): The applicants propose to establish a Research Career Development Program in the Biologic Therapy of Cancer. The rapid acquisition of information in molecular biology, tumor immunology, cancer genetics and basic cell biology has permitted the development of novel cancer treatment approaches utilizing biologic and more recently gene therapies. The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) has made a major commitment to these areas with extensive preclinical and clinical research programs. The additional recent development at the University of Pittsburgh of Genetic and Transplantation Institutes, devoted in part to further progress in gene therapies and novel transplantation strategies for cancer as well as other diseases, enhances the capability for a broad integrated effort between the basic and clinical sciences. Such programs by their nature cut across traditional departmental and institutional boundaries. Development of talented clinicians to partake in such programs requires substantial specialized training and organization. The establishment of a postdoctoral educational program for clinicians that combines training in basic clinical and preclinical studies for the translation of some of the most exciting developments in the understanding of cancer and to allow biologic and gene therapy approaches represent the major goals of this application. Trainees will be involved directly in laboratory and clinical research programs. At its conclusion, the trainees will be prepared to become independent investigators, capable of developing innovative clinical protocols and competing successfully for peer-reviewed grant support. In the first year of training, rotation through a Biologic Therapy Service for six months will allow broad exposure to innovative approaches to cancer care. Each trainee will also undergo a tutorial with an individual clinical investigator to conceptualize and develop a clinical protocol as well as take it through the entire process of institutional review and approval. The second component of this training will include 18 to 30 months of intensive laboratory research with an established and funded laboratory scientist within an area of relevance to cancer treatment. Active participation in weekly seminars and monthly protocol meetings throughout the training period as well as formalized course work will provide continued involvement with both basic scientists and clinicians. Eight areas of research focus and curricula are identified: 1) Biologic Therapy, 2) Transplantation Oncology, 3) Melanoma, 4) Head & Neck Tumor Immunology, 5) Epithelial Neoplasia, 6) Apoptosis, 7)Dendritic Cell Biology, and 8) Gene Therapy.
| Agha-Mohammadi, Siamak; O'Malley, Mark; Etemad, Abrak et al. (2004) Second-generation tetracycline-regulatable promoter: repositioned tet operator elements optimize transactivator synergy while shorter minimal promoter offers tight basal leakiness. J Gene Med 6:817-28 |
