Several changes in the Leadership of UWCCC Programs will strengthen their translational potential.Dr. Michael Gould has assumed the role of Program Leader for Cancer Genetics. Dr. Gould received hisPh.D. from the University of Wisconsin followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Argonne National Laboratory.He joined the faculty of the UWCCC in 1978 and has worked extensively throughout his career to integratebasic laboratory studies in breast cancer etiology and chemoprevention, including both basic and translationalprojects. Using animal models, he is searching for genes that prevent breast cancer. Once identified, thesegenes will provide a better understanding of the role of modifier genes and cancer risk and also provide targetsfor the development of anticancer drugs. He has previously served in many positions in the Cancer Center,including leadership of a breast cancer program and most recently leader of the Etiology and ChemopreventionProgram. His current personal research interests as well as his history of fostering collaborations fortranslational research make him an ideal candidate to assume leadership of this program.As leader of this Program Dr. Gould is reorganizing the emphasis to include three areas. The first ismammalian and human genetics. The central goal of this area is using comparative genetics and genomics tobetter understand the etiology of cancer and its progression. This work is translated to humans in the form ofrisk estimation and cancer prevention. The second area is that of statistical genetics and informatics.Developing new statistical and informatic approaches to map the sequenced genomes will be a major focus aswell as developing unique methods of analysis for complex data sets. The third area is physical genomicswhich will develop novel approaches for the acquisition of cancer genomics data on a genome wide scale.Dr. Gould facilitates Program interactions by organizing small group meetings that are task oriented as well asa limited number of large group meetings and retreats that provide education and the opportunity to explorepotential collaborative strategies. He also facilitates educational workshops that introduce Program membersto new UWCCC shared resources and instrumentation. He will foster the established important collaborativeties between the members Genetics Program, the Chemoprevention Program and the Cancer Control Programto facilitate translational inte-rprogrammatic research. Dr. Gould devotes 10% effort to leadership for thisProgram.Dr. Hasam Mukhtar has assumed the role of co-leader for the Chemoprevention Program. He received hisPhD in Biochemistry from Kanpur University in Kanpur India in 1971. He did postdoctoral training at theMedical College of Georgia where his interest in detoxification enzymes was stimulated. After pursuing furtherwork in this field at NIH, he became a faculty member at Case Western Reserve University and combined theexpertise of metabolic activation and detoxification to explore ways to regulate carcinogenesis. His work hasnow extended to the study of diet and cancer and a focus on dietary substances for cancer chemoprevention.As co-leader of the Chemoprevention Program, Dr. Mukhtar will lead and stimulate the efforts to identifycompounds with chemopreventive efficacy, foster the collaborations with translational scientists to identifymechanisms of action and potential targets, and initiate collaborations with physicians to explore options fortreatment strategies for chemoprevention. He will devote 5% effort to this activity.Dr. Douglas McNeel will replace Dr. James Stewart as co-leader of the Experimental Therapeutics Program.Dr. McNeel joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin as an Assistant Professor in the Department ofMedicine in July 2001. He received his BA in Chemistry and Music at Whitman College in 1986. He thenpursued graduate training under a Medical Scientist Training Award at the University of Chicago, and receivedhis PhD (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) in 1992 and MD in 1994. He then completed an InternalMedicine residence at the University of Washington on a Clinical Investigator Pathway, and a MedicalOncology fellowship at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in 2000.After his clinical fellowship, he joined the Tumor Vaccine Group at the University of Washington for four years.At the University of Wisconsin, Dr. McNeel continues to focus on the immunology of prostate cancer.Laboratory studies seek to identify proteins expressed by prostate tissue that are recognized by lymphocytes inpatients with prostate cancer and chronic inflammatory prostatitis, as well as identify vaccine strategiescapable of inducing prostate-specific inflammation. Clinical studies explore whether immune responsescapable of destroying prostate cancer cells can be elicited in patients with prostate cancer by means ofvaccines. The long-range goal of this research is to develop vaccines for the adjuvant treatment of prostatecancer.Dr. McNeel was selected to co-lead this program to address an apparent lack of integration of programmembers who were employing immunologic therapeutic approached with the rest of the program. His clinicaland research activities focus on prostate cancer and the use of immunological approaches, especiallyvaccines, for the treatment of prostate cancer. His laboratory is developing vaccines using cellular and animalmodels targeting prostatic acid phosphatase and androgen receptor. He also is leading clinical trials toevaluate these approaches in prostate cancer patients. Dr. McNeel will bring his considerable basic scienceand clinical expertise to the Experimental Therapeutics program and help to integrate the importantimmunological strengths of the program. He will devote 5% effort to this activity.
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