Part 1: Forging a Genetic Paradigm for Cancer

This lecture from the iBioSeminars project is presented by J. Michael Bishop of the University of California, San Francisco. It presents a historical review of the experiments that resulted in the realization that cancer has a genetic basis. He explains that mutations can cause normal cellular genes known as proto-oncogenes to become oncogenes, analogous to jammed accelerators causing uncontrolled cell division. Alternatively, mutations in tumor suppressor genes are analogous to a failed brake system. An accumulation of both types of mutation leads to the development of cancer. This video is the first of three, running 28:37 minutes and can be downloaded in QuickTime, MP4, M4V, or PDF formats. It can also be streamed on iTunes or YouTube.