Prostate cancer is the second leading of cancer deaths among american men after skin cancer. In African-American men, the incidence of prostate cancer is 65% higher and the mortality rate is more than doublecompared to Caucasian men. The reasons for this racial disparity in incidence and death rate due to thisdisease in African-American are poorly understood, but may involve both biological and environmentalfactors. The Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development at Clark Atlanta University isbuilding a comprehensive research program to investigate the cellular and genetic factors involved intransformation, angiogenesis and metastasis of prostate cancer and how these factors may differ in African-American men. Three research projects in this grant application will investigate 1. Role of TGFbeta signalingduring different phases of prostate cancer, 2. Impact of androgen regulated immune/inflammatory pathwaysin prostate cancers, and 3. The role of SNAIL transcription factor and TGFbeta in bone metastasis ofprostate cancer cells. In addition, we are proposing six pilot projects which will focus on different aspects ofprostate cancer biology such as: the role of IL-10 in prostate cancer immunity, c-kit ligand and signaling inmetastatic cancer cells, role of PI3-kinase isoforms in prostate cancer, chromatin remodeling and its impactin prostate cancer cells, role of sterols in prostate cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis, and development ofhighly sensitive techniques to detect prostate cancer biomarkers. All investigators are housed in the samebuilding and have access to state-of- the Art research core laboratories. These cores provide instrumentationand technical assistance in cell biology, molecular biology, and imaging. These facilites are managed by aSenior Research Scientist and a Facilites Coordinator. The reagents, clinical samples and materialsgenerated for individual projects will be handled by the research core and will be shared by all investigators.The research projects from individual investigators are based on very interactive approaches and provideopportunities for collaborations among multiple investigators at the Center and scientists at several otherinstitutions. The Pis of different projects and the research staff meets once a week to monitor and discussthe progress of individual projects and the scientific program of the center is overseen by external advisorycommittees with several members in the area of prostate cancer biology and chemistry.
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