MD Anderson Events

John H. Blaffer lecture series

Scott W. Lowe, Ph.D.

Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cold Spring Harbor, NY

Topic:  Dissecting tumor suppressor gene networks in vivo

Date: 12/15/09, 4pm to 5pm
Time: 12/15/09, 4pm to 5pm
Location: Onstead Auditorium, Basic Science Research Building, Floor 3, near Elevator J, (S3.8012)
Directions: Onstead Auditorium is accessible from the Main MDACC Bldg. via the 3rd/4th floor Tan Zone skybridges and the front entrance to BSRB on 6767 Bertner
Format: Lecture
Facilitator: Andreas Bergmann, Ph.D.
Speaker: Scott W. Lowe, Ph.D.
Speaker Bio: Scott W. Lowe, Ph.D. Professor Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1994 Modulation of apoptosis; chemosensitivity; senescence by cancer genes Cancer arises through an evolutionary process whereby normal cells acquire mutations that erode growth controls, leading to the inappropriate expansion of aberrantly proliferating cells. Such mutations can involve activation of oncogenes or inactivation of tumor-suppressor genes, each contributing new capabilities to the developing cancer cell. However, cancer is not an inevitable consequence of oncogenic mutations; instead, cells acquiring such mutations can be eliminated or kept in check by innate tumor-suppressor programs that can be activated in these damaged cells. Our laboratory studies tumor-suppressor networks controlling apoptosis and senescence and how their disruption influences malignant behavior. We previously showed that apoptosis and cellular senescence are potent barriers to oncogene-driven tumorigenesis and that each contributes to the antitumor action of many chemotherapeutic drugs. Thus, not only do mutations that disrupt apoptosis and senescence promote tumor progression but they can also reduce the efficacy of cancer therapy.
Sponsor: Department of Genetics
Contact: Karen clayton - (713) 834-6317 - kclayton@mdanderson.org

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