This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most lethal cancers, with a five-year survival rate of only 9%. Inflammation-mediated tissue damage plays a role in pancreatic cancer, and chronic pancreatitis is a risk factor for cancer development. Unfortunately, exactly how inflammation drives cancer initiation remains unclear. A recent study identified a novel signaling pathway connecting inflammation to pancreatic cancer. In a mouse model of chronic pancreatitis, repeatedly inducing pancreatic inflammation accelerated tumor development. Immune cells including M2 macrophages and eosinophils were recruited to fibrotic regions of the pancreas, and expression of the cytokine IL-5, which can recruit these inflammatory cells, increased in response to inflammation. Pancreatic cells upregulated the receptor for IL-5 upon transformation to tumor cells, which increased tumor cell motility..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Although at earlier stages it is treatable, breast cancer becomes incurable when cancer cells migrate to the bone. Understanding how breast cancer cells metastasize to the bone could reveal new therapeutic targets. New research reports the role of a bone marrow component in mediating breast cancer metastasis and malignancy. Hyaluronan (HA) is an abundant component of the bone marrow (BM) extracellular matrix. Dysregulated HA metabolism plays a role in other cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia, but whether this effect exists in breast cancer is unknown. Researchers used a mouse model to evaluate HA remodeling in tumor-associated bone marrow. They found that cancer cell malignancy was correlated with HA accumulation in the bone marrow. Stromal cell-derived HA promoted breast cancer cell growth and accelerated bone destruction..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Pancreatic cancer has the lowest 5-year survival rate of all cancers, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common subtype. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) that improve immune cells’ ability to kill tumor cells are useful for other cancers. but single ICIs don’t work well for PDAC, possibly because the PDAC tumor microenvironment inhibits immune activity. Some research suggests that the efficacy of ICIs can be improved by combining the ICIs with other treatments, such as chemotherapy, multiple antibodies, and drugs targeting specific components of the tumor microenvironment. Several cell types and their interactions can potentially be targeted. such as those of regulatory T cells (Tregs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). In addition, continued research on the diverse mechanisms of the immune checkpoint molecules and their receptors could reveal new strategies for treatment..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Neutrophil extracellular traps, or NETs, are stringy chromatin networks that are ejected from immune cells to capture and neutralize harmful pathogens. But over-casting NETs can be indicative of disease, including cancer and thrombosis. As a result, NETs have become a promising non-invasive biomarker, and one way to quantify these networks is by detecting a critical component of NETs— histones whose arginine residues have been converted to citrulline, or H3Cit. These assays use antibodies to measure H3Cit in patient plasma, but a recent study shows that existing assays are limited by two important factors: Part of the problem is that available antibodies to H3Cit display low specificity, poor signal-to-noise, and lot variability. The second issue is that these assays are calibrated using enzymatically citrullinated, free histone peptides, which are unstable in human plasma and produce variable performance between batches..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Cancer develops as a small cluster of abnormally replicating cells that form a tumor. As this tumor grows, cancerous cells may begin to invade other tissues in the body in a process called the “metastatic cascade”. During this advanced stage of cancer, aggressive cancer cells detach from the primary tumor, move through the bloodstream to other organs, and develop new tumors. Because such late-stage cancer is usually associated with a poor prognosis, preventing metastasis is critical to the development of effective cancer treatments. One promising area of research focuses on tyrosine kinases. Tyrosine kinases are enzymes with important roles in cell health when functioning normally, but those in the Abelson (ABL) family (ABL1 and ABL2) can promote tumor progression when abnormally activated. ABL1 and ABL2 affect how cells attach to one another as well as their orientation, thereby enabling previously stationary cells to become mobile and promoting the metastatic cascade..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

The MIT Biology Department core courses, 7.012, 7.013, and 7.014, all cover the same core material, which includes the fundamental principles of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology. Biological function at the molecular level is particularly emphasized and covers the structure and regulation of genes, as well as, the structure and synthesis of proteins, how these molecules are integrated into cells, and how these cells are integrated into multicellular systems and organisms. In addition, each version of the subject has its own distinctive material.
7.012 focuses on the exploration of current research in cell biology, immunology, neurobiology, genomics, and molecular medicine.
Acknowledgments
The study materials, problem sets, and quiz materials used during Fall 2004 for 7.012 include contributions from past instructors, teaching assistants, and other members of the MIT Biology Department affiliated with course #7.012. Since the following works have evolved over a period of many years, no single source can be attributed.

