Research by members of the Cell Growth and Differentiation Control Program is focused on identifying andunderstanding the mechanisms of action of the cellular factors that control proliferation, differentiation andcell death, how the programs controlling these processes are coordinated and how they interact. The majorscientific goals are: (1) to identify, characterize and study the mechanisms of action of gene productscontrolling cell proliferation, lineage commitment and cell differentiation, and cell death; (2) to understandhow misregulation of these gene products and processes contribute to oncogenesis; (3) to use thisknowledge to develop new approaches to cancer prevention and treatment. A major scientific focus of theprogram is the control of gene expression during the cell cycle, differentiation and apoptosis and the key roleplayed by transcription factors in regulating these processes. Many members of the program are alsostudying the role of epigenetic mechanisms in cancer, including changes in the patterns of histonemodifications and DMA methylation in cancer cells. A new method for genome-wide methylation analyseshas been developed by a program member for these studies and, along with a highly versatile arrayplatform, is being used to study gene expression and epigenetic changes during normal cell growth anddifferentiation in a variety of malignancies and premalignant conditions. Within the program there areparticular strengths in studying the properties of stem cells, both adult stem cells and human embryonic stemcells, as well as in three organ systems: the hematopoietic system, the liver, and neuronal cells. Theprogram has benefited from members whose research programs utilize nonmammalian model organismsincluding yeast, Drosophila, and zebrafish. The research of the group's members is also strengthened byinvestigators with expertise in the most advanced approaches for studying control of gene expression ineukaryotic cells. There are currently 26 program members from 10 departments, of whom 25 are primarymembers, supported by 9 NCI ($1.8M Direct) and 33 other NIH grants. There have been 5 new recruits tothis program. Since the last CCSG review there have been 439 cancer-relevant research papers bymembers of this program of which 8% represent intraprogrammatic, and 20% represent interprogrammaticcollaborations.
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