ncRNA Webinar | Role of microRNA in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Welcome from the Chairs
1st Non-coding RNA Webinar
Role of microRNA in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Neuroendocrine neoplasms are highly heterogeneous tumors that are incompletely understood at the molecular level. Diagnosis is frequently delayed, pathologic classification can be challenging, and many patients develop non-curable metastatic disease. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA regulatory molecules that negatively regulate gene expression. These molecules are often dysregulated in tumorigenic processes and can also be used as disease biomarkers. Over the past decade, it has become increasingly clear that miRNAs mediate multiple aspects of neuroendocrine neoplasia and have clinical diagnostic utility. In this Special Issue, we focus on clinical, biological, and computational studies of miRNA-mediated gene regulation and dysregulation in all NENs (including lung carcinoids, small cell lung carcinoma, gastroenteropancreatic NENs, Merkel cell carcinoma, medullary thyroid cancer, pituitary adenoma, neuroblastoma, paraganglioma, pheochromocytoma, etc.). A full understanding of miRNA changes in these diverse neoplasms will advance our knowledge of NEN biology and pave the way for novel diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, and therapeutic approaches.
This webinar features several eminent experts in the field of microRNA-mediated gene regulation and neuroendocrine neoplasms.
Date: 9 December 2021
Time: 3:00pm CET | 9:00am EST | 10:00pm CST Asia
Webinar ID: 838 4495 6329
Webinar Secretariat: ncrna.webinar@mdpi.com
Chair
Laboratory of Translational RNA Biology, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
Neil Renwick is an Associate Professor in Anatomic Pathology and Head of the Laboratory of Translational RNA Biology at Queen’s University. Here, he and his team study microRNA-mediated gene regulation in neuroendocrine neoplasms. Most recently, they have shown that microRNAs can be used to classify neuroendocrine neoplasms and found that miR-375 is a neuroendocrine cell-specific molecule that controls neuroendocrine differentiation and tumorigenesis. Their work indicates that microRNA-mediated gene dysregulation is an important pathomechanism in neuroendocrine neoplasia.
Invited Speakers
Laboratory of Translational RNA Biology, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
Jina Nanayakkara is an MD/PhD candidate in the Laboratory of Translational RNA Biology at Queen’s University. Over the course of her studies, Jina and her colleagues have identified miR-375 as a promising biomarker of neuroendocrine differentiation and a functional driver of neuroendocrine neoplasms. Her future work will continue to unravel the transcriptional and post-transcriptional network contributing to neuroendocrine neoplasm development. Jina hopes to continue studying genetic and epigenetic drivers of disease as a clinician-scientist.
Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Canada
Iacovos Michael has recently joined the Sunnybrook Research Institute as an independent scientist. He completed his postdoctoral training at the Swiss Institute for Cancer Research under the mentorship of Dr. Douglas Hanahan. During this period, along with his colleagues, he showed that different miRNAs coordinately control distinct phenotypes of the pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: miRNA-181 mediates cancer cell plasticity and dedifferentiation, miRNA-137 stimulates tumor growth and local invasion, and the miRNA-23b cluster enables metastasis. The Michael Lab is interested in understanding the role of miRNA signaling pathways during cell plasticity and metastasis of neuroendocrine tumors and other cancer types.
Webinar Content
Registration
This is a FREE webinar. The number of participants to the live session is limited but the recording will be made available on Sciforum shortly afterwards. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Program
|
Speaker/Presentation |
Time in CET |
|
Prof. Dr. Neil Renwick Chair Introduction |
3:00 – 3:10 pm |
|
Ms. Jina Nanayakkara A miR-375/YAP axis regulates neuroendocrine differentiation and tumorigenesis in lung carcinoid cells |
3:10 – 3:30 pm |
|
Dr. Iacovos Michael MicroRNAs orchestrate cell plasticity, invasion, and metastasis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors |
3:40 – 4:00 pm |
|
Q&A Session |
4:00 – 4:20 pm |
|
Closing of Webinar Chair Prof. Dr. Neil Renwick |
4:20 – 4:30 pm |
Relevant SI
Guest Editor: Dr. Neil Renwick
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2022
Sponsors and Partners
Organizers
