American Association for Cancer Research Special Conference:

"Transcription Factor Pathogenesis of Cancer at the Millennium",

January 26-30, 2000
Marriott Laguna Cliffs Resort
Dana Point, California

Conference Chairpersons
FRANK J. RAUSCHER, III
The Wistar Institute Philadelphia, PA

PETER K. VOGT
The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla, CA

Regulation of gene expression by sequence-specific DNA binding proteins has emerged as one of the most important mechanisms governing cell differentiation, development, and homeostasis in metazoans. The population of transcription factors that are active in the cell nucleus largely dictates the transcriptional output and hence the proliferative or differentiated phenotype of the cell. Thus, it is not surprising that alteration of transcription factor function as a result of either gain or loss of function mutations has now been established as a frequent cause of neoplastic transformation and tumor progression in humans. Major progress has been made in deciphering the molecular mechanisms of DNA recognition, activation/repression, and the downstream effectors of DNA binding proteins. However, less is known about how alteration of specific transcriptomes via transcription factor dysfunction leads to specific tumor phenotypes. With the advent of technology capable of measuring global gene regulatory changes as a consequence of changes in a single transcription factor, the ability to completely define these transcriptomes and to use them in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy is at hand. This conference will explore these themes by gathering experts in a broad range of fields spanning basic transcriptional mechanisms to clinical practice. Our goal is to bring together a diverse group of dynamic speakers and participants who can together explore both the basic mechanisms of gene regulation and the potential clinical utility of harnessing transcription factor-mediated gene regulation.

Scientific Program and Tentative Conference Schedule

Wednesday, January 26

4:00 – 10:00 pm

Registration

6:30 – 7:30 pm

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

A. THOMAS LOOK,
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
"Oncogenic Transcription Factors and the Aberrant Control of Cell Fate in the Acute Leukemias."

7:30 – 9:00 pm

Session 1: BASIC MECHANISMS

GERALD R. CRABTREE
HHMI, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
"Signaling through Ca++, Calcinevrin, and NF.AT in Cell Proliferation and Development."

RONALD M. EVANS
HHMI, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA
"Nuclear Receptors in the Etiology and Treatment of Cancer."

9:00 – 10:00 pm

Opening Reception

Thursday, January 27

8:00 – 11:30 am

Session 2: CHROMATIN/HIGHER ORDER NUCLEAR STRUCTURE

CARLO M. CROCE
Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
"ALL1 and Acute Leukemia."

SHELLEY L. BERGER
The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA
"Function and Regulation of Human and Yeast Histone Modification Complexes."

MAARTEN VAN LOHUIZEN
The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
"Connections between Polycombgroup Gene Repression, Cell Cycle Regulation, and Apoptosis: Implications for Tumorigenesis."

YANG SHI
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
"Yin Yang 1: Biological Function and Mechanism of Action."

TOM CURRAN
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
"Structure and Function of the Fos Oncogene."

4:00 – 6:30 pm

Session 3: DEVELOPMENT/ORGANOGENESIS

ELAINE V. FUCHS
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
"Balancing Growth and Differentiation in the Skin."

GERD BLOBEL
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA,
Title to be Announced

CORY ABATE-SHEN
Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, UMDNJ, Piscataway, NJ
"Transcriptional Regulation in Prostate Development and Cancer."

MICHAEL LEVINE
University of California, Berkeley, CA
"Mechanisms of Repression during Drosophila Morphogenesis."

MARIANNE BRONNER-FRASER
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
"To Be or Not to Be Neural Crest."

8:30 – 10:30 pm

POSTER SESSION A

Friday, January 28

8:00 – 11:30 am

Session 4 ANIMAL MODELS

LOTHAR HENNIGHAUSEN
NIDDK, NIH, Bethesda, MD
"Genetic Pathways in Mammary Gland Development and Neoplasia: Lessons from Mouse Models."

RONALD A. DePINHO
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
"Telomerase and Tumorigenesis: Cancer and Crisis."

PIER PAOLO PANDOLFI
Memorial Sloan-Ketering Cancer Center, New York, NY
"Molecular Genetics of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia."

American Association for Cancer Research
Public Ledger Building, Suite 826
150 South Independence Mall West
Philadelphia, PA 19106-3483
Voice: 215/440-9300
FAX: 215/440-7228
http://www.aacr.org/

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