The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center's (SKCCC's) Brain Cancer (BC) Program was established in 2005, recognizing a unique opportunity to blend multiple facets of brain tumor research to improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in these difficult cancers. It brought together the activities of an extremely strong brain tumor clinical, clinical research and training program, and an expanding group of investigators exploring the basic biology of brain neoplasia. It includes 20 members from seven departments within the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other peer-reviewed support of Program members total $6.9 million annually, with an additional $5.6 million annually in nonpeer-reviewed funding. The research portfolio of the Program has been supported by multiple peer-reviewed grants, including 22 years of continual NIH funding for a Phase I/II clinical trial group (The New Approaches to Brain Tumor Therapy CNS Consortium [NABTT] from 1994-2008 and the Adult Brain Tumor Consortium [ABTC] from 2009?2019) and three active formal training programs to prepare Postdoctoral fellows, from multiple disciplines, for an academic career in brain tumor research. Eleven members have peer-reviewed funding. Peer reviewed publications by Program members totaled 535?177 (33%) were Intra-Programmatic, 91 (17%) were Inter-Programmatic and 118 (22%) were multi-institutional collaborations. The BC Program is focused on three specific aims that bridge laboratory and clinical efforts:
Aim 1 : Explore novel immunologic approaches to improve survival in patients with glioblastoma.
Aim 2 : Develop novel biomarkers to monitor the progression and response of malignant brain tumors.
Aim 3 : Identify genomic and molecular regulators of brain tumor oncogenesis and novel therapeutic targets (brain cancer biology). These research efforts are directed by international experts in the brain tumor field who have a long and productive history of working together to bring important therapeutic and diagnostic projects from inception to bedside. The infrastructure of the BC Program ensures careful monitoring of the Program's focus, productivity and priorities. It provides formal interactions to maximize collaborative research efforts and support the conduct of innovative and high-quality clinical and translational research.
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