Seminar

Topic: Biology and Mechanism of Hedgehog Signaling

Speaker: Prof. Philip Beachy

Ernest and Amelia Gallo Professor

School of Medicine

Stanford University

Research Field：

Beachy’s research group isolated the hedgehog gene from Drosophila and characterized its protein product, discovering a unique auto-processing reaction that results in cleavage and cholesterol modification to produce the mature signaling protein. He has genetically characterized multiple developmental patterning roles of this signaling pathway in mammals, demonstrating the occurrence of cyclopia and other birth defects in the absence of pathway function. His research group identified the plant compound cyclopamine as the first antagonist of Hedgehog pathway activity, elucidating its mechanism and demonstrating the feasibility of using cyclopamine or other small molecule mimics as non-toxic therapeutic agents in the treatment of cancer; one such drug is approved for cancer therapy by the FDA and several others are in multiple human trials worldwide.

Host: Prof. Yigong Shi

Date: 10:30AM-11:40AM, Oct. 18 (Friday)

Venue: 143, New Biology Building

Welcome!