ORGANIZERS:

Anthony Burgess, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Yoav Henis, Tel Aviv University
Nancy Hynes, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research
Thomas Jovin, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
John Kuriyan, UC Berkeley
Alexander Levitzki, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Ronit Pinkas-Kramarski, Tel Aviv University
Yosef Yarden, Weizmann Institute of Science

 

This conference will provide a forum for the gathering of scientists to discuss the future directions of studies focused on the biochemistry, biology and medicine of the EGF receptor (EGFR, more generally erbB), family of receptor tyrosine kinases. These molecules are key hubs of cell signaling and as a consequence are involved in driving the growth of many human tumours, including breast cancer, brain tumours and colon cancer. New approaches to killing cancer cells by attacking the EGFR have been in clinical trial over the last decade, but improvements are needed if the treatments are to be successful. 

The talks will address our knowleldge of the EGFR family, the current limitations arising from our understanding and the opportunities for collaborative investigations to progress the science and clinical applications targeting the EGFR family.

 

The following topics will be addressed:

- The clustering of EGFR and HER2 on the cell surface
- The degradation and turnover of the receptors
- Activation of the receptor kinase
- Effects of lipids on the activity of the receptor
- Animal models for studing the physiology and cancer biology of the EGFR family
- New antibodies for killing cancer cells by targeting multiple EGFR family members
- Antibodies which targeted tumour associated EGFR
- New approaches for killing cancer cells which express the K-ras oncogene
- Genetic techniques for predicting responses to EGFR/HER2 directed therapeutics
- Using the immune system to target cancer cells via the EGFR family