Concurrent Symposia Sessions

Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Natcher Conference Center
Symposia Session II
Main Auditorium

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Biology: Challenges Today and Promises for the Future	2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Co-Chairs: Barbara K. Vonderhaar, NCI and Snorri Thorgeirsson, NCI

Sponsored by the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium

A major paradigm shift in cancer biology and treatment has occurred in the past decade that implicates the “cancer stem cell” or the “cancer initiating cell with stem-like properties” as the central entity in tumor biology.  However, numerous challenges, both conceptual and practical, need to be resolved in order to clearly define the nature and role of these cells in the tumorigenic process.  In this session we will explore the state of the art for identification, isolation and characterization of cancer stem cells from four organ systems to more clearly define their potential as targets for prevention and treatment.

Program

The Case for Cancer Stem Cells in Human Liver Cancer
Snorri Thorgeirsson, NCI

Breast Cancer Stem Cells: Fact or Fiction?
Barbara K. Vonderhaar, NCI

Tumor Initiating Cells in Human Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Jonathan Vogel, NCI

Inhibitor of DNA-Binding (Id) Proteins as Potential Therapeutic Targets in Hematopoietic Malignancies
Jonathan Keller, NCI

The Influence of the Stem Cell Niche (or Nicht Power)
Gilbert Smith, NCI