New bioengineering prof uncovers cancer metabolism insights
(PhysOrg.com) -- Research from a new member of the bioengineering faculty at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering demonstrates that our cells metabolize nutrients in a very different manner than has long been thought. According to new research published in the journal Nature by Christian Metallo, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, cells growing under conditions similar to those inside tumors prefer to convert amino acids to lipids rather than carbohydrates. The findings, published online on November 20, 2011, change our fundamental understanding of how cells metabolize glucose and glutamine in order to grow, which was thought to have been settled for more than 50 years. The discovery also means doctors could have a new targets for therapeutic drugs designed to stop cancer cell growth.