MicroRNAs in malignant tumors of the skin

Introduction.- Objectives of this work.- Summary and discussion of this work.- Closing remarks.- Paper 1: Expression levels of the microRNA processing enzymes Drosha and Dicer in epithelial skin cancer.- Paper 2: Expression levels of the microRNA maturing microprocessor complex component DGCR8 and the RNA- induced silencing complex (RISC) components argonaute-1, argonaute-2, PACT, TARBP1 and TARBP2 in epithelial skin cancer.- Paper 3: Expression of microRNAs in basal cell carcinoma.- Paper 4: Microarray analysis of microRNA expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.- Paper 5: The miRNA machinery in primary cutaneous malignant melanoma, cutaneous malignant melanoma metastases and benign melanocytic nevi.- Paper 6: Immunohistochemical expression patterns of the microRNA-processing enzyme Dicer in cutaneous malignant melanomas, benign melanocytic nevi and dysplastic melanocytic nevi.- Paper 7: Comparative microarray analysis of microRNA expression profiles in primary cutaneous malignant melanoma, cutaneous malignant melanoma metastases and benign melanocytic nevi.- Paper 8: MicroRNAs and the skin: tiny players in the body's largest organ.- Paper 9: microRNA in non-melanoma skin cancer.

Michael Sand, MD studied medicine at the Ruhr-University of Bochum/ Germany, Harvard Medical School Boston and the University of California, SanDiego (UCSD). After board certification in Dermatology, Venereology andEmergency Medicine at the Ruhr-University Bochum / Germany he and his teamstarted to investigate the role of microRNA in the skin. He is currently anattending physician in the Department of Plastic Surgery, Catholic Clinics ofthe Ruhr Peninsula, Essen, Germany with a clinical focus on surgical therapy ofskin cancer and a research focus on the role of microRNAs in malignant skintumors.