7.016 Introductory Biology provides an introduction to fundamental principles of biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics for understanding the functions of living systems. Taught for the first time in Fall 2013, this course covers examples of the use of chemical biology and twenty-first-century molecular genetics in understanding human health and therapeutic intervention.
The MIT Biology Department Introductory Biology courses 7.012, 7.013, 7.014, 7.015, and 7.016 all cover the same core material, which includes the fundamental principles of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology. Biological function at the molecular level is particularly emphasized and covers the structure and regulation of genes, as well as the structure and synthesis of proteins, how these molecules are integrated into cells, and how these cells are integrated into multicellular systems and organisms. In addition, each version of the subject has its own distinctive material.

The MIT Biology Department core Introductory Biology courses, 7.012, 7.013, 7.014, 7.015, and 7.016 all cover the same core material, which includes the fundamental principles of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology. The focus of 7.013 is on genomic approaches to human biology, including neuroscience, development, immunology, tissue repair and stem cells, tissue engineering, and infectious and inherited diseases, including cancer.

The MIT Biology Department core courses, 7.012, 7.013, and 7.014, all cover the same core material, which includes the fundamental principles of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology. Biological function at the molecular level is particularly emphasized and covers the structure and regulation of genes, as well as, the structure and synthesis of proteins, how these molecules are integrated into cells, and how these cells are integrated into multicellular systems and organisms. In addition, each version of the subject has its own distinctive material.
7.014 focuses on the application of these fundamental principles, toward an understanding of microorganisms as geochemical agents responsible for the evolution and renewal of the biosphere and of their role in human health and disease.
Acknowledgements
The study materials, problem sets, and quiz materials used during Spring 2005 for 7.014 include contributions from past instructors, teaching assistants, and other members of the MIT Biology Department affiliated with course 7.014. Since the following works have evolved over a period of many years, no single source can be attributed.

The MIT Biology Department core courses, 7.012, 7.013, and 7.014, all cover the same core material, which includes the fundamental principles of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology. 7.013 focuses on the application of the fundamental principles toward an understanding of human biology. Topics include genetics, cell biology, molecular biology, disease (infectious agents, inherited diseases and cancer), developmental biology, neurobiology and evolution.
Biological function at the molecular level is particularly emphasized in all courses and covers the structure and regulation of genes, as well as, the structure and synthesis of proteins, how these molecules are integrated into cells, and how these cells are integrated into multicellular systems and organisms. In addition, each version of the subject has its own distinctive material.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"A new study shows that abnormal production of nitric oxide in the body leads to the progression of breast cancer in mice. This finding could open the door to new treatments for early-stage breast cancer that stabilize the production of this pivotal molecule. Nearly one-third of newly diagnosed breast cancers in the US are early-stage lesions. Though technically pre-cancerous, about 40% of these lesions could progress to invasive cancers. Researchers don’t yet fully understand what drives these insidious formations. But various studies have reported a common link between cancer risk factors related to lifestyle—such as a high-fat diet, high alcohol consumption, and low physical activity—and abnormal production of nitric oxide. Normally, physiological stress triggers the production of large amounts of nitric oxide. This activates tissue-specific functions of neurons, muscles, immune cells, blood vessels and other specialized cells..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"One of the hallmarks of cancer is the reprogramming of the body’s metabolism to support tumor growth. That includes the breakdown of glucose into lactate, a process that normally occurs only under low-oxygen conditions. High levels of lactate are known to boost tumor invasion and suppress attacks by the immune system, and a new study suggests that lactate might also make cancer cells increasingly resistant to chemotherapy drugs. Experiments showed that exposure to the chemotherapy drug etoposide reprogrammed non-small lung cancer cells to generate increasing amounts of lactate. The resulting buildup of lactic acid was identified as the key process conferring drug resistance through the upregulation of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1). MRP1 expression inhibits the toxic effects of chemotherapy drugs like etoposide by increasing their expulsion from cancer cells. Removing lactate with sodium bicarbonate was sufficient to overcome resistance to etoposide..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most deadly cancer in the world. One hallmark of CRC progression is metastasis to the bone, which makes it harder to cure. Metabolites from cancer cells are becoming increasingly recognized as mediators of tumor progression. A recent study examined one such metabolite – lactic acid, which regulates immunity, metabolism, and angiogenesis. CRC patients with bone metastasis have higher levels of lactic acid, but the detailed metabolite-mediated communication underlying CRC metastasis is unclear. Using a mouse model, researchers evaluated the effect of lactic acid on proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation of osteoclast precursors. They found that lactic acid promotes the expression of CXCL10 and Cadherin-11 in osteoclast precursor cells, promoting osteoclast differentiation and facilitating metastatic niche formation in CRC bone metastasis. This process was mediated by the PI3K-AKT pathway, and blocking PI3K-AKT efficiently prevented lactate-mediated bone metastasis..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

