Defeating Recurrence: Antibiotics from Soil Microbes as Inhibitors of Cancer Stem Cells

Girard, Anne-Lise; Shirokawa, Jill

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Date Uploaded: 10/11/2026
Date Modified: 10/11/2026

PowerPoint Presentation at the 2024 Tiny Earth Summer Symposium

Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a significant role in cancer recurrence and metastasis, as they are resistant to conventional therapies and drive tumor growth. Recent studies have shown that certain classes of antibiotics exhibit inhibitory effects on CSCs, suggesting their potential as CSC inhibitors. Our undergraduate research program focuses on a multidisciplinary screening approach to discover and test novel antibiotics from soil microbes, aiming to identify compounds capable of inhibiting CSCs and advancing anticancer drug development. As a part of our collaborative project, Tiny Earth research students source and prepare candidate antibiotics from soil samples. Undergraduate researchers screen the antibiotic candidates for their ability to inhibit CSCs through the use of tumor-spheroid forming assays. The potential CSC inhibitors are extracted and purified through bioassay guided high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Our student-centered project combines the Tiny Earth course undergraduate research experience with mentored undergraduate research experiences to defeat cancer recurrence.

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