Australian scientists are claiming a significant breakthrough in the fight against cancer. A team from the Children's Medical Research Institute in Sydney has worked out the make-up of the enzyme telomerase, which prevents cancer cells dying as they age.
Team leader Dr Scott Cohen says the discovery that only two proteins are present within the enzyme will create a much more focussed research effort in discovering new cancer drugs.
"It opens the way for more advanced structural studies into telomerase, for example, X-ray crystallography provides a detailed three-dimensional picture of the enzyme," he said.
"This is an excellent starting point for the rational design for specific drugs to target telomerase." SOURCE: © 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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