Cancer Drug Found; Scientist Annoyed

sporkme writes "A scientist was frustrated when the compound she was working with (called PPAR-gamma) destroyed her sample of cancer cells. Further research revealed that the substance was surprisingly well suited as a cancer treatment. Lab test results on mice resulted in the destruction of colon tumors without making the mice sick." Quoting: "'I made a calculation error and used a lot more than I should have. And my cells died,' Schaefer said. A colleague overheard her complaining. 'The co-author on my paper said, "Did I hear you say you killed some cancer?" I said "Oh," and took a closer look.' ... [They found that the compound killed] 'pretty much every epithelial tumor cell lines we have seen.'" Update: 02/15 17:27 GMT by KD : As reader CorporalKlinger pointed out, PPAR-gamma is a cellular receptor, not a compound; and this news is not particularly new.

Tag Article Thusly:

[Gabrill]

Best Headline ever!

Homeresque

[commisaro]

"To pull a Homer": To succeed despite idiocy

Now that is a true nerd

[drinkypoo]

You can tell she is a true nerd because instead of saying "holy shit I cured cancer" she said "god damn it, now I have to start over."

You have to wonder

[antifoidulus]

if the creator of Viagra had a similar epiphany

Alexander Fleming said it best

[Hoi Polloi]

"Damn it! Who let the bacteria colonies get moldy? All of my staphylococcus samples died and now I have to start all over again."

"Oh, you wanted to *cure cancer*!"

[Anonymous Coward]

"I misheard you. Sure, I've been able to do that for years. Here you go."

So are a fair percentage of "last words"....

[StressGuy]

that and "hey y'all, watch this!"

Further investigation

[rbarreira]

Further investigation later revealed that the substance she had been using was in fact sulfuric acid...

Re:Tag Article Thusly:

[ccarson]

This is why we need more women in the work place. It's mistakes like this that really advance man kind.

Re:Terrible article, facts wrong

[Anonymous Coward]

You're not doing to much better. "RTFA'd the article", so you read the fucking article the article?

Re:I found a cancer drug, darn it

[Archangel Michael]

"how would you feel if a program was made that automatically created perfect code by letting your manager put in all his wishes"

That would be fantastic! It would prove that mutually exclusive wishes can be programmed in. "I want it red" followed by "I don't like red" followed by "I wanted it red", followed by "I told you not red".

Now if a program could code that, I would pay top dollar for it. Seriously.

Re:Typical science

[roman_mir]

what, they tried using a large microwave parabolic antenna to squeeze lemonade and invented a microwave? To celebrate they mixed some alcohol with orange juice, wanted to warm it up in the microwave and discovered napalm?

So what you are saying is that if life hands you a lemon, use napalm?

Funding cut

[plopez]

Watch her grants get cut since she is reporting a result she didn't write into the grant application.

I had a similar problem.

[91degrees]

I tried making a perpetual motion machine, but it just kept getting faster and faster. I mean what use is a device that creates free energy? And it's just damn irritating when the fundamental laws of physics stop applying.

Re:Moo

[Heem]

at least they did not say Scientologist.

Re:I had a similar problem.

[Volante3192]

In this forum we obey the laws of thermodynamics!

Getting hungry, Jimmy?

[spun]

Jimmy: Uhh, Mr. McClure, I have a crazy friend who thinks it's wrong to call yourself a scientist if you don't have a sciencey type degree. Is he crazy?
Troy: Nooooo, just ignorant. You see, your crazy friend never heard of "The Scientific Method." Just ask this scientician.
Scientician: Uhhhh...
Troy: He'll tell you that anyone who makes observations, creates theories based on them, tests the predicitons of those theories, and modifies the theories based on the tests is a scientist. Don't kid yourself, Jimmy. If that scientician ever got the chance, he'd study you and everyone you care about.

You forgot...

[eheldreth]

"Hey, hold my beer!"

