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April 22, 2025
AI-backed saliva test shows promise for flagging chemotherapy risk, early results indicate
Early results from a new study suggest that a simple saliva test with powerful artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms could help doctors identify cancer patients at high risk for severe side effects from a widely used chemotherapy drug.
The drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), has been in use since the 1950s, making it one of the oldest chemotherapy agents still used today. It remains a cornerstone of cancer treatment, used in nearly a third of chemotherapy treatments for colorectal, breast, head and neck, pancreatic, and stomach cancers.
5-FU disrupts how cells make and use DNA. Cancer cells divide rapidly and need to copy their DNA continuously. The drug mimics DNA building blocks and jams the process, halting cancer cell growth. But some patients carry genetic differences that prevent their bodies from breaking down the drug properly. In those cases, 5-FU can build up to toxic levels, causing serious and sometimes life-threatening complications.
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The Role of Exercise in Memory Function , homeMay 23, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Henriette van Praag, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University | Co-Sponsored by the Center for Exercise Medicine Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
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The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is one of the nation’s fastest-growing academic biomedical research enterprises and a destination for world-class researchers. The institute’s Virginia Tech scientists focus on diseases that are the leading causes of death and suffering in the United States, including brain disorders, heart disease, and cancer. Since its founding in 2010, the research institute has experienced unprecedented growth: doubling its enterprise and lab facilities in Roanoke, while also investing in brand-new laboratories on the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus in Washington, D.C.
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The Role of Exercise in Memory Function , homeMay 23, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Henriette van Praag, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University | Co-Sponsored by the Center for Exercise Medicine Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
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Research in Progress Seminar , homeMay 27, 2025, 4 p.m. | Mary Elizabeth Baugh, Ph.D. and Mikel Cawley | Spring Research in Progress Seminar Series
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Pathways and Regulation of Cardiac Nav1.5 Channel Trafficking in Adult Myocytes , homeMay 30, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Gea-Ny Tseng, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Center for Vascular and Heart Research
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Targeting Acquired Dependencies During Tumor Evolution , homeJune 6, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Kris Wood, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Cancer Research Center – D.C.
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2025 Cancer Research Center Symposium , homeJune 11-12, 2025 | Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC | 4 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, Virginia
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20th International Biochemistry of Exercise Conference , redirectJune 1-5, 2026 | IBEC 20206: Exercise and Healthspan | Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
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