Academic Press Hsp90 in Cancer: Beyond the Usual Suspects (Volume 129) (Advances in Cancer Research, Volume 129)

Hsp90 in Cancer: Beyond the Usual Suspects, the latest volume in the Advances in Cancer Research series, focuses on the multifunctional molecular chaperone Hsp90 which regulates the post-translational stability and function of a broad repertoire of client proteins and discusses some of the lesser-known aspects of how Hsp90 and its related family members enable oncogenic transformation and malignant progression. Focuses on the multifunctional molecular chaperone Hsp90 which regulates the post-translational stability and function of a broad repertoire of client proteins Highlights the rapidly evolving understanding of the fundamental roles of Hsp90 in cancer biology Discusses the lesser-known aspects of how Hsp90 and its related family members enable oncogenic transformation and malignant progression Review Praise for the Serial "This classic and essential series presents critical overviews on select aspects of both cancer research and the basic underlying sciences." --American Scientist "Excellent, highly informative, in-depth reviews…expertly written, up-to-date, and well-referenced." --Journal of Medicinal Chemistry "This is a series that has a long tradition of excellence in the field of cancer biology." --Doody’s Publishing Reviews Review The latest in the Advances in Cancer Research series provides the most up-to-date, invaluable information on the exciting and fast-moving field of cancer research, focusing mainly on the multifunctional molelcular chaperone Hsp90 About the Author Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology, Medical University of South Carolina, USA Luke Whitesell is a pediatric oncologist and senior research scientist at the Whitehead Institute. His clinical interests lie in the treatment of children with recurrent, refractory solid tumors. His laboratory efforts focus on the discovery and pre-clinical development of new anticancer drugs that target heat-shock proteins and the cellular heat-shock response. These ancient adaptive mechanisms act genome-wide to restore the normal protein folding environment within cells and enhance the survival of organisms under stress. In contrast to such well-recognized beneficial effects, however, they also enable cells to accommodate the drastic imbalances in signaling and profound alterations in DNA, protein and energy metabolism that occur in cancers. In essence, the malignant lifestyle confers a profound dependence on these “non-oncogenes, strongly supporting the feasibility of targeting them to more effectively treat cancers. Building on these basic insights and the surprising ways in which HSP90 supports the evolution of new abilities in model organisms, a major goal of his current work is to test the idea that inhibiting HSP90 function can delay or prevent the evolution of a very undesirable trait in cancers, namely the acquisition of high level resistance to current chemotherapies. Luke pursued graduate work in pharmacology at Cambridge University prior to completing medical training at Johns Hopkins University and residency at Boston Children’s Hospital. After fellowship training at the National Cancer Institute he joined the University of Arizona where he was Professor of Pediatric Oncology in the College of Medicine prior to taking his current position at the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, MA.