Re:Moo

[Chacham]

Last I checked, scientists researched things to figure out how they worked.

Guess you never watched The Adventures of Superman, or the Simpsons.

To them, Scientists invent things, and than try to figure out why it worked. :)

Re:You have to wonder

[false_cause]

They missed one 'gina but hit millions of others.

Re:Moo

[Anonymous Coward]

Umm...last time I checked scientists aren't engineers

Mouse Cancer

[trongey]

I can't believe they keep pouring so damn much money into research for curing mouse cancer. I mean, who cares if mice have cancer? They only live a couple of years anyway.
Why don't they use some of this money to find cures for human diseases or world hunger, or something?

Re:Getting hungry, Jimmy?

[spun]

Look at my uid. I've been here since before the karma cap. I neither need karma nor does being modded down hurt me in any way. Thanks for playing, though. Here's a copy of our home game, "Snide comments from the peanut gallery." Enjoy!

Re:Moo

[Intron]

So let's just settle it. We will call scientists who don't know what they're doing "researchers" and scientists who do know what they are doing "engineers".

Re:Terrible article, facts wrong

[kalirion]

The solution is quite simple. Develop a retro-virus which turns humans into mice, cure the cancer, and then work on turning the healthy mice human again.

Re:"Oh, you wanted to *cure cancer*!"

[QuestionMark Greater]

"All this time I've been trying to cure plaster."

Re:BREAKING NEWS

[Dunbal]

There's a connection between the dead bimbo, PPAR molecule thingy, Barbados, cancer cells, unknown father of a baby, and mice.

      A Bahamian mouse claims that Hugh Hefner is the father of its baby after a "meeting" at a Playboy photoshoot. The mouse is dying of cancer, and wants Hugh to pay for treatment with the PPAR thingy? Can I get that job at the Inquirer now?

Re:PPAR-Gamma is a cellular receptor, not a compou

[WwWonka]

Sorry, but I haven't read the latest issue of "PPAR-gamma Receptor Weekly", so this IS news to me!

Although I probably will pick up the current issue with the special tribute to Anna Nicole.

Re:Now that is a true nerd

[Chris Burke]

Well, sure, just like dishwashing detergent kills HIV.

YES! Finally the answer to my prayers!

It just also happens to kill the host if you take it intravenously.

Shit! I need to read faster! Call 911 for me...

Re:You have to wonder

[dr_dank]

It was created with the intention of being an artificial tanning agent, at which it succeeded, but a large number of the test subjects, both male and female, reported highly increased sexual arousal during the tests.

It's a cruel joke when you look like an overgrown carrot and have a raging boner.

Re:You have to wonder

[Atrox666]

The inventor of LSD also had an epiphany like that ..then things started to melt.

How 'Unwanted side effects' labeling begins

[Provocateur]

Caution: Unwanted side effects may occur. Such as tanning. Consult your doctor or pharmacist.
 

Re:Moo

[Mister Whirly]

Ah yes, but the negative attitude is caused by the souls of dead space aliens who were brought to Earth, 75 million years ago, by an evil galactic ruler named Xenu in an attempt to solve galactic overpopulation. The cost for ridding yourself of these "body thetans" is $440 per hour, according to a recent price-list.

Re:The headline is accurate, too

[Anonymous Coward]

The scientist is still annoyed, because the compound is already patented, and thus will not be profitable as a cancer drug. Therefore, they will work on making another, possibly more toxic or less effective, formula rather than pushing for a human trial.

Plus, it appears to be effective. Actually curing a condition instead of just treating the symptoms could get you sued or worse.

Re:Getting hungry, Jimmy?

[Cervantes]

Look at my uid. I've been here since before the karma cap. I neither need karma nor does being modded down hurt me in any way. Thanks for playing, though. Here's a copy of our home game, "Snide comments from the peanut gallery." Enjoy!

pwned.

Sucker.

spun(1352) owns teh intarwebs for 5 minutes.