Abstract

Many cancer drugs have limitations in their clinical use owing to side effects and the development of drug resistance in treated patients. We developed a novel drug, OK-1, that kills cancer cells without harming healthy cells. Herein, we will introduce our research into how the drug inhibits heat shock proteins to cause this differential effect, how healthy cells can escape the drug’s killing effect and how we progressed this research from the laboratory into clinical trials.

Biography

Dr. Benbrook earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL, USA. As a postdoctoral researcher at the La
Jolla Cancer Research Foundation (now the Burnham Institute) in San Diego, CA, USA, she discovered, cloned and characterized a thyroid hormone receptor and
cholesterol receptor. During her tenure as a Research Fellow at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (now Cancer Research UK), she discovered crosstalk between transcription factors, demonstrating integration between different signal transduction pathways.

Since joining the faculty at the University of Oklahoma Health Campus, she focused her research on developing non-toxic drugs for prevention and treatment of gynecologic cancers. Through these efforts, her research group generated new knowledge about cancer and produced an experimental drug, SHetA2 (OK-1), which is now transitioning from a Phase 1 (clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04928508) to a Phase 2 clinical trial at the Stephenson Cancer Center.

She is actively sharing her knowledge about translating laboratory research into clinical trials and working with the FDA through teaching and mentoring. Dr. Benbrook holds multiple USA national and international committees and leadership roles involving development, review and performance of translational and clinical research. Currently, she was awarded the title of Presidential Professor and serves as the Stephenson Cancer Center Associate Director of Translational Research.