Cytokine Inhibition in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The candidate is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the divisions of Medical Oncology and Hematology in the Department of Medicine at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He is also Co-Director of the Hematology-Oncology Fellowship. He will pursue career development in the responsible conduct of clinical research while planning and conducting preliminary trials and translational research for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The plans for career development include participation in research methodology courses through the institution's K30 award (Principal Investigator, Janice Gabrilove, M.D., Division Chief in Medical Oncology), ongoing participation in clinical investigation, multi disciplinary care of patients with liver diseases and hepatobiliary malignancies, and mentorship by faculty with proven investigative and training capabilities in Clinical Oncology, Liver Diseases, and translational research (including Janice Gabrilove, M.D., Scott Friedman, M.D.). The cytokines basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the process of neoangiogenesis have been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Outlined in this application, the research plan is based upon the hypothesis that inhibition of cytokine-mediated tumor cell survival and growth, and inhibition of neoangiogenesis, are likely to be of clinical utility. Inhibitors of specific cytokines and their receptors are currently available for evaluation as therapeutic agents for this disease in which these specific biological processes have been shown to play a critical role in pathogenesis, evolution and progression. Given the institutional strength as a center of excellence in liver disease and liver transplantation, the support of outstanding mentors, strong institutional resources for clinical investigation, an intense didactic curriculum in clinical research, and the candidate's potential for developing multi disciplinary clinical research, it is highly likely that the five-year training period will enable the candidate to emerge as an innovative, disciplined clinical and translational investigator, with a focus on the development of novel therapeutic strategies in hepatobiliary malignancies.