Grand MMTI Translational Lab

The MMTI Translational Lab works with partners from both industry and academia to support development and validation of new multiple myeloma therapeutic strategics. Under the leadership of Arun Wiita, MD, PhD, the MMTI Lab leverages a suite of state-of-the-art in vitro and in vivo models of myeloma to

• Perform preclinical evaluation of novel therapies to support IND packages
• Carry out mechanistic and discovery biology to uncover new therapeutic targets
• Unlock mechanisms of resistance to existing therapies

Resources and Capabilities

• Myeloma cell culture assays – high throughput capacity, multiplex drug combinations over broad dosing ranges
• In-house access to over a dozen myeloma cell lines with genetic and transcriptomic classifications, including proteasome-inhibitor resistant cell lines
• Therapeutic compound testing in co-culture with patient-derived bone marrow stromal cells 
• Integration of genomics and transcriptomics with novel drug activities to provide biomarker discovery and analysis
• Therapeutic compound testing versus primary patient plasma cells with clinical annotation from UCSF MMTI Tissue Bank
• Marker validation by immunohistochemistry in patient bone marrow samples from UCSF Hematopathology Archive

   

Mouse Models

• Hind flank tumor mouse model
• Disseminated bioluminescence model for studying disease in bone marrow microenvironment
• In development: novel patient-derived xenograft model of multiple myeloma

   

Omics Capabilities

• RNA-seq of cell lines and patient samples
• “UCSF 500” genetic mutation panel testing of patient samples
• Quantitative shotgun and targeted proteomics
• Protein turnover by pulsed-SILAC proteomics
• Unbiased cell-surface protein profiling by enrichment-based mass spectrometry

For More Information:

Contact MMTI Lab Director Arun Wiita, MD, PhD at [email protected] or visit his lab website.

Arun Wiita, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Laboratory Medicine
Dr. Wiita’s group has expertise in CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering, clinical specimen analysis, therapeutic drug models, deep sequencing of nucleic acids and quantitative mass spectrometry. His goal is to leverage these functional, cellular-wide approaches to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in myeloma. In recognition of his work Dr. Wiita has received a Breakthrough Award from the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, a New Innovator Award from the NIH, and a Clinical Scientist Development Award from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.