Concurrent Symposia Sessions

Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Natcher Conference Center
Symposia Session II
Main Auditorium

MicroRNAs in Cancer Biology	10:30 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.

Chair: Curtis C. Harris, NCI

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are an abundant class of noncoding RNAs, typically 20-23 nucleotides that were discovered in C. elegens in 1993 and are evolutionarily conserved from plants to humans. MicroRNAs regulate gene expression primarily by imperfectly binding to the 3’UTR of their target mRNAs, leading to mRNA instability or translational inhibition. Recently miRNAs have been implicated in human carcinogenesis and tumor progression. This symposium will focus on the genetic and epigenetic regulation of miRNAs and their involvement in cancer biology.

Program

Introduction
Curtis C. Harris, NCI

The miRome and Cancer: Where do Small RNAs Fit into the Big Picture
Natasha Caplen, NCI

MicroRNA and HPV Interactions in Cervical Cancer
Thomas Zheng, NCI

MicroRNA involvement in Liver Carcinogenesis       
Yatrik Shah, NCI

MicroRNAs in Liver Cancer Stem Cells and Metastasis
Xin Wei Wang, NCI           

MicroRNAs are Clinical Biomarkers of Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapeutic Outcome
Curtis C. Harris, NCI