Abstract: In some aspects, the invention relates to Heat Shock Protein-1 (HSF1) gene and HSF1 gene products in tumor stroma. In some aspects, the invention provides methods of tumor prognosis, treatment-specific prediction, or treatment selection, the methods comprising measuring the level of HSF1 expression or HSF1 activation in a sample obtained from the tumor that comprises tumor-associated stromal cells. In some aspects, the invention relates to the discovery that increased HSF1 expression and increased HSF1 activation in tumor-associated stromal cells correlate with poor outcome in cancer. In some embodiments, the methods comprise measuring HSF1 expression or activation specifically in tumor-associated stromal cells. In some embodiments, the methods comprise measuring HSF1 expression or activation specifically in tumor-associated stromal cells and specifically in cancer cells. In some embodiments HSF1 expression or activation is measured using an antibody that specifically binds to HSF1.

Abstract: In some aspects, the invention relates to Heat Shock Protein-1 (HSF1) gene and HSF1 gene products. In some aspects, the invention provides methods of tumor diagnosis, prognosis, treatment-specific prediction, or treatment selection, the methods comprising assessing the level of HSF1 expression or HSF1 activation in a sample obtained from the tumor. In some aspects, the invention relates to the discovery that increased HSF1 expression and increased HSF1 activation correlate with poor outcome in cancer, e.g., breast cancer. In some aspects, the invention relates to the HSF1 cancer program genes, HSF1 cancer signature set genes, subsets thereof, and uses in tumor diagnosis, prognosis, treatment-specific prediction, treatment selection, or drug discovery, among others.

Abstract: The invention provides screening methods for detecting and identifying compounds that bind to fungal specific target proteins and nucleic acids, as well as compounds which, upon binding or otherwise interacting with the target protein, can inhibit fungal growth, a method of preventing or inhibiting fungal growth in culture, a method of preventing or inhibiting fungal growth in a mammal and a method of studying pathogenic mycetes using such nucleic acid and/or protein sequences. Particularly preferred is the inhibition of the fungus Candida albicans.