Tyler Trent Pediatric Cancer Research Center
In creating the Tyler Trent Pediatric Cancer Research Center, the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (PICR) is assembling deep strengths in multiple research fields to fight pediatric cancers and to beat osteosarcoma, the rare bone cancer that took the life of beloved Purdue alumnus Tyler Trent.
Tyler’s parents, Tony and Kelly Trent, led the way with their gift of $100,000 to continue the fight against cancer that Tyler began. To join in the fight, you can donate here to the center’s life-sustaining research.
About
The Tyler Trent Pediatric Cancer Research Center was formed in 2023 within PICR to expand Purdue’s research into childhood cancers. The center will pay specific attention to osteosarcoma, the rare form of bone cancer that Tyler Trent suffered from, which typically attacks children.
Michael Childress, professor of comparative oncology in Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine, who has been studying osteosarcoma, will continue his work within the new Trent center.
“A third of patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma die from it, and these are mostly adolescents. That’s a real tragedy that speaks to the need to continue to push the envelope and look for new ways to improve the outlook for those patients,” Childress says.
Childress’ work targeting fundamental cancer mechanisms has the potential to contribute to the understanding of many forms of cancer and advance their therapies. He’s currently working on a prospective drug therapy to target a specific protein that helps drive the progression of osteosarcoma and several other cancers in dogs and humans. His findings hold the potential to advance therapies for those cancers.
“The interdisciplinary research that takes place here at the Tyler Trent center will set us apart from other pediatric cancer research centers. Our combination of scientific talent is uniquely Purdue. There is truly nothing else like this.”
– Andy Mesecar, director of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research
Researchers
Faculty researchers in the Tyler Trent Pediatric Cancer Research Center:
- Claudio Aguilar, professor of biological sciences; cell identity and signaling
- Xiaoping Bao, William K. Luckow Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering; drug delivery and molecular sensing
- Stephen Byrn, Charles B. Jordan Professor of Medicinal Chemistry; drug delivery and molecular sensing
- Michael Childress, professor of comparative oncology; targets, structures and drugs
- Gaurav Chopra, associate professor of analytical and physical chemistry; targets, structures and drugs
- Daniel Flaherty, associate professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology; targets, structures and drugs
- Craig Goergen, Leslie A. Geddes Professor of Biomedical Engineering; drug delivery and molecular sensing
- Jason Hanna, assistant professor of biological sciences; cell identity and signaling
- Rong Huang, professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacology; targets, structures and drugs
- Andrea Kasinski, William and Patty Miller Associate Professor of Biological Sciences; cell identity and signaling
- Ann Kirchmaier, associate professor of biochemistry; cell identity and signaling
- Shihuan Kuang, professor of animal sciences; cell identity and signaling
- Nadia Atallah Lanman, research associate professor of comparative pathobiology; cell identity and signaling
- Philip Low, Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery and Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry; targets, structures and drugs; drug delivery and molecular sensing
- Sandro Matosevic, associate professor of industrial and physical pharmacy; drug delivery and molecular sensing
- Andrew Mesecar, Walther Professor in Cancer Structural Biology and director of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research; targets, structures and drugs
- David Nolte, Edward M. Purcell Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy; drug delivery and molecular sensing
- Joseph Ogas, professor of biochemistry; cell identity and signaling
- John Turek, professor of basic medical sciences; targets, structures and drugs
- Isabelle Francoise Vanhaezebrouck, clinical associate professor of radiation oncology; targets, structures and drugs
- You-Yeon Won, professor of chemical engineering; drug delivery and molecular sensing
- Zhong-Yin Zhang, Distinguished Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, and Robert C. and Charlotte P. Anderson Chair in Pharmacology; targets, structures and drugs