Dean’s Lecture Spring 2023 — How are we approaching cancer treatment? From cyclops sheep to vaccines

April 20, 2023, 6:00pm | Great Hall, Memorial Union and livestreamed

Cancer encompasses an array of specific diseases that require tailored treatment approaches. Amy Andreotti, university professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, a biochemist with expertise in structural biology and immune cell signaling, will highlight three stories that illustrate how scientists and physicians are devising new approaches to specific types of cancers. These vignettes will show how serendipity drives discovery, how great cancer drugs can be plagued by resistance, and how vaccines and immunotherapies are reshaping cancer treatments of the future.

Amy Andreotti is a University Professor and the Roy J. Carver Chair in Biochemistry. Since joining the ISU faculty in 1997, her work in structural immunology has been published in leading scientific journals and has been supported by the National Institutes of Health. Her research group is recognized for applying sophisticated biophysical tools to the study of immune protein function with major contributions in understanding the mechanisms of immune regulation and drug resistance. Andreotti sits on the National Advisory Committee for the Pew Charitable Trust, serves as a senior editor for eLife, and loves to inspire undergraduate students by sharing the beauty and intricacies of the biological molecules that form living systems.

She received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and studio art from Bowdoin College, a Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton University, and conducted postdoctoral training at Harvard University.

A live Q&A session with Andreotti will follow the lecture.

This event is free and open to the public.

The Lecture extra credit link is https://track.lectures.iastate.edu/

The LAS Dean’s Lecture highlights faculty excellence in learning, discovery and engagement. Each semester, the dean invites LAS faculty of distinction to present lectures from their own areas of expertise on topics of interest to the general public, designed to stimulate high-quality, intellectual discussion among faculty, staff, students and community members.

Or watch on YouTube.