GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER PROGRAM (GIC) ABSTRACT: The overarching goal GIC is to define the fundamental mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies that can be translated into diagnostic and therapeutic innovations for managing cancer in patients and underserved populations. To address this goal, current aims of the Program are to:
Aim 1 : Define molecular mechanisms underlying GI organ-based tumorigenesis Aim 2: Translate mechanistic discoveries into novel tools and strategies to improve prevention, early detection, prognosis, prediction, risk-stratification, and treatment for GI malignancies Aim 3: Advance new technologies into clinical trials to change practice in cancer prevention, control, and treatment across individual patients and the underserved These goals are critical to our catchment area, given the disproportionately high incidence of and mortality from colorectal and pancreatic cancer. GIC is comprised of 25 basic, population, and clinical researchers who have developed a vigorous process for conducting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, and employed collaborative investigational paradigms to pursue parallel efforts organized along organ-based diseases, from discovery through translation to clinical development and application. In the last project period, GIC members generated 591 publications, a modest increase since the last funding cycle (+5.3%) despite reductions (of 28%) in GIC membership numbers due to reorganization of the cancer center and the new policy streamlining of members into only one Program. Of these, 106 (17.9%) were intra- programmatic, a modest increase since the last funding cycle; 103 were inter-programmatic (17.4%), also steady since the last review. Overall impact has improved with 8.8% appearing in journals with an impact factor >10 and an average impact factor of 5.8. In 2016, SKCC also began to track collaborations with authors from other NCI-designated Cancer Centers; at present, 38.7% of GIC program publications were in collaboration with authors from other NCI-designated Centers. Overall impact is illustrated by high-impact discoveries in journals including Nat Comm, Mol Cell, Cell Metab, Cell, Hapatology, and J Clin Oncol. In the last funding period, GIC members have been productive in securing funding. Notably, the mechanism for calculating total and direct costs have changed since the last CCSG review, now requiring exclusion of funding sources that were allowable in the last review. Furthermore, SKCC was last reviewed during the peak of ARRA funding. Despite these barriers in comparing current funding totals versus the last review, GIC remains strong. Total cancer relevant funding is $8.0M/$5.8M in total and direct costs, respectively, with peer reviewed funding of $5.4M (total) and $3.7M (direct). Of this, 29.6% is peer-reviewed funding derived from NCI.
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