April 15
@
1:00 PM
–
2:00 PM
Extracellular matrix – a mechanical regulator of cancer
Claudia Fischbach, PhD
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Associate Director of Cornell Nanoscale Science and Engineering Facility (CNF)
Cornell University
Co-Sponsored by the Carbone Cancer Center
Corrine Bahr Lecturer
Microenvironmental conditions contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer and include altered extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and mechanical cues. However, our understanding of the specific mechanisms by which the ECM impacts the development, progression, and therapy response of cancer is relatively limited. More intricate analysis methods and model systems are needed to better understand the complex biochemical and biophysical interactions that drive tumor initiation, growth, metastasis, metabolic adaptation, and immune evasion. The physical sciences provide increasingly sophisticated tools and strategies to characterize, recapitulate, and monitor relevant properties of tumor-ECM interactions. These approaches not only bear tremendous potential to advance our current understanding of cancer, but are also increasingly explored for more clinically relevant drug testing. This talk will highlight specific examples of how the ECM regulates the highly dynamic nature of cancer and will outline opportunities and challenges of the field of tumor engineering.
** Location: HSLC 1306
Corrine Bahr Memorial Lecture Series: Every year, the biomedical engineering department at UW–Madison hosts an honorary speaker selected by the student community in memory of one of the department’s pioneers, Corrine Bahr. Corrine was a Department Administrator who was characterized by her commitment to supporting students and faculty from diverse places and cultures and making them feel at home here in Madison.