Liverpool Centre Seminar Series

Professor Paul Clarke, University of Dundee
Title: Killing cancer cells: how the disruption of mitosis induces apoptosis

Cancer is associated with loss of controls over cell division and evasion of cell death. In order to understand how cancer develops and how it may be treated more effectively, we need to understand the molecular mechanisms controlling these processes. Our goal is to understand what determines determine the balance between cell cycle controls and the induction of cell death by apoptosis in response to stress signals, DNA damage and during cell division. We are working in two main areas:–
• Regulation and functions of Ran GTPase
• Control of apoptosis.

Prof. Dr. C. Denkert, Institute for Pathology, Charité - University of Berlin
Title: Molecular pathology and predictive biomarkers for therapy response in breast cancer - immunological parameters and new diagnostic tests

Carsten Denkert is senior pathologist and head of the Translational Cancer Research Group at the Institute of Pathology, Charité University, Berlin and the METAcancer coordinator. His research interests include the development of new predictive and prognostic markers in malignant tumors.

Dr Adrian Saurin, University of Utrecht
Title: How signalling networks are spatially integrated to ensure reliable mitotic progression

The main aim of our research is to understand how the cell division process gives rise to two genetically identical daughter cells. We are particularly interested in the processes that ensure correct chromosome segregation during mitosis. This is not only fascinating from a molecular cell biological perspective (how does a cell do that?) but also has implications for health and disease: errors in chromosome segregation is a major cause for birth defects and embryonic lethality in humans, and the most common genetic alteration in human tumors is aberrant chromosome numbers, aka aneuploidy.

Dr Michael von Bergwelt-Baildon, University of Cologne
Title: Antibody-independent B Cell functions: A novel target for cancer therapy?

In recent years it could be demonstrated that B cells are pivotal in the pathogenesis of various diseases such as transplant rejection, graft-versus-host disease, autoimmunity and HIV. In addition to the production of antibodies alternative B cell functions e.g. antigen presentation and cytokine secretion appear to play a central role. Several tumour entities are characterized by a significant B cell infiltrate. However, it remains unknown whether these cells contribute to tumour growth or mediate tumour control. The major goal of our work is to understand antigen presentation by B cells, to identify their role in the tumour microenvironment and to develop B cell targeted immunotherapies for cancer patients.

Professor Marco Falasca, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Title: Identification of novel targets for treatment of pancreatic cancer

Research Interests

Our interests focus on the following points:
1. The role of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI 3-Ks) in insulin signalling and diabetes
2. The role of class II PI 3-Ks in intracellular signalling
3. The role of PI 3-K-mediated regulation of phospholipase C
4. Development of specific inhibitors of PI 3-K-dependent pathway

Dr Laura Pasqualucci, Institute for Cancer Genetics, Columbia University,, New York, USA
Title: Oncogenomics of B cell malignancies

Research Interests

Members of the Lymphoid Development and Malignancy Program study the unique biology of B and T cells and aim to see how it changes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and B cell lymphoma. They explore these phenomena by applying advanced genomics and bioinformatics approaches, combined with in-vivo studies in genetically engineered mouse models. These investigations are leading to the identification of novel therapeutic targets for treatment, which are then tested in pre-clinical and clinical trials.

Assistant Professor Michael Rape, University of California, Berkeley
Title:The Quipucamayocs of Ubiquitin: Deciphering a Cellular Code

The goal of research in our lab is to understand how proteins are modified with ubiquitin and how processes in the cell are regulated by ubiquitination. We are also interested in discovering ways to alter ubiquitination to treat diseases.

Dr Stephan Feller, University of Oxford
Title: Complexities of cancer cell signalling - Molecular diversity of tumours and signal processing by large protein complexes

Our research focuses on several aspects of cancer cell signalling.  For this we employ biochemical, biophysical and cell biological methods. We aim to discover and define signalling connections related to fundamental cellular processes like proliferation, differentiation and migration.  This is important since the complex signalling networks of cells and tissues are at present only partially understood.