we have been doing is primarily the development of the cancer vaccine. We initially developed it in our laboratory with the support of the Solarz Fund. The other thing that we have been doing is to try to model lung cancer and esophageal cancer using induced pluripotent stem cells. This has actually allowed us to identify new targets and identify new drugs that we can use that hopefully be more effective in the future.
Yang Muh-Hwa
Yang Ming Chiao Tung University senior vice president
I think the major directions between the three institutes are complementary and all topics are very important for the future of the development of cancer treatment.
Chiou Hwa Shih
Taipei Veterans General Hospital department of stem cell center
And also in TVGH and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University we are working on epigenetic immunotherapies for lung cancers. We also collaborate and utilize the regenerative medicines to reconstruct the whole pulmonary environment to help not only from the treatments but also recover of the pulmonary environments for lung cancer patients.
Lee Wui-chiang
Taipei Veterans General Hospital Vice Superintendent
We have a heavy ion radiation therapy. It is very successful so far. I think it is a new tool and a very powerful tool to join this study. I think it is promising.
Stephen J. Solarz served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for nearly twenty years. He introduced several bills in Congress in support of Taiwan. After Solarz passed away, his wife Nina K. Solarz established a foundation to support the National Cancer Institute of the United States in cancer research and treatment. Solarz's stepson Randy Glantz the Chairman of the Stephen J. Solarz expressed his hope to continue his step-father's legacy and for the laboratory to help more people around the world.
Randy Glantz
Stephen J. Solarz Memorial Fund chairman
My stepfather Stephen Solarz had a very strong tie to the nation of Taiwan dating back to the 1970s. It is nice for my family to be able to continue this tradition. We look forward not only to improving the lives of the Taiwanese people but eventually also people around the world.
Liang Kung-yee
Academic Sinica
The commitment is to extend the vision of Congressman Solarz had from the very beginning.
Through the joint collaboration, the three teams hope to expand their research from not only lung cancer but also other cancers to help more people around the world.