The Researcher Tamara Viscarra Alvarez studied a way to sensitize cell lines and laid the basis for the introduction of a new way to treat cancer in patients that do not respond to the conventional therapies.

Cancer is one of the main causes of death in developed countries. Carboplatin is one of the most used drugs for the treatment and one of its benefits is that there are less side effects. Although the different cancer treatments show positive effects, patients often develop resistance to chemo-therapy drugs, what reduces its effectiveness.

The main objective of the research work of Tamara Viscarra Alvarez was to study the expression of genes that are associated with carboplatin in ovarian cancer cell lines as a mechanism of reversal of the resistance phenotype. This study led her to obtaining her Ph.D. degree in Sciences with specialization in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology from the Universidad de La Frontera.

“The objective of my research was to modulate the resistance to carboplatin in ovarian cancer cells. Therefore, we carried out a series of trials which allowed us to establish that the SFRP4 gene in combination with the treatment with carboplatin allows reducing the resistance in ovarian cancer cells,” Dr. Viscarra explained.

One of the conclusions of the study was that, thanks to the use of carboplatin in combination with the overexpression of the SFRP4 gene, we could sensitize resistant cell lines in order to achieve a better response to the treatment with carboplatin.

“Regarding the advantages the results of this study present, we will be able to reduce the side effects a lot of patients present after chemotherapy and to reduce the rates of death in patients that have to undergo a second chemotherapy since they do not work properly. Thanks to this, we can establish a new treatment, particularly for those patients who do not respond to the conventional therapies,” Dr. Viscarra added.

The thesis of Dr. Viscarra was carried out in the Laboratory of Molecular Pathology of the Universidad de La Frontera, under the supervision of Dr. Priscilla Brebi Mieville. She joined the Doctoral Program in 2013, after finishing her studies in Biotechnology at the Universidad de La Frontera.

“The Ph.D. Program allowed me to dream. It did not limit us to investigate one particular issue, but allowed us to evaluate all options, requirements and desires we got in scientific research and to achieve that in the best way possible. You have a lot of possibilities: you can do stays abroad and, besides, you can count on the constant support the program offers to its students,” she sustained.

During the elaboration of her doctoral thesis, Dr. Viscarra achieved six publications in ISI indexed journals and two sent articles. In addition, she made 13 presentations at international congresses and 17 at national congresses.

Written by: UFRO Communications Office
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