Description: A characteristic of all cancer cells, including well-oxygenated tumors, is the “Warburg Effect,” defined as the massive uptake of glucose and its metabolism by “aerobic glycolysis,” rather than by the more energy efficient process of respiration. The Warburg Effect is the basis of a definitive diagnostic of rapidly dividing cancer cells and their response to chemotherapeutics: the PET scan, which detects the uptake of a radiolabeled, non-metabolizable glucose analog, 18F-2-deoxyglucose. Despite having first been reported in 1923, the biochemical basis of the Warburg Effect remains largely unexplained. This course will focus on metabolic pathways that have gone awry in cancer cells. The format will include didactic presentations and critical discussion of recent results from the literature. Emphasis will be placed on what we don’t know about cancer cell metabolism, in the context of established metabolic pathways. The resurgence of interest in the Warburg Effect, and the new research opportunities that this affords, will be a major theme.
Grading: Student will be expected to attend all classes and participate in discussions. At the end of the course, students will be required to submit a written mini-review (5-7 pages, with references) or a grant proposal to investigate a well-defined question(s) regarding cancer cell metabolism. The review or proposal will constitute 90% of your grade; participation in class discussion can adjust your grade by not more than a plus or minus unit.
Instructors: Mike Hampsey and Alexander Valvezan (Spring 2021)