Tumor Angiogenesis

Francis Markland is Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine. He obtained his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1964 and did his early training at UCLA. Dr. Markland has been characterizing snake venom proteins and examining their therapeutic potential. Most recently he and members of his laboratory have been studying the anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor properties of a protein purified from southern copperhead venom;this protein is now produced by recombinant technology. Stephen Swenson is an Assistant Research Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine. He obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of Hawaii in 1995. For his postgraduate training he joined the Markland laboratory working on the characterization and evaluation of direct acting thrombolytics enzymes from snake venom, currently in late stage clinical trials. Recently Dr. Swenson has been pursuing the development of an anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic agent based on snake venom disintegrins and disintegrin domains of human ADAM proteins. Radu Minea is a Senior Research Associate in the Markland laboratory at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine. He obtained an MD degree from the Carol Davila School of Medicine in Bucharest, Romania in 1993 and did his residency in general surgery in Bucharest. He joined the Markland laboratory in 2002 and his current research involves the recombinant production of snake venom- and human ADAM-derived disintegrin-like anticancer agents.

INTRODUCTION
Overview on Tumor Angiogenesis (Donati, Lorenzet)
MECHANISMS OF ANGIOGENESIS AND LYMPHANGIOGENESIS
Molecular Mechanisms of Angiogenesis (Dudley, Claesson-Welsh)
Pro-angiogenic Factors (Ribatti)
The Role of Accessory Cells in Tumor Angiogenesis (Takakura)
Comparison between Developmental and Tumor Angiogenesis (Bikfalvi)
Tumor Lymphangiogenesis (Ramu, Hong)
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND ANGIOGENESIS
Integrin Involvement in Angiogenesis (Akalu, Contois, Brooks)
Signaling Pathways in Tumor Angiogenesis (Abrahams, Daly, Eichten, Li, Noguera-Troise, Thurston)
THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES AND ANGIOGENESIS
Development of an Integrin Targeted Anti-Angiogenic Agent (Swenson, Minea, Markland)
Anti-VEGF Approaches and Newer Antiangiogenic Agents (including combrestatins) which are already in Clinical (Libutti)
Combination of Antiagiogenic Therapy with Other Anticancer Therapies (Gasparini)
Tumor specificity of anti-angiogenic agents (Rixe, Kelly, Giaccone)
IMAGING AND BIOMARKERS IN ANGIOGENESIS
In vivo imaging of tumor angiogenesis (Turkbey, Ravizzini, Choyke)
Identifying Biomarkers to Establish Drug Efficacy (Platero)

"In summary, this text is well written, in a clear style, though obviously assumes prior knowledge of the subject. There are numerous clear black and white as well as colour plates, and there is a comprehensive list of references at the end of each chapter." (Oncology News, 1 January 2012)