Sossick biography of martin

Abstract

The proper balance between symmetric and asymmetric stem cell division is crucial both to maintain a population of stem cells and to prevent tumorous overgrowth. Neural stem cells in the Drosophila optic lobe originate within a polarised neuroepithelium, where they divide symmetrically. Neuroepithelial cells are transformed into asymmetrically dividing neuroblasts in a precisely regulated fashion. This cell fate transition is highly reminiscent of the switch from neuroepithelial cells to radial glial cells in the developing mammalian cerebral cortex. To identify the molecules that mediate the transition, we microdissected neuroepithelial cells and compared their transcriptional profile with similarly obtained optic lobe neuroblasts. We find genes encoding members of the Notch pathway expressed in neuroepithelial cells. We show that Notch mutant clones are extruded from the neuroepithelium and undergo premature neurogenesis. A wave of proneural gene expression is thought to regulate the timing of the transition from neuroepithelium to neuroblast. We show that the proneural wave transiently suppresses Notch activity in neuroepithelial cells, and that inhibition of Notch triggers the switch from symmetric, proliferative division, to asymmetric, differentiative division.

Keywords: Neural stem cells, Notch, Drosophila, Optic lobe, Proneural factor

INTRODUCTION

Neurons must be generated in a precisely timed fashion to build functional networks of circuits. This is achieved by controlling the balance between self-renewing neural stem cells and their differentiated progeny. Stem cells can divide symmetrically to generate daughter cells with similar fates, or asymmetrically, to self-renew whilst also producing differentiating daughter cells. During neurogenesis in the mammalian cerebral cortex, neuroepithelial cells initially divide symmetrically to expand the stem cell pool. Later in development, they transform into asymmetrically dividing radial glial

Abstract

Photon (X-ray) radiotherapy is the most common treatment used in cancer therapy. However, the exposure of normal tissues and organs at risk to ionising radiation often results in a significant incidence of low-grade adverse side effects, whilst high-grade toxicities also occur at concerningly high rates. As an alternative, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) aims to create densely ionising helium and lithium ions directly within cancer cells, thus sparing the surrounding normal cells and tissues but also leading to significantly more effective tumour control than X-rays. Although very promising for patients with recurring and highly invasive tumours, BNCT does not currently have widespread use worldwide, in part due to limited and reliable neutron sources for clinical use. Another limitation is devising strategies leading to the selective and optimal accumulation of boron within the cancer cells. Boronophenylalanine (BPA) is currently the major compound used in BNCT which takes advantage of the amino acid transporter LAT1 that is overexpressed in a number of human cancers. Additionally, there is a lack of in-depth knowledge regarding the impact of BNCT on cellular DNA, and the molecular mechanisms that are responsive to the treatment, which are important in developing optimal therapeutic strategies using BNCT, are unclear. In this review, we highlight the current knowledge of the radiobiology of BNCT acquired from in vitro and in vivo studies, particularly in the context of DNA damage and repair, but also present evidence of established and new boron-containing compounds aimed at enhancing the specificity and effectiveness of the treatment.

Keywords: boron neutron capture therapy, DNA damage, DNA repair, ionising radiation, linear energy transfer, radiotherapy

1. Introduction

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a cancer treatment that utilises the interaction between stable atoms of boron-10 (B) and thermal energy neutrons (Figure 1) [1,2]

Sossick is the alias of Esosa Douglas Osemwengie. Born and raised in Lagos to parents from Edo state, in South-south Nigeria, he grew up in a ‘house filled with music’ and along with his sister, entertained the family. He attended Yaba School of Technology in Lagos, earning a diploma in Surveying and Geo-Informatics.

Known as a music producer, Sossick began experiments with music as a primary school pupil. He joined a group ‘D Kru’ where he was a hip-hop artist. The group broke up a while later and Sossick went solo.

The young artist took to production. And in 2005 he produced the song ‘No Be God’ off ‘Pain Plus Work,’ the debut album of Gino, his rapper brother for whom he used to beatbox early in their careers. Since then Sossick has come to work with several renowned musicians including Shank, Tiwa Savage, Eva and Dipp, sometimes singing the hook and chorus. He has also worked with rappers Reminisce and Olamide.

It was however his work with the late rapper Da Grin that brought the producer to prominence, the song ‘Pon, Pon, Pon’ in particular. The success of that song brought other artists. Sossick found the label Classick Tunes, where he has signed rapper Obadice. He has also released songs of his own including ‘Baby Mo’ (2015).