On December 03, 2007 the international scientific conference "Post-genome" technologies for development of anti-cancer agents with new mechanisms of action will take place under the auspices of the High Technologies Center (HTC) ChemRar.

The numerous cancer pathologies remain among the most insidious and unpredictable diseases largely contributing to the death rate of the population of the planet. For the majority of tumor types presently there are no effective schemes of therapeutic intervention available. Among the typical downsides of the existing methods of anti-cancer pharmaceutical therapies are high cost, limited efficiency and significant side effects. This situation is further aggravated by the wide spread of mutant strains of cancerous cells, which are resistant to the traditional chemotherapeutic agents. At the same time, the enormous efforts of scientists and physicians all over the world have resulted in significant progress in identifying the mechanisms of tumor growth, and also in development of new effective methods of intervention to these processes. The achieved results allow for more optimistic prospects of development of new-generation anti-cancer drugs.

The forthcoming conference will cover some promising approaches to development of anti-cancer agents related to the achievements of "post-genome" era.

During conference among the other reports plenary lectures from the two invited experts in the field will be presented.
Stuart A. Aaronson, M.D., USA.
From discoveries in genetics of cancer to clinic.
Stuart A. Aaronson is an internationally recognized cancer biologist. He received a degree of the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) in 1966 from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He joined the National Institutes of Health in 1967 and became Chief of the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology at the National Cancer Institute in 1977. Since 1994 he has been working as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Oncological Sciences at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. His early research is related to the establishment of the nature of human sarcoma viruses, cloning of the related oncogenes and studying of their role in development of cancer, in particular, in signaling cascades. He discovered increased expression of gene v-erbB carcinoma of a mammary gland. He was first to isolate epithelium tissue growth factor KGF (FGF7) and to show its involvement into wounds healing process. He identified protooncogene product, MET, as the receptor for HGF/Scatter Factor and LRP5/6 as the receptor for a novel Wnt antagonist, Dkk1. This latter discovery paved the way for discovery of a Wnt autocrine transforming mechanism in human malignancies. Professor Aaronson is the recipient of numerous awards including the Distinguished Service Medal from the U.S. Public Health Service, the Rhoads Memorial Award from the American Association of Cancer Research, and the Paul Erhlich Prize from Germany and other. He is the author of over 530 publications, an inventor on more than 50 patents, and serves on numerous editorial boards and scientific advisory committees.

Yan V. Lavrovsky, M.D., Ph. D., USA
ChemDiv's current projects for development of antineoplastic medicines.
Yan Vadimovich Lavrovsky is a renowned American scientist of Russian origin working in the filed of molecular biology of cancer. He graduated from Novosibirsk Medical Institute in 1988. He obtained his Ph. D. degree in Cellular Biology while working at the Institute of Cytology (St.-Petersburg) and Rockefeller University (New York, USA). In the period of 1995-2001 he was engaged in scientific researches at Texas University. In the period of 2001-2006 was the group leader at Serono, Inc. (Switzerland-USA). Since the middle of 2006 he has been working as Executive Director, Biology at ChemDiv, Inc. (USA). His scientific activity is related to the development of transgene models of mice for hyperplasia and human prostate cancer, and also research of methods of modulation of a transcription of oncogenes. He was involved in development of therapeutic agents for treatment fibrosis and estrogen-dependent tumors. He was engaged in researches of therapeutic potential and mechanisms of action of synthetic oligonucleotide and ribozymes. He is the author more than 40 scientific publications and 3 patents.

The program of the conference includes oral and poster presentations of the leading domestic experts from academic institutions of the Russian Academy of Medical Science and the Russian Academy of Science, scientists from research and clinical centers, representatives of the companies, engaged in development of anticancer therapies. There will be a roundtable discussion in the framework of the conference. The program also includes guided tours of CDRI laboratories where the participants of conference will be able to learn about modern technological approaches to preclinical research.

The organizers are inviting oncologists, as well as institutions and experts working in the field of development of anit-cancer therapies, to participate in this conference. Application forms for participation, abstracts for oral and poster presentations are accepted for consideration till November 02, 2007 Registration is open till November 16, 2007.

For all questions please contact the organizing committee:
- Registration, advertising and commercial participation: Vera Avaeva, ave@chemrar.ru, phone: +7 (495) 995-4944, ext. 534.
- Scientific Secretary - Konstantin Balakin, Ph. D., D. Sci., kb@chemrar.ru, phone: +7 (495) 995-4944, ext. 507.
- Press-secretary - Olga Tuchnaya, ot@chemrar.ru, phone: +7 (495) 995-4944 ext. 556