Dr. Gopal C. Kundu from KIIT Deemed to be University in Odisha, India, describes a recent editorial he co-authored that was published by Oncotarget in Volume 14, entitled, “The molecular dialogue between the tumor cells and fibroblasts.”

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28405

Correspondence to - Gopal C. Kundu - gopalc.kundu@kiit.ac.in

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28405

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/

Keywords - CAFs, heterogeneity, myofibroblasts, drug resistance, osteopontin

About Oncotarget

Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.

To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us:

SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/oncotarget
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/oncotarget
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/
Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/

Media Contact
MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM
18009220957

Oncotarget

Behind the Study: Molecular Dialogue Between Tumor Cells and Fibroblasts

BUFFALO, NY — December 1, 2025 — A new #research paper featured on the #cover of Volume 17, Issue 11 of Aging-US was #published on October 30, 2025, titled “SAMP-Score: a morphology-based machine learning classification method for screening pro-senescence compounds in p16 positive cancer cells.”

In this study led by first author Ryan Wallis along with corresponding author Cleo L. Bishop, from Queen Mary University of London, researchers developed a machine learning tool to identify compounds that induce cancer cells into senescence. The tool, called SAMP-Score, offers a new strategy for drug discovery in cancers with poor treatment options like basal-like breast cancer.

Senescence is a process where damaged or aged cells stop dividing. In cancer therapy, inducing senescence is an approach to control tumor growth. However, it is difficult to detect true senescence in cancer cells that already appear aged. These cancers, often called Sen-Mark+ cancers, include basal-like breast cancer and typically lack reliable markers to confirm senescence. SAMP-Score was designed to address this problem.

Instead of relying on traditional markers, the researchers built a machine learning model trained to recognize patterns based on senescent cells’ shape and structure under a microscope. These visual patterns, known as senescence-associated morphological profiles (SAMPs), allowed the model to distinguish real signs of aging from other effects such as toxicity or normal variation. By analyzing thousands of cell images, the model learned to classify whether a cell had truly entered senescence.

“To demonstrate the potential application of SAMP-Score in p16 positive cancer therapeutic discovery, we assessed a diversity screen of 10,000 novel chemical entities in MB-468 cells (p16 positive BLBC).”

The team used SAMP-Score to screen more than 10,000 experimental compounds. One compound, QM5928, consistently triggered senescence in several cancer cell types without killing them, making it a promising candidate for further study. Importantly, it worked in cancers resistant to known drugs like palbociclib, which are often ineffective in cancers with high p16 expression like basal-like breast cancer. 

Further analysis revealed that QM5928 caused the p16 protein to move into the nucleus of cancer cells, a possible sign that the protein is helping stop cell division. This subtle effect was only detectable using the detailed imaging and analysis made possible by SAMP-Score, highlighting the tool’s ability to distinguish true senescence from toxic responses and making it a powerful resource in cancer drug discovery.

By combining machine learning with high-resolution imaging, this study introduces a new way to find and evaluate cancer therapies. SAMP-Score could accelerate efforts to develop treatments that exploit the body’s natural aging processes to fight cancer, especially for patients with resistant tumors. The tool is openly available at GitHub, making it accessible for other researchers exploring senescence-based cancer therapies.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206333

Corresponding author - Cleo L. Bishop - c.l.bishop@qmul.ac.uk

Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXI_KI3EgHE

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts

To learn more about the journal, please visit https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media at:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/
X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Aging-US
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/aging-us.bsky.social
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Aging-US

Machine Learning Identifies Senescence-Inducing Compound for p16-Positive Cancer Cells

What does “community” actually mean? Is community something we achieve or is it something we practice? Claire Brown and Austin Sauerbrei are partners, parents, and community practitioners, living and working in small town rural America. Claire is the rector of a small Episcopal church and Austin is a community organizer with the 50+ year-old statewide nonprofit, SOCM. Their daily lives are a whirlwind of tending to relationships and building muscle for faithful community engagement in their small town. With humor, candor, and wisdom honed by years of deep listening, they offer insights about the tensions and opportunities that arise when we acknowledge how intertwined we are with one another. 


This episode is worth watching on The Leader’s Way YouTube channel! In this interview, Austin and Claire model what it looks like to engage in thought-partnership and parenthood, passing their youngest child, Ardy, between them as they respond to host Whitney Kimball Coe’s questions about how we do the thing we call “community.”  


Learn more about The Rev’d Claire Brown: https://www.revclairebrown.com/ 

 
Learn more about Austin Sauerbrei’s new graphic novel, Trouble! At Coal Creek: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2529-trouble-at-coal-creek 

“Have You Met the Community?” with Claire Brown and Austin Sauerbrei

BUFFALO, NY — December 3, 2025 — A new #essay was #published in Volume 17, Issue 11 of Aging-US on November 19, 2025, titled “On the intergenerational transfer of ideas in aging and cancer research: from the hypothalamus according to V.M. Dilman to the mTOR protein complex according to M.V. Blagosklonny.”

