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SUMMARY:Unlocking medical questions with a developmental biology key - Dr 
 Laura Hardwick\, Department of Oncology\, University of Cambridge
DTSTART:20180523T150000Z
DTEND:20180523T160000Z
UID:TALK101281@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Fiona Roby
DESCRIPTION:During embryo development there is a critical balance between 
 cell proliferation to increase cell numbers\, and cell differentiation to 
 achieve specialised and functional tissues. Understanding the regulation o
 f this balance is also pivotal to understand how the processes become hi-j
 acked and deranged in diseases such as cancer\, and also to enable in vitr
 o generation of cell differentiation for regenerative medicine. \nDuring d
 evelopment\, cell identity is strongly influenced by a large family of bas
 ic-Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factors\, which act in all three 
 embryonic germ layers to direct tissue-specific differentiation. These sam
 e factors also have a potent ability to reprogram cells into a range of ti
 ssues in vitro. My PhD and early Fellowship work has been in the lab of Pr
 ofessor Anna Philpott\, using Xenopus frog embryos to explore a conserved 
 regulatory mechanism amongst bHLH transcription factors. \nIn this talk\, 
 I will highlight the relevance of developmental biology in the medical con
 texts of oncology and regenerative medicine\, and I will introduce you to 
 the world of Xenopus research. Finally\, I will demonstrate the Philpott L
 ab’s discovery of a mechanism to coordinate the activity of these master
  regulator transcription factors with the cell cycle\, and I will show you
  how manipulation of these factors can enhance cellular reprogramming stra
 tegies.  \n
LOCATION:Lecture Theatre 2\, Department of Veterinary Medicine
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