Cancer cell biology

Cancer remains the most challenging of diseases to treat for a variety of reasons. While cancer cells are derived from normal cells of the body, and thus would not normally be considered dangerous, their unregulated growth and dissemination to multiple vital organs provide these cells with the ability to induce significant morbidity and ultimately mortality. Challenges to successfully treat cancer cells include the fact that they utilize endogenous mechanisms of cell growth and division, and that they are genetically unique to each patient and to each form of cancer. In order to identify successful pharmacotherapies to selectively target and treat cancer cells, an improved understanding of cellular processes involving oncogenesis as well as cancer cell growth and metastasis must be obtained.