Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, the Scientific Affairs Division at the University of Baghdad/College of Pharmacy held an in-person scientific seminar “The Role of Aurora-A in Human Cancers and Future Therapeutics,” delivered by Pharmacist Shaymaa Jassim Mohammed, PhD student at the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department.
The seminar aimed to clarify the role of Aurora-A, which plays a pivotal role in regulating the division of human cells. Its dysregulation and overexpression are closely associated with the initiation and progression of various types of cancers.
The seminar included several topics, including the role of Aurora-A and its mechanisms of action in cancer cells. This gene functions as an oncogene, and when its regulation becomes disrupted, it contributes to cancer development through the disturbance of the mitotic cell division process. Also, it promotes the survival of cancer cells and increases their resistance to programmed cell death (apoptosis), in addition to enhancing invasion and metastasis, and contributing to increased resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The seminar concluded that Aurora-A could be utilized as a promising therapeutic target to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from various types of cancer. Also, it emphasized the importance of conducting further future studies and research to gain a deeper understanding of its mechanisms of action and to develop modern therapeutic strategies targeting it, which may enhance the effectiveness of available treatments.