During this activity, students will be introduced to the concepts of the challenge. They will generate ideas for solving the grand challenge first independently, then in small groups. Finally, as a class, students will compile their ideas with a visual as a learning supplement.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"During epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), epithelial cells lose their polarity and their cell-cell connections to become mobile, in part via transcription factor (TF) activation. EMT and its reverse process, MET, are critical for tissue development in embryos, and EMT enables wound healing during adulthood, but EMT is also how cancer cells metastasize. Live imaging of animal embryos can yield important insights into these key processes. For example, FGF and actomyosin have been found to regulate intercellular adherens junction (AJ) remodeling during EMT in fruit flies. In addition, in zebrafish embryos, the planar cell polarity (PCP) protein pk1 ensures proper EMT of neural crest cells (NCCs), and cadherin 6 ultimately regulates NCC migration..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Endometrial cancer is the most common form of uterine cancer and is most frequently diagnosed in women over 55. A new study proposes a key mechanism that promotes the formation of endometrial tumors. It starts with ERα, one of two receptors activated by the sex hormone estrogen. Experiments on human cancer cells showed that activating ERα significantly increased the expression of the protein PIWIL1, which is detected in different forms of cancer in both men and women. A closer look revealed that ERα binds to a unique site of the PIWIL1 gene known as a half-ERE. That binding signals the expression of the PIWIL1 protein and thereby promotes tumor growth. Understanding how this estrogen-stimulated pathway works in the female body could help researchers and clinicians expand treatment options available to women with endometrial cancer..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate the transcription, translation, and post-translational modification of target genes and have been a recent target of interest in cancer research for their roles in regulating amino acid metabolism. Cancer cells undergo significant metabolic reprogramming and depend on amino acids as key nutrients. This reprogramming is a critical part of tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Thus, finding ways to measure or target metabolic reprogramming may lead to new diagnostics and treatment methods. Research has demonstrated that lncRNAs participate in the reprogramming of amino acid metabolism in cancer cells. However, there are still significant gaps in the literature. Namely, the secondary structures, functions, and molecular mechanisms of lncRNA action are not fully understood, and systemic studies on the function of lncRNAs in tumor amino acid metabolism are still needed. Further, current studies have a long way to go before reaching the clinical stage..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Researchers have developed a new way to interpret risk and prognosis in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma Using a novel statistical method, they’ve calculated the loss in life expectancy for those affected by the cancer This value represents the difference in remaining life years between patients and the general population Unlike 5-year survival, loss in life expectancy offers a straightforward way to estimate the impact of cancer over a person’s entire lifespan The researchers estimated trends in life-years lost due to cancer for recently diagnosed patients and for two-year survivors before and after rituximab became available and found that patients diagnosed in the rituximab era experienced fewer years lost than those diagnosed in the early 2000s But the results also revealed that young high-risk patients with primary refractory disease and early relapse still experience significantly reduced life expectancies highlighting one of the most important groups still in need of new ap.."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Cancer involves the reprogramming of the body’s cells to allow them to grow, divide, and travel throughout the body. One of the processes involved – metabolic reprogramming – allows cells to use new energy sources for fuel, switching from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. and enabling tumor cells to grow uncontrolled. A recent study evaluated the involvement of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN in metabolic reprogramming. Researchers compared cancerous and noncancerous liver tissue from 128 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. They found that in cancerous liver tissue, PTEN had a reciprocal relationship with another protein, PI3K. PTEN was downregulated in HCC tissues, and its loss predicted a poor prognosis. Overexpressing PTEN blocked the switch to glycolysis, while elevated PI3K expression was observed in HCC tissues and was inhibited by PTEN overexpression..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.