SPECIAL SEMINAR

 Wednesday, 23^rd March, 2016

16.00 – 17.00 - Room OS6 – Oakfield House

 Jeff Holly

Professor of Clinical Science

School of Clinical Sciences

University of Bristol

 “Cancer: Now we are out of luck: where do we go from here?”

 

Abstract

Over the last decade advances in technology have enabled extensive characterisations of the mutational landscape of cancers; revealing the extent and complexity of the mutational burden. Relationships between cancer incidence in specific tissues and stem cell turnover rates have led some to conclude that most cancers can be attributed to ‘bad luck’. Calculations from the error rate in basic biology however suggested that a similar mutational burden should accumulate with age in normal tissues and experimental observations have confirmed this to be the case.  The clear inference is that mutations are not rate-limiting; observations also indicate that clones of neoplastic cells and sub-clinical cancers are not rate limiting. The principle determinant of clinical cancer therefore appears to not be the presence of ‘seeds’ but instead is the fertility of the ‘soil’ in which they can develop.  This soil can be modified by lifestyle and hence is not down to luck. The real challenges to reducing the burden of cancer will be discussed in the light of this new understanding: together with the opportunities that are now presented. 

Biography

Jeff Holly is Professor of Clinical Science. His main research interests are in the role of hormones as metabolic regulators and mediators of the effects of nutrition and lifestyle on chronic diseases. He has a long-standing special interest in the Insulin-like Growth Factors (IGFs). He was awarded the Society Medal from the British Society for Endocrinology in 1993. He is President of the International Society for IGF Research and is Editor-in-Chief of Frontiers in Endocrinology (the largest open access journal in the field of Endocrinology and Metabolism).

 

 

ALL WELCOME