In this work, Aleksei G. Golubev from the N.N. Petrov National Medical Research Center of Oncology reflects on the legacy of two influential Russian scientists, Vladimir M. Dilman and his son Mikhail V. Blagosklonny, who each introduced groundbreaking ideas about aging and cancer. Drawing from his own experience working in Dilman’s lab, Golubev explores how their ideas remain deeply relevant to today’s scientific understanding.

The essay connects Dilman’s “elevation theory” with Blagosklonny’s “hyperfunction theory,” two frameworks that challenge the conventional view of aging as a process of decline. Instead, both propose that aging results from continued biological processes that once supported growth but eventually become harmful when left unchecked.

Dilman believed that aging begins with reduced sensitivity in the hypothalamus, a brain region that regulates the body’s balance. This desensitization disrupts metabolism and hormone levels, setting the stage for many chronic illnesses. Decades later, Blagosklonny expanded on this idea at the molecular level. Central to his theory is the mTOR protein complex, which regulates growth and metabolism and is now a major focus in aging research.

Golubev also explores the historical and personal connections between the two scientists. Dilman, an endocrinologist trained in the Soviet Union, and Blagosklonny, a molecular biologist educated during the post-Soviet period, represent two generations shaped by a shared scientific tradition. 

“Dilman’s scientific legacy is not as well recognized as it should be, partly due to bias in citation practices.”

The essay also draws attention to a troubling trend in science: the tendency to overlook early contributions, especially from non-Western scholars. Many of Dilman’s insights, such as the connection between high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and cancer, have since been validated by modern tools, yet his work is rarely cited. Golubev points out how citation practices, language barriers, and historical isolation have contributed to this lack of recognition.

Finally, Golubev encourages the scientific community to look back and acknowledge the foundational work that shaped modern aging science. It also highlights the importance of cross-generational knowledge in moving science forward. By tracing the intellectual journey from hormonal regulation in the brain to molecular pathways in cells, this essay demonstrated the relevance of old ideas in a new biological era.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206338

Corresponding author - Aleksei G. Golubev - lxglbv@rambler.ru

Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvrdghTKGws

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - 
https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206338

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts

Keywords - aging, gerontology, history of science, hyperfunction, mTOR, hypothalamus, cancer, metabolism, immunity

To learn more about the journal, please visit https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/
X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Aging-US
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/aging-us.bsky.social
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

How Two Russian Scientists Changed the Way We Understand Aging and Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. While early detection significantly improves outcomes, many patients are diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment options are limited and relapse is common. To address this challenge, researchers are exploring whether existing drugs can be repurposed for cancer therapy, a strategy that could accelerate drug development while reducing associated costs and risks.

One class of drugs under investigation is statins, commonly prescribed to reduce cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease. Several studies have observed a potential link between elevated cholesterol and increased CRC risk. Cholesterol may support tumor growth by promoting membrane synthesis and energy metabolism in rapidly dividing cells.

Building on this connection, researchers from leading Indian institutions, including the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research and the Center of Excellence in Epigenetics at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, investigated how statins influence CRC cells at the molecular level. Their goal was to determine whether these widely used drugs could have a therapeutic role in oncology.

The Study: Investigating the Molecular Impact of Statins in CRC Cells

The study, titled “Statins exhibit anti-tumor potential by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colorectal cancer,” was published in Oncotarget (Volume 16). Using a combination of lipidomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and 3D tumor models, the researchers explored how two widely prescribed statins, atorvastatin and simvastatin, affect molecular pathways associated with CRC progression. This integrative, multi-omics strategy enabled tracing statin-induced effects across different layers of cellular function, linking lipid, transcript, and protein changes to pathway-level shifts.

Full blog - https://www.oncotarget.org/2025/12/03/repurposing-statins-exploring-anti-tumor-effects-in-colorectal-cancer/

Paper DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28755

Correspondence to - Sanjeev Galande - sanjeev.galande@snu.edu.in

Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A95ICULaH3Y

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28755

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/

Keywords - cancer, colorectal cancer, statins, SATB1, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, tumor-suppressive phenotype

To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/
X - https://twitter.com/oncotarget
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/
Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gRwT6BqYWJzxzmjPJwtVh

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Repurposing Statins: Exploring Anti-Tumor Effects in Colorectal Cancer

