Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common histological subtype of lung cancer. Because the adjuvant chemotherapy for the patients with the early stage of lung cancer after surgery causes the treatment-related toxicity, the patients undergo only surgery. However about 20% of NSCLC patients diagnosed as stage I underwent surgery, they eventually died due to recurrence. Therefore, it is very important to classify patients with early stage lung adenocarcinoma into groups with low-risk or high-risk of recurrence. We have already identified the EGF-influenced 139 genes as the candidates to predict the survival of patients with early stage lung adenocarcinoma (PLoS ONE, vol. 7, e43923, 2012). To develop a clinically-available diagnostic system, it is necessary to examine the expression levels of the genes using quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) on a large number of patients tissues and to construct a risk scoring model by optimizing for qRT-PCR to predict risk.

　　Dr. David G Beer has collected a large number of samples from patients with NSCLC for long time and has already reported several excellent papers to analyze lung adenocarcinoma patients’ samples. I visited his laboratory at the University of Michigan Medical School to collect the data using their precious patient’s samples and to learn the methods for the construction of a risk-scoring model based on qRT-PCR. During the stay, I could measure totally 216 samples by qRT-PCR and identified some genes that correlated with NSCLC patients’ survival. I have been constructing a risk-scoring model based on these qRT-PCR data. Furthermore, I could also obtain the data of miRNA expression from patient’s serum. We’re also analyzing the correlation between miRNA expression and patients’ survival.

　　I could also enjoy many interesting seminars. On every Thursday, we attended the seminar with lunch provided. This lunch seminars were planned as a part of education for students and young researchers. Many busy physicians and some PIs also attended the seminar and got the chance to new collaboration. I looked forward to the seminar with bagel and coffee provided on every Friday morning, called “Bagel Talk”, to have a chance to discuss with other laboratory members. I really appreciate having this precious experience and would like to strongly recommend other student and young researcher to have the experience abroad.

　　　　　　　　　　　Wtih Boss　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Lab Members

　　　
　　　　　　During my experimet　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Before "Bagel Talk"