Ruth Nussinov (NCI/NIH): Unraveling Oncogenic Mechanisms with Structures

Title: Unraveling Oncogenic Mechanisms with Structures

Speaker: Ruth Nussinov, NCI/NIH

Hosted by: David Fushman

Abstract: 

Unraveling the activation mechanisms and signaling of nodes in the Ras oncogenic network, including upstream regulators, and key nodes in the major downstream signaling pathways, MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR (PTEN) on the molecular level are a challenging, yet vastly important aim. Recently we also took up neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, RASopathies and cerebral palsy aiming to unravel their linkage to cancer. Mutations in the same genes in the Ras signaling network, and even the same mutations, can lead to both cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders, raising the question of how. My talk will describe our progress in both.