The overall goal of the Pediatric Cancer Program (PCP) is to improve the outcome for children and adolescents with pediatric malignancies by facilitating early detection, increasing cure rates, and decreasing acute and long-term side effects. The PCP includes 24 Research and 21 Clinical Members from numerous BCM Departments including Pediatrics, Surgery, Neurosurgery, Medicine, Radiology, Pathology, and Psychology. Dr. Susan Blaney, Director of Texas Children?s Cancer and Hematology Centers, was appointed as Leader of the PCP in 2018. Dr. Sharon Plon continues to Co-Lead the PCP. During the last budget year, PCP had a total direct funding of $17.4 million that included $4.1 million in NCI funding, $2.4 million from other NIH institutes, $4.4 million direct in other peer-reviewed funding, and $6.5 million direct from other non-peer reviewed funding. Productivity of the Program is exemplified by the 750 cancer-related manuscripts in peer- reviewed journals over the last 5 years, of which 52% represented intra-programmatic, 22% inter- programmatic, and 74% inter-institutional collaborations. There are substantial collaborations between the PCP and other DLDCCC Programs, highlighted by the multiple projects developed over the last funding period with the Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences (CPPS) and Cancer Cell and Gene Therapy (CCGT) Programs. The PCP performs basic, translational, and clinical research aimed at improving diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic approaches for childhood cancer, as well as enhancing cancer prevention for at- risk children. The PCP?s Specific Aims include:
Specific Aim 1 : To increase our biological understanding of pediatric malignancies through comprehensive molecular, genomic, and proteomic analyses.
Specific Aim 2 : To improve diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic approaches with decreased toxicity for pediatric cancers? including the conduct of innovative early-phase clinical trials in our clinical programs.
Specific Aim 3 : To continue to perform crosscutting research relevant to pediatric cancer diagnoses in our catchment area, as well as nationally and internationally. The PCP is organized around 6 Research Themes that are transdisciplinary and involve both laboratory and clinical researchers: 1. Biologic and Therapeutic Studies of Pediatric Solid Tumors; 2. Pediatric Neuro-Oncology; 3. Leukemia, Lymphoma and Histiocytosis; 4. Pediatric Cancer Genetics and Genomics; 5. Pediatric Cancer Developmental Therapeutics; and 6. Pediatric Cancer Survivorship. In addition, our work extends beyond our catchment area to the Rio Grande Valley on the border of Mexico and most recently to sub-Saharan Africa, where the vast majority of children with cancer die. To address this inequity, we are developing a capacity building initiative, Global HOPE (Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence) that is focused on building pediatric hematology-oncology Centers of Excellence in 6 African countries.
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