Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Biology

First Reader

Dr. Lori Hensley

Second Reader

Dr. Randall Wight

Third Reader

Dr. Rachel Pool

Abstract

Ewing's Sarcoma is a pediatric bone cancer that is highly aggressive, leading to a five year survival rate of not only 30% even with multi-modal treatment protocols. Improved therapeutic options are desperately needed. Our research has focused on the ability of the psychoactive cannabinoid, ajulemic acid, to induce apoptosis and decrease metastatic potential in cells from members of the Ewing Sarcoma family of tumors. Recently, we explored the effects of the naturally-occuring cannabinoid, cannabidiol, on three-dimensional spheroids that mimic the cellular components and microenvironment of Ewing's tumors. We looked at how this treatment affects VEGF, a mediator of angiogenesis, to determine if these cannabinoids work through similar cellular pathways. Data with cannabidiol can then be compared to data collected from ajulemic acid studies to determine if these cannabinoids work through similar cellular pathways.

Included in

Diseases Commons

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