鈥淲hat is cancer from an environmental perspective?鈥� asks 黑料吃瓜资源 (CSHL) Assistant Professor Peter Westcott. 鈥淚 think we all know that cancer is a disease of genes and DNA.鈥� But how do environmental factors trigger the genetic mutations that cause cancer?
During the latest installment of CSHL鈥檚 Cocktails & Chromosomes series, Westcott ticked off a list of the most commonly known mutagenic carcinogens. These are things that cause cancer by mutating DNA. Cigarette smoke, UVB sunlight, N-nitroso compounds in meats, and alcohol are all on the list. But then there are also those substances that cause cancer without mutating DNA. These are tumor promoters. In the video above, Westcott doesn鈥檛 just break down the difference. He goes many steps deeper, discussing how these substances interact with the immune system at the molecular level. He even provides a glimpse of some new, unpublished research from his lab investigating potential links between cancer and microplastics!
Press play to watch our latest Cocktails & Chromosomes video. If you鈥檇 like to see one of these events live, your last chance of 2025 comes this week. On Thursday, November 20, CSHL Assistant Professor Hannah Meyer will talk about a tiny, often overlooked organ called the thymus and how it puts the 鈥業鈥� in immunity. Register now to attend and enter our monthly raffle.