报告人：Zhi-Chun Lai, PhD
Professor of Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Chair, Graduate Program in Cell and Developmental Biology
The Pennsylvania State University
报告时间：3月2日13：30
报告地点：生物楼3-105室
组织单位：我院
Abstract:
Cell number and organ size in a developing organism are determined by cell growth, cell proliferation and apoptosis.  Hippo signaling provides an important mechanism to negatively regulate tissue and organ development by inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis.  Loss of Hippo signaling can lead to tissue overgrowth and tumor development in Drosophila. Defective Hippo signaling is strongly implicated in mammalian tumorigenesis as well.  Our research has focused on three tumor suppressor proteins, Hippo kinase, Wts kinase and Mats kinase co-activator.  Activation of these molecules are essential to mediate the growth inhibitory signal to target a key down-stream growth-promoting factor, Yorkie.  This talk will discuss major molecular and cellular mechanisms that effectively regulate activities of Hippo, Wts and Mats tumor suppressor proteins. Such insights shall be helpful for a better understanding of cancer formation in organisms like human.
More details can be found at http://www.huck.psu.edu/people/zcl1.