Ceremonial Assembly of the Serbian Society for Molecular Biology

Organized by the SASA and the Serbian Society for Molecular Biology, a ceremonial assembly of the Serbian Society for Molecular Biology is to take place on 8 October, at the SASA Grand Hall, at 12 o’clock. On this occasion, Academician Milena Stevanović will receive the recognition of the Serbian Society for Molecular Biology followed by her lecture titled ’SOX Genes: For Better or for Worse’.

As stated in the lecture abstract, the SOX genes encode a group of transcription factors showing diverse expression patterns during de-development and acting as key regulators of diverse cellular processes. The SOX gene family members show dynamic and diverse expression patterns during development and play important roles, from blastocyst formation to differentiation into tissues and organs of adult organisms. SOX transcription factors are involved in maintaining stem cells, pluripotency and cell fate decision to driving terminal differentiation of cells into specialized cell types. During adulthood, SOX transcription factors control various physiological processes. Mutations in SOX genes have been associated with severe clinical disorders, while deregulation of their expressions causes a broad range of pathological conditions. Numerous pieces of evidence indicate that SOX proteins act as oncogenes by stimulating proliferation and inhibiting cell differentiation.

During the lecture, the results of long-term research into the structure, regulation of expression and function of selected SOX genes, the interaction of SOX transcription factors with signalling pathways active during neurogenesis and oncogenesis, alongside their role in in vitro neural differentiation of pluripotent cells will be presented, The presentation will also cover contemporary approaches to disease modelling. Research into the role of the SOX gene in the promotion of the malignant phenotype of cells and the maintenance of cancer stem cells will also be examined. Special attention will be paid to the role of SOX transcription factors in ageing and age-related diseases. These findings provide fresh insights into the functions of the SOX gene, paving the way for innovative strategies in the treatment of human diseases.