Program 2 -Endocrinology includes basic, translational, and clinical studies with a common theme of evaluating hormonal and growth factor regulation of cell growth and function. Major investigative efforts are focused in the areas of steroid hormone action and steroid-dependent cancers, and on how growth hormones and cytokines act to promote cell growth, tumor development and metastasis through direct, paracrine, autocrine, or novel mechanisms. The overall scientific goals of the Program are to understand how these processes are regulated in normal cells and tissues, how dysregulation of hormonally-regulated pathways result in aberrant growth of cancer cells and metastasis, and how to prevent or treat such cancers. To achieve these goals, investigators conduct studies on: Hormone regulatory processes in normal and cancer cells; Potential therapeutic targets for prevention of or treatment of cancer; and Collaborative studies on patient treatment and survival. The Program has 21 investigators from 9 clinical and basic science departments in the School of Medicine and College of Arts and Sciences, representing a wide variety of intellectual, technical and clinical expertise. Program investigators interact through dedicated Program meetings, seminar series such as those sponsored by the Cancer Center and Endocrinology, and the Endocrinology Cancer Center Program retreat. Program members also collaborate with other investigators in program projects and working groups for prostate and breast cancer, and women's oncology. These collaborations have been highly successful, as shown by joint grants and publications. For example, of 333 total Program publications, 24% have intra-programmatic, and 28% have inter-programmatic authors. These joint efforts include work on mechanisms of cross-talk between steroids and growth factors in cancer, identification of common signaling molecules for steroids and growth factors in cell proliferation, and mechanisms by which steroid hormone-dependent cancers become hormone-independent. Membership requires that an investigator have an established cancer-focused or cancer-relevant program on endocrine regulation of cell growth and function. The cancer focus has increased substantially since the last renewal, with NCI funding increasing 3-fold ($1.2M in 2005) and cancer-directed funding from the DOD increasing 2- fold. In the past year, Program faculty received over $7 million in peer-reviewed support and over $8.7 million dollars in total direct cost (peer-reviewed and non peer-reviewed).
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