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alliedacademies
Archives of General Internal Medicine | Volume 2
&
April 04-05, 2018 | Miami, USA
International Conference on
Internal Medicine & Practice and Primary Care
International Meeting on
Breast Pathology & Cancer Diagnosis
Since the dawn of the Post-Genomic era (25 years
back), applying a genetic approach to solving various
intricate problems/issues in research has taken-off even
more swiftly than ever before. Spatio-temporal cues
defined for certain critical components in a particular
developmental pathway (involved in causing/progression
of certain disease) provide a firm basis for detecting the
order, hierarchy and “switching-off or on” of genes that
regulate it. The various time-points, at which genes are
switched on/off, clearly determines the fate of what a cell
does in terms of being functional or non-functional, due to
disruption of that specific pathway. Recent research-work
in this area provides strong evidence, toward identifying
such components (associated with Wnt-signaling involved
in Colorectal Cancer-CRC disease). These crucial elements
indeed determined the genetic transformation of a
“blank slate” (“cells of origin” and/or putative “cancer
stem cells”) or “primitive-state” epithelial cells to an
intermediate adenoma/polyp (dyspastic), and later to
a proliferative (hyperplastic) or cancerous (neoplastic)
state. The idea is to re-iterate the power of genetics, in
solving and filling the missing links of any developmental
pathway involved in progression of a disease (in this case,
CRC). A critical temporal requirement of certain molecules
[Caesin-Kinase I (CKI) and Human-Discs large (hDlg)] was
finally established and these proteins were identified as
“early” and “late” acting molecules respectively, in a very
crucial developmental event, that basically transforms
“polyps” to full-fledged “carcinomas” (epithelial cancers)
in COLORECTAL tumors. The detection of these genetic
and developmental parameters, served as a focal-point
and a prominent diagnostic feature, for detection of
effects, i.e., Gain/ loss of other components involved
during progression of CRC disease. Coincidentally, the
chromosomes on which these genes reside have been
found to be dense and rich in SNPs (hot-spots), the details
of which were published in a separate report (Patidar &
Bhojwani, 2013). This work harnessed the potential of
Genetics, Developmental Biology and Bio-Informatics
tools to solve a long-standing puzzle in pin-pointing
some genetic factors that were critically involved in
the progression of CRC disease. The report has created
enough impact, in terms of authentically suggesting,
that it is only when we deploy a combinatorial approach
towards certain complicated biological problems, can
we successfully unveil the underlying mechanisms in
greater details. However, it is now conceived that, at the
heart of every tumor lies a rare sub-population of cells
(Cancer Stem Cells-CSCs), which give rise to most of the
Cancers and are now the targets of investigation. Since no
definitive markers or efficient labeling tools are available,
this population of cells still remains elusive in both cancer
and stem cell biology. Therefore, it would be critical to
understand molecular differences between stem cells and
cancer cells, which might be helpful in providing novel
insights into the mechanism of tumorigenesis as well as
potential therapeutic targets, in foreseeable future. We
have come a long way in the stem cell advances over
time. Very recent breakthroughs include: (a) The tuning
and genetic re-programming of stem cells (iPS cells)
by a handful of genetic factors. The transformation of
cancerous cells to normal cells by reversing the genetic
changes involved and also restricting the awry cancerous
cells by using microRNAs
breakthrough-scientists-find-way-to-change-cancer-cells-
into-healthy-cells/).
Speaker Biography
Jyoti Bhojwani is currently a Faculty of Genetics/Bioinformatics/ Principal Investigator
of the MTech Research Programs (Bioinformatics) at University of Indore, India. She
obtained her BSc (Bachelor’s degree) in Biological Sciences/Chemistry/Physics, MSc
(Master’s degree) in Life-Sciences, and Doctoral degree (Ph.D.) at School of Life-
Sciences, University Of Indore. She pursued her post-doctoral ventures at Max-Planck
Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (FRG), University Of California-Irvine and University
of Pittsburgh (USA). Currently, her projects mainly focus on translational-research and
extrapolation of basic developmental mechanisms from model-systems like fruit fly
(Drosophila) to human. Apart from this, her thrust areas of research interest include;
Cancer Biology, Stem-Cell Biology and Homeotic-Gene Regulation. She is keen on
studying in details the genetic factors, which presumably aid in understanding of
mechanism by which “cancer stem cells” function in transforming a tissue from normal
to cancerous states. Her research has a motive to further facilitate the perception
of stem cell potential/mechanistic in areas of Regenerative Medicine, Translational
Research and Anti-cancer therapy. Being involved in Clinical informatics, her students
are also training a Cancer model and a Stem cell model, deploying Systems Biology
approach and other Gene Networking Bioinformatics tools. This novel area of
research will hopefully lead to further understanding the tipping of balance from a
stem cell/normal cell to a transformed cancer cell. Owing to her immense interest in
science journalism and writing potential, she is now on the editorial board of several
International Journals. Her Specialties Include: Research/Teaching/Mentoring/
Science-Journalism.
e:
Impact of deploying a genetic approach to stem cells opens-up new facets in the “blank slates” of our
body
Jyoti Bhojwani
Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, India