Main theme 1 includes research projects that study signal transduction in growth, development, maturation and aging. This includes not only scientific work to increase our physiological insight in these complicated processes of life. Also investigations in abnormal benign and malignant growth and development in many tissues, in addition to premature aging and aspects of cancer are included. All themes within main theme 1 try to implement their basic research data from the bench in the patient and the population, while at the same time answering questions from studies in the population by working at the bench. This broad approach includes, therefore, also areas of research as pharmacogenetics and high capacity, high trough-put genome-wide associations facilities that serves not only researchers within theme 1, but also researchers of the other themes and in fact, many within and outside of the Erasmus MC as well. The same applies to the localisation, detection and radionuclide therapy of various diseases which use many up to date outstanding imaging techniques, which are represented within the school.