Research into the molecular mechanisms of embryonic development and into the causes of human diseases have revealed that similar signal transduction pathways play key roles in both processes. The Wnt signaling pathway that activates B-catenin exemplifies this principle. This pathway was initially identified as a regulator of segment polarity in Drosophila embryos, and based on its involvement in promoting mammary tumors in the mouse. However, recent work has also demonstrated that mutations that regulate B-catenin functions are involved in a wide range of human cancers, including melanoma and colorectal cancer. This meeting would be the first professionally-organized multidisciplinary meeting focused specifically on Wnt signaling. It would actively bring together those working on human cancers involving the Wnt pathway, basic researchers interested in how the pathway normally functions, and those from biotechnology companies interested in identifying how the Wnt pathways are linked to cancer, and how therapies can be developed. The primary goal of this meeting is to foster discussions and interactions between these various investigators, with the goal of identifying new screens or targets for potential anti-cancer drugs, new genes that are potentially involved in disease processes, and new insights into the normal functions of Wnt signaling pathways. The organizers have been in this field since its inception, and represent both academic and biotechnology interests. Given the explosive growth in research in this field owing to its connection to various cancers, it is extremely timely to have a meeting with the joint focus on the roles of Wnt and B-catenin signaling in both development and disease.
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