Research in molecular biology and genetics

  Something on the order of one third of us will have cancer at some point in our lives. Even if you escape, someone close to you will have cancer. The good news is that many of us will survive the encounter, though many will not. Diagnosis and treatment are advancing at a great rate, and many of these advances are coming from research in molecular biology and genetics. For this writing assignment, pick a cancer, any cancer, and address the following for that cancer: 1. Introduce the subject in terms your mother would understand (assuming she’s not a molecular geneticist or oncologist). Tell us about symptoms, age-of-onset, frequency, risk factors, etc. Are there predispositions for getting this cancer? 2. Please provide more molecular details after the introduction. Describe in detail what is known about the cancer including genes that have been identified with this cancer. Please make sure to include mutations. If a cancer has more than one gene associated with, pick only one gene. Please make sure you discuss mutations and how these mutations change the protein. In other words, what was the proteins normal function and how does the mutation change this. Use the “Hallmarks of Cancer” wheel that was discussed in the PowerPoint lecture to help classify the protein(s). Is this cancer genetic (inherited) or not? 3. Finally, conclude with ongoing research, potential treatments, and if any clinical trials are taking place.