The following story was reported by the Springfield Business Journal on Jan. 1, 2025.
"Scientists at University of Illinois Springfield and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine are teaming up to investigate how certain cells in the body connect and encourage the spread of cancer.
The project, led by Natalya Zinkevich, UIS assistant professor of integrated sciences, and Sophia Ran, SIU professor of medical microbiology, immunology and cell biology, focuses on two types of cells – immune cells from bone marrow and specialized cells from the lymphatic system – and how these cells interact.
The team uses fluorescent microscopy to observe these interactions. One cell type glows red and the other green. When the cells fuse, they produce a yellow fluorescence, which helps scientists observe how often fusion occurs, its role in tumor formation and how potential cancer therapies might impact this process."