The Think Tank on Molecular Targets in Lymphoid Malignancies is cosponsored by the Office of Science Planning and Assessment and the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute; the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. It will take place August 24-26, 2005, in the Natcher Conference Center on the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland.
The goal of the Think Tank is to catalyze the discovery of novel therapeutic targets in the hematological malignancies and determine strategies to develop and deliver such molecularly targeted therapies to patients. The underlying assumption of the Think Tank is that an understanding of the pathogenesis of each form of hematological malignancy is the key to developing new therapies.
We have much to learn about the intracellular pathways that promote the proliferation and survival of these cancers. The importance of interactions between malignant cells and nonmalignant host cells is becoming evident and may yield new therapeutic strategies. High-throughput technologies such as gene-expression profiling, proteomic analysis, RNA interference, and small-molecule screens are capable of revealing new molecular targets.
While the conference will include introductory presentations concerning the current state of therapy for the hematological malignancies, most presentations will focus on emerging insights into the molecular pathogenesis of these cancers, as such insights may have potential therapeutic implications. One session will focus on basic science findings relevant to the hematological malignancies, and three sessions will focus on leukemias, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma, respectively. The Think Tank will generate a written description highlighting the most promising avenues for therapeutic targeting in each of the hematological malignancies.
