Sandy Anderson : Hijacking Homeostatsis: How Heterogeneity Drives Tumor Progression and Treatment Failure

Heterogeneity in cancer is an observed fact, both genotypically and phenotypically. Cell-cell variation is seen in almost all aspects of cancer from early development all the way through to invasion and subsequent metastasis. Our current understanding of this heterogeneity has mainly focused at the genetic scale with little information on how this variation translates to actual changes in cell phenotypic behavior. Given that many genotypes can lead to the same cellular phenotype, it is important that we quantify the range and scope of this heterogeneity at the phenotypic scale as ultimately this variability will dictate the aggressiveness of the tumor and its treatability. Central to our understanding of this heterogeneity is how the tumor cells interact with each other and with their microenvironment. Since it is these very interactions that drive selection and that ultimately define the ecology of the tissue in which the tumor is developing. Considering an organ as an ecological system, means that we should view normal tissue homeostasis as an equilibrium that cancer cells must disrupt if they are to be successful. Disruption of this equilibrium is often one of the first events in cancer development, as the normal control mechanisms of the tissue are damaged or ignored. We will discuss the interplay between homeostasis, heterogeneity, evolution and ecology in cancer progression and treatment failure with an emphasis on the metabolism of breast cancer.

• Category: Mathematical Biology
• Duration: 01:14:42
• Date:  May 3, 2013 at 11:55 AM
• Views: 107
• Tags:   seminar, Mathematical Biology Seminar