The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center (JAXCC) is undergoing a profound expansion of its membership, driven by new cancer-focused leadership and the opening of the JAX Genomic Medicine campus. Combined with the revitalization of the program at JAX Mammalian Genetics (Bar Harbor), the JAX will more than triple the cancer-focused faculty. The recruitment of eight new members since January 2012, when Dr. Liu became the JAXCC Director demonstrates the feasibility of this plan. The new JAXCC members bring new cancer research and technological expertise and a strong translational research capability to the Cancer Center. Institutional commitment to these new investigators is estimated at $19 million over the next five years. Developmental funds are a crucial factor in assuring the JAXCC's continued growth and productivity. In the previous grant cycle, new investigator funds were used to support seven junior faculty members. Funds are requested for partial support of new investigators, which will be leveraged by significant institutional commitment of funds. The strategic plan calls for the recruitment of 8 additional JAXCC members over the next 5 years, with institutional commitment estimated at $22 million. The overall goals in recruiting to the Cancer Center, determined in consultation with internal and external advisory committees include: 1) expanding the focus on cancer systems biology and cancer genomics;2) engaging translational sciences that include cancer pharmacology/systems pharmacology, chemical biology, and molecular pathology to enrich the basic science focus;and 3) strategically recruiting faculty who will strengthen orthogonal approaches to cancer, such as experts in systems computational biology, and aging. The result will be a cancer focus that comprises research focused on human genetics and genomics in Connecticut, tightly integrated with mouse genomics expertise in Maine to model the complexity of the human cancer genome. The pilot project program is an essential part of the plan to achieve the JAXCC's strategic goals. Projects are awarded based on the quality of the science, their anticipated contribution to one or more strategic goals, and the plan for securing federal funding, especially from NCI, for the mature project. In the previous grant cycle, 12 proposals were funded, including 9 since 2012. CCSG ($156,556) and institutional ($367,645) funds supported the project. In total, the funded projects support collaborations among 9 JAXCC members and 8 external institutions. One publication has resulted and three are in preparation. Nine grant proposals based on those pilots have been submitted to peer-reviewed agencies to date;2 were awarded, and 3 are under review. An increase in funds is requested for expansion of the pilot project program, with at least a one to one match from institutional funds. Projects that develop translational technologies that will move basic science to clinical impact are of special priority. Oversight of the program has been strengthened. The Scientific Executive Committee (SEC) sets the priorities for the annual proposal solicitation, works with applicants to refine a research plan that achieves the strategic goal(s), approves awards, and provides scientific guidance for the project's duration. Dr. Tennent, Associate Director for Research Administration, monitors progress of each pilot toward stated milestones and tracks resulting grant and manuscript submissions.
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