Dario C. Altieri talks with
ScienceWatch.com and answers a few questions about
this month's Emerging Research Front Paper in the field of
Clinical Medicine.
Article: Survivin, versatile modulation of cell
division and apoptosis in cancer
Authors: Altieri,
DC
Journal: ONCOGENE, 22 (53): 8581-8589, NOV 24 2003
Addresses: Univ Massachusetts, Sch Med, Dept Canc Biol, 364
Plantat St, Worcester, MA 01605 USA.
Univ Massachusetts, Sch Med, Dept Canc Biol, Worcester, MA
01605 USA.
Univ Massachusetts, Sch Med, Ctr Canc, Worcester, MA 01605
USA.
Why do you think your paper is highly
cited?
The article covers various aspects of the biology of survivin, a gene that
has attracted considerable interest for its ability to regulate multiple
critical signaling pathways in cancer.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
The review describes our current knowledge of survivin and its functions,
and how it can be exploited for novel molecular cancer therapeutics.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper in
layman's terms?
The article provides a broad and in-depth analysis of a pivotal regulator
of disease progression and response to therapy in virtually every human
tumor.
How did you become involved in this research and were
any particular problems encountered along the way?
Our laboratory had originally cloned the survivin gene and has continued to
work on the cellular and molecular implications of the biology of survivin
in normal tissues and cancer.
Where do you see your research leading in the
future?
We remain interested in discovering signaling pathways important for tumor
growth, and their potential suitability for novel drug discovery
opportunities in oncology.
Do you foresee any social or political implications for
your research?
The characterization of novel antagonists of cancer pathways may have
profound social implications for the development of molecularly based,
"personalized" cancer medicine.
Dario C. Altieri, M.D.
Eleanor Eustis Farrington Professor and Chair
Department of Cancer Biology
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Worcester, MA, USA Web
KEYWORDS: MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION; SOFT-TISSUE SARCOMA; NORMAL
CORD BLOOD; WILD-TYPE P53; PROTEIN SURVIVIN; ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS;
GENE-EXPRESSION; COLORECTAL-CANCER; PROGNOSTIC-SIGNIFICANCE; REGULATED
EXPRESSION.