Curriculum vitae

Address

Department of Radiation Biology
Institute for Cancer Research
Norwegian Radium Hospital
Oslo University Hospital
Montebello
0310 Oslo, Norway

Degree-Granting Education

2009    University of Oslo, Norway, Dr. philos./ PhD, Pharmacy

2003    University of Oslo, Norway, Cand. pharm./M. Pharm

PhD project:     Photochemical internalization of epidermal growth factor receptor-targeted drugs

Project place:   Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital

Postdoc training

2009-               Research fellow at Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Grants from The Norwegian Cancer Society)

Societies

Norwegian Biochemical Society, Norwegian Society for Photobiology and Photomedicine, European Society for Photobiology, Norwegian Society for Pharmacy

Reviewer in: Journal of Controlled Release, Cell Biochemistry & Function, International Journal of Cancer, Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences

Publications and research interests

15 publications, including 11 peer reviewed (Medline).

Research interests

Photobiology, Photomedicine, Photodynamic therapy, Drug delivery systems and Experimental cancer therapy

Description of primary research

Drugs with an intracellular located target must be able to penetrate the plasma membrane of the cell to obtain therapeutic effects. The plasma membrane function as a selective barrier to the extracellular surroundings and only small and hydrophobic molecules are able to passively diffuse into the cell cytosol. Relatively small hydrophilic drugs can use existing transport mechanisms into the cells while larger hydrophilic drugs with intracellular action sites are often difficult to utilize clinically. Poor translocation to the cell cytosol is one major problem utilizing high molecular hydrophilic drugs, such as proteins, DNA and RNA, in cancer therapy.

  Photochemical Internalization (PCI), is a method for cytosolic delivery of membrane impermeable drugs, developed by our group. PCI has been shown to increase the therapeutic effect and also the specificity of several molecules with clinical potential in cancer therapy such as proteins, immunotoxins, DNA, peptides, PNAs, siRNAs and also some chemotherapeutics such as bleomycin, mitoxantrone and doxorubicin. PCI has been documented in different animal models in vivo and we are now taking measures to further develop this method towards clinical applications. The first clinical phase I study has been initiated in 2009.

Selected papers (Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles)

  [1]   O. J. Norum, P. K. Selbo, A. Weyergang, K. E. Giercksky, and K. Berg, Photochemical internalization (PCI) in cancer therapy: from bench towards bedside medicine, J. Photochem. Photobiol. B., 96 (2009) 83-92.

  [2]   A. Weyergang, K. Berg, O. Kaalhus, Q. Peng, and P. K. Selbo, Photodynamic therapy targets the mTOR signaling network in vitro and in vivo, Mol. Pharm., 6 (2009) 255-264.

  [3]   A. Weyergang, O. Kaalhus, and K. Berg, Photodynamic targeting of EGFR does not predict the treatment outcome in combination with the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor Tyrphostin AG1478, Photochem. Photobiol. Sci, (2008).

  [4]   A. Weyergang, O. Kaalhus, and K. Berg, Photodynamic therapy with an endocytically located photosensitizer cause a rapid activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 and c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase with opposing effects on cell survival, Mol. Cancer Ther, 7 (2008) 1740-1750.

  [5]   A. Weyergang, P. K. Selbo, and K. Berg, Y1068 phosphorylation is the most sensitive target of disulfonated tetraphenylporphyrin-based photodynamic therapy on epidermal growth factor receptor, Biochem. Pharmacol., 74 (2007) 226-235.

  [6]   W. L. Yip, A. Weyergang, K. Berg, H. H. Tonnesen, and P. K. Selbo, Targeted delivery and enhanced cytotoxicity of cetuximab-saporin by photochemical internalization in EGFR-positive cancer cells, Mol. Pharm., 4 (2007) 241-251.

  [7]   P. K. Selbo, A. Weyergang, A. Bonsted, S. G. Bown, and K. Berg, Photochemical internalization of therapeutic macromolecular agents: a novel strategy to kill multidrug-resistant cancer cells, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 319 (2006) 604-612.

  [8]   A. Weyergang, P. K. Selbo, and K. Berg, Photochemically stimulated drug delivery increases the cytotoxicity and specificity of EGF-saporin, J. Control Release., 111 (2006) 165-173.

  [9]   A. Weyergang and K. Berg, Photodynamic therapy in combination with Tyrphostin AG1478 and Cetuximab act distinctly on EGFR and downstream signalling causing opposite cytotoxic responses, Submitted.

PubMed registered articles (link to continually updated list)