This is a revised renewal for the Molecular Pathology of Cancer Training Grant within the Molecular Pathology Graduate Program (MPGP) at UCSD School of Medicine. The purpose of this grant is to train predoctoral students to carry out cancer research based on a comprehensive knowledge of the molecular and cellular biology of cancer cells, of normal histology and cancer pathology, and of current cancer treatment. The training grant faculty are within the Cancer Biology Group of the MPGP, are located at UCSD School of Medicine, The Burnham Institute, and The Scripps Research Institute. The faculty are leaders in their fields of cancer research, which cover most topics in cancer cell biology, including alterations in signal transduction pathways involving protein kinases and phosphatases, mutations and/or altered expression of proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, the role of extracellular matrix and cell surface carbohydrates in cell adhesion and metastasis, genetic instability and chromosomal translocations, apoptosis, differentiation arrest in leukemia, the immune response to cancer cells, drug development, and cancer therapy. The Cancer Biology curriculum requires classes in The Molecular Pathology of Cancer, Mouse Models for Human Disease, Advanced Cancer Pathology, and two advanced electives in Human Genetics, Developmental Biology, Immunology, Biochemistry, Structural Biology, or Molecular Modeling (selected according to trainees research area). Students select a second Molecular Pathology class in human disease (Neurologic &Muscle disease, Cardiovascular development &disease, or Microbial Pathogenesis) to broaden their understanding of human disease. Trainees rotate through 3 laboratories prior to selecting their thesis advisor. In year 2, trainees take the Minor Proposition examination, which teaches them how to write an NIH-style grant, and evaluates their overall academic progress. To understand current cancer treatment and the need for molecular therapeutics, trainees attend a clinical conference, choosing among Tumor board, Breast Pathology, OB/GYN tumor board, and Hematology/oncology. They present annually at our MPGP Spring Research Retreat, at the annual Salk Institute meetings on Oncogenes or The Cell Cycle, and at Cancer Journal Club. They invite special seminar speakers annually. This training in molecular pathology of cancer combined with a basic understanding of medical oncology and cancer therapy is unique at UCSD.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Institutional National Research Service Award (T32)
Project #
5T32CA077109-10
Application #
7669177
Study Section
Subcommittee G - Education (NCI)
Program Officer
Lim, Susan E
Project Start
1998-07-01
Project End
2010-07-31
Budget Start
2009-08-01
Budget End
2010-07-31
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$161,853
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Diego
Department
Pathology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
804355790
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92093
Eckert, Mark A; Santiago-Medina, Miguel; Lwin, Thinzar M et al. (2017) ADAM12 induction by Twist1 promotes tumor invasion and metastasis via regulation of invadopodia and focal adhesions. J Cell Sci 130:2036-2048
Wei, Spencer C; Yang, Jing (2016) Forcing through Tumor Metastasis: The Interplay between Tissue Rigidity and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Trends Cell Biol 26:111-120
Wei, Spencer C; Fattet, Laurent; Tsai, Jeff H et al. (2015) Matrix stiffness drives epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumour metastasis through a TWIST1-G3BP2 mechanotransduction pathway. Nat Cell Biol 17:678-88
Deryugina, Elena I; Quigley, James P (2015) Tumor angiogenesis: MMP-mediated induction of intravasation- and metastasis-sustaining neovasculature. Matrix Biol 44-46:94-112
Chen, Meifan; Gutierrez, Gustavo J; Ronai, Ze'ev A (2012) The anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome supports cell survival in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress. PLoS One 7:e35520
Botkjaer, Kenneth A; Deryugina, Elena I; Dupont, Daniel M et al. (2012) Targeting tumor cell invasion and dissemination in vivo by an aptamer that inhibits urokinase-type plasminogen activator through a novel multifunctional mechanism. Mol Cancer Res 10:1532-43
Bekes, Erin M; Deryugina, Elena I; Kupriyanova, Tatyana A et al. (2011) Activation of pro-uPA is critical for initial escape from the primary tumor and hematogenous dissemination of human carcinoma cells. Neoplasia 13:806-21
Timmer, John C; Salvesen, Guy S (2011) N-terminomics: a high-content screen for protease substrates and their cleavage sites. Methods Mol Biol 753:243-55
Eckert, Mark A; Lwin, Thinzar M; Chang, Andrew T et al. (2011) Twist1-induced invadopodia formation promotes tumor metastasis. Cancer Cell 19:372-86
Chen, Meifan; Gutierrez, Gustavo J; Ronai, Ze'ev A (2011) Ubiquitin-recognition protein Ufd1 couples the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response to cell cycle control. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108:9119-24

Showing the most recent 10 out of 41 publications