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Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO
CCBIO Special Seminar

CCBIO Special Seminar – Michael Rogers

Speaker for this CCBIO Special Seminar: Michael Rogers, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Research Associate, Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital. Title: “Metastasis without a tumor: toward novel approaches to the treatment of endometriosis-associated pain.” Due to the Covid-19 circumstences, the seminar will be held through a digital platform (Zoom Webinar), so you can attend even from the comfort of your own home.

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Speaker: Michael Rogers, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Research Associate, Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital.

Title: “Metastasis without a tumor: toward novel approaches to the treatment of endometriosis-associated pain”

Time: October 1 at 13.00.

Place: Webinar through Zoom.
Link to join Webinar: https://uib.zoom.us/j/67805306404?pwd=R25NQ1BSN1NxUVZXSXJPNGQvSEkrdz09
Webinar ID: 678 0530 6404
Webinar Passcode: 8nPezJTv

Chair: Elisabeth Wik

Abstract:

Metastasis has long been recognized as the most dangerous event in cancer progression, but the fact that it can occur in another context has received much less attention. Endometriosis is characterized by lesions that resemble ectopic endometrium and the leading hypothesis for its pathogenesis is metastatic spread following menstruation. Endometriosis is characterized by infertility and pain, with many patients poorly treated by existing therapies. We have recently developed a mouse model of endometriosis-associated pain. We have validated the model using existing therapeutics and are now using it to evaluate novel therapeutic hypotheses.

Bio:

Dr. Michael S. Rogers, Ph.D., Research Associate, Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

Mike grew up in Minnesota and earned a B.S with University Honors.in Molecular Biology in the Department of Microbiology at Brigham Young University (1993).  He returned to Minnesota for graduate studies at the Mayo Clinic where he earned his Ph.D.  In 2000, he began postdoctoral training with Dr. Robert D’Amato at Boston Children’s Hospital.

At Children’s his early work focused on the characterization of thalidomide analogs with increased activity in multiple myeloma.  Two of the molecules identified in these preclinical studies are now the drugs Actimid and Revlimid; both have strong activity in multiple myeloma.  In 2004, Dr. Rogers was promoted to Instructor and in 2009, Assistant Professor.  His major ongoing areas of research all relate to the role of angiogenesis and VEGF in disease pathology, including cancer, corneal neovascularization, and endometriosis.  In mapping polymorphisms that affect the angiogenic response to bFGF and VEGF, he found (unexpectedly) that pigment production genes also affect blood vessel growth.  Other current efforts include validation of anthrax toxin receptor 2 as a target for antiangiogenic therapy and identification of small molecule inhibitors of the protein, and identification of small-molecule antagonists of antizyme inhibitor.  He has recently begun a substantial effort to identify novel therapeutic strategies for endometriosis-associated pain.  To that end, his lab has developed and validated a mouse model of the condition and are currently evaluating novel targets to alleviate the suffering caused by the disease.  

All interested researchers, students and others are welcome!