Retro-transposable Elements: Targets for Cancer Intervention and Treating Inflammation
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
11:30 am - 1:30 pm
About the Event
“Non-coding” elements comprise up to 70% of the human genome. Also known as the “dark genome,” these regions contain active retro-transposable elements as well as human endogenous retroviruses that can regulate gene expression, tissue specification and differentiation. They can also play a pathogenic role in driving cancer, autoimmune disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and other human diseases, which challenges the term “non-coding” for these regions. This talk will present insights from Laszlo Radvanyi’s lab on how non-coding elements play a role in cancer initiation and immune modulation, as well as how old drugs can be repurposed to target the activity of retro-transposable elements in modulating inflammation and preventing cancer development.
About the Speaker
Laszlo Radvanyi, Ph.D., is a professor in the University of Toronto’s immunology department. With over 30 years of experience in oncology research, he previously led the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research as president and scientific director, overseeing its operations and research strategy. Radvanyi has also held leadership roles in biotech and pharma, including senior vice president at EMD Serono and founding chief scientific officer at Iovance Biotherapeutics, where he advanced tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, culminating in the FDA approval of Amtagvi™.
- Location
- Science and Engineering Research Center, Room 3007
- Cost
- Free