Prof. Ariel Anbar, Arizona State University

"Can Calcium Isotopes Detect Cancer?"

Coffee and cookies will be served at 3:45pm in RLM 4.102

Abstract: Near-real-time monitoring of bone metabolism in metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis and multiple myeloma (MM) would help clinicians detect disease onset earlier than is currently possible. A biomarker detecting asymptomatic bone destruction would also help evaluate the efficacy of bone-specific therapies. We are exploring variations in the relative abundances of naturally occurring Ca isotope ratios in serum and urine as such a biomarker. Natural changes in urine provide quantitative information on short-term changes in net bone mineral balance, information unavailable from conventional biochemical measures of bone metabolism. The basis of this biomarker is that blood and urine are enriched or depleted in light Ca isotopes as a consequence of net bone gain or loss, respectively. Pilot studies of bone loss induced during bed-rest and bone loss by astronauts during long-duration spaceflight are consistent with each other and with a priori expectations. The talk will summarize these findings, and initial attempts to apply the Ca isotope biomarker to MM disease detection.