The Signal Transduction Program (STRP) has evolved from the antecedent Breast Cancer ResearchProgram (BCRP). This change was accomplished with recognition that signaling molecules are now theleading targets for novel cancer therapies and that these targets transcend boundaries of individual diseaseslike breast cancer. STRP faculty share an interest in understanding signal transduction processes for thepurpose of developing novel cancer therapies. Towards this end, the STRP capitalizes on the quality offundamental signal transduction research at Yale, and the growing translational importance of signaltransduction molecules as cancer therapeutic targets. During the last project period, several receptor andnon-receptor tyrosine kinases emerged as validated targets for FDA-approved drugs. Research by theSTRP will identify new therapeutic targets among receptors and the pathways they regulate, and facilitatebest use of these drugs through personalized medicine. The overall goal of the STRP is to foster basicresearch leading to rapid therapeutic development in major areas of Signal Transduction research, 1) SignalTransduction; 2) Intracellular Signaling Pathways; 3) Cell Polarization and the Cytoskeleton; and 4)Subcellular Protein Trafficking. These goals will be achieved through the monthly STRP meetings; throughPilot/Developmental awards that foster new approaches, hew collaborations, and translational work; throughthe annual retreat; through integration with the Developmental Therapeutics Program for streamlinedtranslational development; and by cross-fertilization with other Programs of the YCC. The co-Leader, Dr.Joseph Schlessinger, has made unparalleled contributions in elucidation of growth factor receptor signaltransduction, and in development of structure-based anti-cancer drugs that inhibit signal transductionmolecules. Dr. David F. Stern continues as co-leader from the precursor BCRP from which the STRPdeveloped. Dr. Stern has made important advances in understanding HER2/ErbB2 that have facilitated therapid development of anti-HER2 drugs, and he has long been interested in rational molecular diagnosticsbased on principles of signal transduction. The distinguished faculty of this program of 26 members includestwo members of both the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine, several members ofthe American Academy of Arts & Sciences and EMBO, NIH MERIT award recipients, and the Assoc.Director for Basic Science of the YCC. Program expertise encompasses fundamental aspects of signaltransduction, integrins and cortical cytoskeleton, and protein trafficking and sorting. An important goal will bethe generation of novel ideas through increased communication of signal transduction biologists with cellstructure/trafficking experts. In the last grant period, members of the BCRP or STRP published 365 cancerrelatedpapers, of which 4.4% represented intraprogrammatic collaborations, and 20.8% were interprogrammatic.(A number of joint publications are not listed since they predate YCC membership). TheSTRP presently has twenty-five members from nine departments, with total research funding of $11.3 milliondirect costs ($16.4 million total), $1.7 million direct costs ($2.8 million total) is NCI-funded and $8.0 milliondirect costs ($11.8 million total) is other peer-reviewed.
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