The Interconnectedness of Cancer Cell Signaling

The elegance of fundamental and applied research activities have begun to reveal a myriad of spatial and temporal alterations in downstream signaling networks affected by cell surface receptor stimulation including G protein– coupled receptors and receptor tyrosine kinases. Interconnected biochemical pathways serve to integrate and distribute the signaling information throughout the cell by orchestration of complex biochemical circuits consisting of protein interactions and covalent modification processes. It is clear that scientific literature summarizing results from both fundamental and applied scientific research activities has served to provide a broad foundational biologic data-base that has been instrumental in advancing our continued understanding of underlying cancer biology. This article reflects on historical advances and the role of innovation in the competitive world of grant-sponsored research.