Podcast: Dumb Luck Might Have Generated a Cancer Breakthrough

By Cameron English and ChuckDinerstein — Dec 16, 2025

In the high-stakes arena of cancer drug development, SU212 was engineered as a safer twist on podophyllotoxin—a toxic killer designed to halt rogue cell division. Yet in a twist worthy of scientific serendipity, it veered off course, bypassing its intended target entirely and stumbling upon a superior mark. SU212 starves aggressive cancers, slashing growth with scant harm to healthy cells. This off-script pivot echoes drug history's happy accidents. Let's talk about how luck can lead to scientific breakthroughs.

Image: ACSH

Join Cameron English, Dr. Chuck Dinerstein and Dr. Josh Bloom on Episode 149 of the Science Dispatch podcast as they discuss:

SU212: A Potential Cancer Drug Missed Its Target—and Found a Better One

Sometimes big breakthroughs in science come from very small changes, curiosity, and more than a little luck. A new study from researchers at Oregon Health & Science University shows how swapping a single atom in a known compound created an experimental cancer-fighting molecule with a completely different mode of action and improved properties.

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Cameron English

Director of Bioscience

Cameron English is a writer, editor and co-host of the Science Facts and Fallacies Podcast. Before joining ACSH, he was managing editor at the Genetic Literacy Project.