Invasion and metastasis are critical components of cancer progression. Metastasis is a single word describing a complex set of molecular events whose outcome is eventually disseminated disease. This complexity has made it difficult to identify the molecular mechanisms driving the metastatic process and has confounded our understanding of how and when therapeutic intervention can be effectively used. This session will explore invasion and metastasis from the perspective of pre-clinical drug discovery. The talks will examine potential targets within these key pathways, investigate methods to measure anti-metastatic or anti-invasive effects of therapeutics, and discuss engineered tumor models in the elucidation and inhibition of metastatic processes. Speakers will highlight the unique aspects of targeting metastasis and invasion and the session will close with a discussion integrating these concepts with the development of novel anti-metastatic therapeutics.


Educational Session: Metastasis and Invasion: The Chemist’s Perspective

Introduction; Olivia Rossanese. GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, PA

Challenges in designing and evaluating drugs to impact metastasis: targets, testing and timing; Suzanne A. Eccles. Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton Surrey, United Kingdom

Drug targets in cancer metastasis; Georg F. Weber. Univ. of Cincinnati Academic Health Ctr., Cincinnati, OH

Genetically engineered tumor models as a platform to study metastasis; Murray O. Robinson. AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA

Summary: The chemist's perspective; Kirk L. Stevens. Gilead Sciences, Inc,, Seattle, WA,