Karilyn Larkin, MD, is leading a new clinical trial that could change and improve the way acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is treated. “AML is a good example of how the better you understand the disease and the more clever you are in designing the clinical trial allows you to start to see successes where there were none before,” said Larkin, a James physician and hematologist. “In the past 10 years there have been more than 10 new drugs approved for treating AML which is phenomenal.” AML is a rare cancer of the blood that spreads quickly. Larkin and her team discovered a novel surface target on AML cells: the CD37 protein. This protein had previously been seen on lymphomas (another type of blood cancer). A drug was developed but wasn’t more effective than the standard of care for treating lymphomas. “We discovered CD37 is expressed more in AML and starts on the surface of the cells and is quickly pulled into the cells and that nuance makes it a good target for delivering a toxic payload [through the drug previously developed for lymphoma].” A clinical trial began in June that included several other major cancer centers around the country. Larkin was the principal investigator. The trial is currently in Phase 1 of its development in which “we start with a low dose and then make incremental increases, and once we find the correct and safe dose we will enter Phase 2 and expand the number of patients in the trial,” Larkin said. This trial a great example of what’s known as the bench to bedside approach in the battle against cancer. Scientists in the lab – or the bench – find new targets and drugs and work with physicians to bring these advances to patients – the bedside.

Episode 201: A New Clinical Trial for Treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML),  with Dr. Larkin

In today’s episode, I talk with a truly special group of scholars, Candace Borders, Alison Kibe, and Jeania Ree Moore. They met as Graduate Writing Fellows and connected by giving each other feedback on their writing. While they share academic fields and methodologies, their ethics of care and investment in each other’s work allowed them to try out a new form of peer-review group, as “group consultations.” Conjoining the structure and duration of a peer-review writing group with the feedback process of an individual consultation, their group offers a unique model that can be formed by grad students who share a department and discipline. Sharing a discipline or department can have its’ challenges with respect to going “too deep” into the content, possible competition, and uneven experiences with working with advisors and gaining access to resources. Our guests offer a pathway based on Black feminist writing practices and theory that can mediate these challenges to offer a truly collaborative, compassionate, and accountable group writing and feedback model. 

Jeania Ree Moore is a writer, clergyperson, and interdisciplinary scholar of theology, religion, and African American studies. She is a PhD candidate in African American Studies and Religious Studies at Yale University, where her research draws on theology, ethics, and related disciplines to engage a range of sites in Black history and culture.  

Alison H Kibbe is an Assistant Professor of African American Studies at the College of Charleston. She is a scholar, multidisciplinary artist, and cultural organizer. In her scholarly work, Alison specializes in critical food studies, Black geographies and Black mobilities, and cultural production across the Caribbean and African Diaspora.

Candace Borders is an interdisciplinary scholar, educator, and curator. Her research explores the intersections of race, gender, class, and the urban Midwest, with particular attention to role of Black women’s activism in shaping the urban landscape.  She is a Postdoctoral Fellow at The Center for the Humanities, Washington University in St. Louis and received her PhD in American Studies and African American Studies from Yale University. 


Synergies, not Thorns:  Sustaining Connection and Writing Support in Shared Disciplines through a “Group Consultation” Peer Model

BUFFALO, NY — December 8, 2025 — A new #research paper was #published in Volume 17, Issue 11 of Aging-US on September 12, 2025, titled “Infusion of blood from young and old mice modulates amyloid pathology.”

This study was led by co-first authors Matias Pizarro from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and Ruben Gomez-Gutierrez from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, alongside corresponding authors Claudia Duran-Aniotz from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and Rodrigo Morales from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins. The goal was to investigate how blood from young and old mice influences Alzheimer’s-related changes in a transgenic mouse model. The findings indicate that age-dependent circulating factors can either worsen or mitigate brain changes associated with dementia, highlighting blood and its components as potential therapeutic targets.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by misfolded amyloid proteins, inflammation, and gradual cognitive decline, with aging as its main risk factor. In this work, whole blood from young adult or very old wild-type mice was repeatedly infused into Tg2576 mice, a well-established model of amyloid accumulation and memory impairment. Over several months, recipient mice received 30 weekly blood infusions, followed by behavioral testing and detailed neuropathological analyses.

“Tg2576 mice express the human APP harboring the Swedish mutation.”

Mice that received blood from old donors performed worse in both short- and long-term spatial memory tasks than mice infused with young blood, suggesting that aged blood contains factors that impair cognition. When the team examined brain tissue, they found more cortical amyloid deposits detected by a specific antibody in mice treated with old blood, while overall amyloid levels measured biochemically did not change, suggesting differences in plaque type or compactness rather than total amount. The expression of amyloid precursor protein in the brain was also higher after old-blood infusion, which may partly explain the shift in amyloid pathology.​

Despite these changes in plaques and memory, classical markers of astrocyte activation, a sign of brain inflammation, did not differ between groups, pointing to more subtle molecular shifts. A broad proteomic analysis of brain samples revealed dysregulation of proteins involved in synapse formation, calcium signaling, and the endocannabinoid system, pathways important for neuronal communication and plasticity. Among them, the calcium channel–related protein CACNA2D2 and the signaling protein BRAF were increased in mice that received old blood, confirming that aged blood circulation can reshape key signaling networks linked to neuronal function and degeneration.

