High throughput natural products screening for new cancer therapeutics

University of Hawaii Cancer Center, High Throughput Screening Core Facility, Summer 2014

Traditional cancer therapies involve surgical removal and chemotherapy, both of which are highly invasive and painful procedures. Cancer drugs offer the ability to treat cancer in a less invasive manner. However, drugs to target cancer are not fully developed and can have many side effects. By taking advantage of Native Hawaiian plants, over 400 extracts were created to target multiple cancer cell lines including MCF-7, HepG2, HeLa, NIH3T3, U-138 MG, A549, LNCap, MDA-MB-435S, and K562. Normal cancer drugs were used as controls. Cell proliferation was measured via a 96 well plate reader, and potential drug candidates were isolated for further testing.