Molecular Bases of Metastasizing (2611)

Assoc. prof.dr. sc. Maja Herak Bosnar, zn. Counsellor

Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine

To know the latest scientific developments regarding the emergence and spread of metastases as the main cause of mortality in patients with tumor diseases. Understand the molecular mechanism of the emergence and spread of metastases, the principles of techniques used in research, the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of metastases, and the link between the achievements of basic research with the needs in diagnostics and treatment.

Topics: 1) Basic processes of metastasizing (separation from the starting tissue, penetration into the bloodstream, settlement of distant tissues and organs), 2.) metastasizing suppressants, in particular the nm23/NDPK gene, 3.) the role of adhesion molecules (catechin, cadherin, integrin) and Rho-GTP-aza in metastasizing, 4.) metalloproteinases and their inhibitors, 5.) non-innovation, 6.) overview of the latest techniques in the investigation of molecular mechanisms of the formation and spread of metastases (micro and macrochips) 7.) the latest findings in the diagnosis and treatment of metastases. 8.) practical presentation of visualization of adhesion molecules and metastasizing suppressors using fluorescent immunocytochemistry and technology using green fluorescent protein and fluorescent microscopy and practical presentation of basic techniques for detecting cell invasiveness in culture.

1. Analyze the basics of the metastasizing process (the way in which these processes take place and the molecules involved in these processes).
2. Predict possible therapeutic procedures related to the suppression of metastasizing based on literature dealing with the field of metastasizing.
3. Explain the principles of techniques by which the mechanisms of metastasizing in vitro are studied, in the laboratory.
4. Critically extract relevant data from professional and scientific literature related to metastasizing research and self-assess the contribution of this data to improve your own work.

1. Deželjin and Herak Bosnar. Metastasis - recent scientific insights and challenging new therapeutic approaches. Periodicum biologorum 114: 453-459, 2012.
2. Brown and Murray: Current mechanistic insights into the roles of matrix metalloproteinases in tumour invasion and metastasis J Pathol 237, 273, 2015
3. Krakhmal et al. Cancer Invasion: Patterns and Mechanisms. Acta Naturae 7, 17, 2014
4. Chaffer and Weinberg: A perspective on Cancer cell Metastasis. Science:331, 1559, 2011.
5. Eccles and Welch: Metastasis: recent discoveries and novel treatment strategies. Lancet 369: 1742, 2007.

1. De Franceschi et al. Integrin traffic-an update. J Cell Science 128, 839, 2015.
2. Aguirre-Ghiso: Models, mechanisms and clinical evidence for cancer dormancy. Nature Rev 7:835, 2007
3. Berger et al: Metastasis suppressor genes. Cancer Biol Ther 4: 805, 2005
4. Guarino: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumour invasion. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 39: 2153, 2007

The quality and performance of the course would be accompanied by an anonymous questionnaire with suggestions for improving teaching. The success of the course will be evaluated annually by the joint expert committee of the Rudjer Boskovic Institute, the University of Dubrovnik and the University of Osijek.