The Cell Signaling and Gene Regulation Program (Program 1) brings together a group of basic andtranslational investigators dedicated to the study of cancer through research in cell signaling, molecularbiology, systems biology, developmental biology, and chemistry/drug discovery. The program has 46members from 13 Departments, and members have a total of $16,459,487 in peer-reviewed funding with$5,012,818 from the NCI. Program members have been highly-productive, with 599 peer-reviewedpublications, including 7% that were intraprogrammatic, and 15% interprogrammatic publications.The scientific goals of the Cell Signaling and Gene Regulation Program are to determine the basic cellsignaling and gene expression mechanisms that underlie malignancy. To this end, our membership'sresearch focuses on determining the mechanisms whereby genes, and the proteins they encode, functionin both normal and cancerous conditions. In the previous funding period, Program 1 has increased itsmembership size from 25 to 46 members, reflecting a major recruitment of physician-scientists studyingbasic mechanisms of disease, as well as systems biologists. In addition, the UCCRC's outreach tophysical scientists interested in collaborative interdisciplinary cancer research has also enriched themembership of Program 1.Overall, the research objectives of our scientists can be divided into the following five themes: (1) toelucidate the molecular mechanisms of tissue-specific and cell type-specific gene expression; (2) toelucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying cell growth/division and cell survival/death; (3) to understandthe multi-faceted mechanisms leading to cancer metastases; (4) to use large-scale, high-throughputsystems biology approaches and genetic evolutionary approaches to understand cancer biology; and (5) todiscover novel developmental pathways relevant to cancer cell signaling. Although our members' interestsare varied, many common themes have emerged. Moreover, in the current funding period, ourmembership has developed numerous collaborations with clinician scientists both within Program 1 andinterprogramatically, reflecting the increasingly cross-disciplinary and translational nature of our researchprogram. Through pilot funding, quarterly membership meetings, a seminar series, an annual retreat, anda strong basic science training program in cancer biology, Program 1 is poised to continue its successfulin-depth and basic research focus on cancer biology, while nurturing collaborative science that willenhance clinical care of patients at risk or with cancer.
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