Nazarbayev University scientists are developing innovative
drugs to treat skin cancer. These medications, designed to block cancer cell
growth at the molecular level, are being tested in the university’s laboratory.
The international research team, led by Dr. Ahmed Elkamhawy, includes a PhD
student and six undergraduate students. The new approach to halting melanoma
progression involves the use of inhibitors targeting the RAF kinase enzyme.
«By inhibiting this enzyme, by binding to this enzyme, our
small molecules that we discovered here will be able to stop this enzyme in the
body, and that’s why we can use this kind of drug candidate as a potential
treatment for melanoma. So this is mainly what we are trying to do with RAF
kinase here. For the future, I think our future step will be the development of
maybe more potent derivatives from our compounds and we will go maybe one
step further to clinical studies,» said Elkamhawy.
The results of the scientists' initial studies have been
published in a prestigious scientific journal, paving the way for the next
stage of testing and further drug optimization. In the future, the young
researchers plan to develop other anti-cancer treatments.
«We are working with the RAF enzyme. Additionally, my second
dissertation focuses on the use of the JAK2 enzyme, which is effective in
treating lung cancer. In other words, we are developing small molecules that
slow down enzymatic reactions in the human body. Thus, we are working not only
with the RAF enzyme but also with the JAK2 enzyme and studying the role of
second-generation EGFR inhibitors,» said Aliya Amanzhol, PhD student at NU.
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