Lecture will be held in English

Hosted by

Jan Škoda

About the lecture

Developmental Origin and Evolution of Childhood Cancers

A fundamental difference between tumors arising in children and those in adults stem for the cellular origin of cancer at different ages. Adult cancers arise within aging cell populations as a consequence of accumulated damage and mutagenesis, whereas childhood tumors develop in aberrantly developing tissues. The different cellular origin of adult and childhood cancers also define locations and histological subtypes. Adult cancers are mostly epithelial, whereas childhood cancers are rarely epithelial and are mainly derived from mesodermal and ectodermal developmental lineages. Our research focus is to define the cellular origin(s) of cancers diagnosed in early childhood and to understand early evolution as well as all features of malignant progression of these malignancies. We incorporate in our research program basic developmental biology studies as well as classical target discovery and validation projects. Our final goals are to improve diagnosis, including early detection, risk stratification and to develop novel therapeutic concepts for high-risk pediatric cancers that take into account their specific, occasionally unique, vulnerabilities.

Registration for lunch with the speaker /for Ph.D. students/

The sponsored lunch usually takes place in the Campus River restaurant. Please meet the speaker and other students at 12:45 at the reception desk at the main entrance (building B22, see the map below).