Cancer Therapeutics Program (Project-006)

Abstract: Cancer Therapeutics Program (CTP) The overarching goal of the Cancer Therapeutics Program (CTP) is to develop innovative approaches to discover, design, develop, and validate novel anticancer agents and combination regimens for the treatment of human cancers. To achieve this mission, the Program focuses on three specific aims: 1) investigate the mechanisms of action of new and existing anticancer agents; 2) discover and develop in a pre-clinical setting, novel targets and assays to complement the innovative approaches to drug discovery, and novel agents and combination regimens; and 3) conduct early-phase (I/II) clinical trials with a focus on translation of UPCI science and discoveries of novel agents as well as partnering with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), NCI cancer centers, other academic centers, cooperative groups, and industry. The strategy for successfully carrying out this mission requires the involvement of the entire continuum of basic, preclinical, and clinical/translational research. The CTP has 47 members representing 13 academic departments and 4 schools of the University of Pittsburgh. Members of the Program conduct cancer-focused research that receives $11.2 M in total annual direct funding, including $4.3 M from the NCI and $4.1 M from other peer- reviewed sources. In addition, CTP members receive over $2.7 M annually from ?non-peer reviewed? grant mechanisms. Between January 2010 and April 2014, CTP members authored 672 cancer-related publications of which 35% resulted from intra-programmatic and 37% from inter-programmatic collaborations. Approximately 40% of the papers represent collaborations with external investigators. UPCI support, including Clinical Protocol and Data Management and Shared Resources, specifically the Animal Facility, Biostatistics Facility, Cancer Bioinformatics Services, Cancer Genomics Facility, Cancer Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics Facility, Cancer Proteomics Facility, Cell and Tissue Imaging Facility, Chemical Biology Facility, Cytometry Facility, Immunological Monitoring and Cellular Products Laboratory, In Vivo Imaging Facility, Investigational Drug Services, and Tissue and Research Pathology Services facilitates and enhances CTP research.