Overall, this study supports the idea that blood is not just a passive carrier but a powerful modulator of brain health during aging and disease. While young blood has been associated in previous work with improved synaptic function and reduced amyloid and tau changes, this study emphasizes the harmful impact of old blood, particularly on cortical amyloid patterns and memory. The identification of CACNA2D2 and BRAF as potential mediators of these effects suggests new avenues for targeting blood-borne factors or downstream brain pathways to slow or modify Alzheimer’s-related decline.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206319

Corresponding authors - Claudia Duran-Aniotz - Claudia.Duran@uai.cl, and Rodrigo Morales - Rodrigo.MoralesLoyola@uth.tmc.edu

Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsBDSAipH3w

To learn more about the journal, visit https://www.Aging-US.com​​.

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Young and Old Mice Blood Differently Shapes Alzheimer’s-Related Brain Changes

If you’re considering applying to Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, this episode is for you! 

It’s the SEMINARIAN TAKEOVER episode of The Leader’s Way Podcast. Berkeley Divinity School at Yale students Whitney Kimball Coe ’26, Misty Krasawski ‘26, and Jae Kirkland Rice ’27, pull back the curtain on what it’s like to be at seminary and divinity school.  

Our seminarians tell stories about how they made the decision to apply to Yale Divinity School and the questions, longings, and experiences that led them here. In this episode, we learn that there is no single path that leads a person to seminary, but many. We hear about worship at Berkeley, favorite courses, the importance of staying “prayed up,” and the ways God surprises us throughout this journey. 

 

Learn more at the Berkeley at Yale website: https://berkeleydivinity.yale.edu/ 

Special episode: The Seminarian Takeover!

The paper featured on the cover of this issue of Aging-US, published on October 30, 2025, entitled “SAMP-Score: a morphology-based machine learning classification method for screening pro-senescence compounds in p16-positive cancer cells,” represents an important methodological and conceptual advance at the interface of senescence biology, imaging and drug discovery.

In this study, led by first author Ryan Wallis and corresponding author Cleo L. Bishop (Queen Mary University of London), the authors introduce SAMP-Score, a machine-learning–based framework designed to identify bona fide senescence induction in cancer cells where canonical markers fail. This is a timely and much-needed contribution to the field.

Therapy-induced senescence has emerged as a powerful strategy to restrain tumor growth, yet its reliable detection in cancer cells remains a major bottleneckIn these contexts, cells often already display features associated with cellular aging, rendering conventional senescence markers ambiguous or misleading. Distinguishing true senescence from toxicity, stress responses or baseline “aged” phenotypes is therefore a critical unmet need.

Rather than relying on predefined molecular readouts, the authors take a different approach and train a machine-learning model to recognize senescence-associated morphological profiles (SAMPs) which are subtle but reproducible changes in cellular architecture captured through high-content microscopy. By learning directly from image-based phenotypes, SAMP-Score is able to identify senescence with a level of precision that is difficult to achieve using marker-based strategies alone.

The strength of the platform demonstrated through a large-scale screen of over 10,000 novel chemical entities in p16-positive basal-like breast cancer cells. From this screen, the compound QM5928 emerged as a robust inducer of senescence across multiple cancer models, notably without inducing cytotoxicity. Importantly, QM5928 retains activity in cellular contexts that are resistant to CDK4/6 inhibition, including palbociclib-refractory, p16-high tumors.

Mechanistically, the authors show that QM5928 promotes nuclear relocalization of p16, consistent with a functional engagement of cell-cycle arrest pathways. These nuanced phenotypic changes would likely have gone undetected without the resolution and discrimination provided by SAMP-Score, underscoring the platform’s ability to separate true senescence from confounding cellular states.

This work exemplifies how machine learning and quantitative imaging can be harnessed to solve long-standing problems in senescence research, moving the field beyond binary marker expression toward phenotype-driven classification. Beyond its immediate relevance for cancer therapy, SAMP-Score offers a broadly applicable framework for senescence-based screening efforts across biological contexts.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206333

Corresponding author - Cleo L. Bishop - c.l.bishop@qmul.ac.uk

Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXI_KI3EgHE

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - 
https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206333

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts

To learn more about the journal, please visit https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media at:

Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/aging-us.bsky.social
ResearchGate - https://www.researchgate.net/journal/Aging-1945-4589
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/
X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Aging-US
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Aging-US Editors' Choice

Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form and then quickly released to Pubmed.

Oncotarget is now indexed by MEDLINE, PubMed and PMC/PubMed.

Read about the Oncotarget Scientific Integrity Process: https://www.oncotarget.com/scientific_integrity/

Behind the Study: Molecular Dialogue Between Tumor Cells and Fibroblasts

Oncotarget Podcast