TUMOR BIOLOGY AND MICROENVIRONMENT (TBM) ? ABSTRACT The Tumor Biology and Microenvironment (TBM) Program is a translational science program that aims to discover the cellular and molecular determinants that drive the initiation and progression of cancers through interactions with their microenvironments and develop and test innovative diagnostic and treatment strategies. This highly integrated Program includes 37 members from 13 departments and 4 schools at Wayne State University. TBM Program members, who conduct basic, preclinical, and clinical research, receive $4,468,183 in peer reviewed, cancer-related grant support, of which $1,943,419 is from the NCI. The TBM Program is organized along three major themes. The goal of the first theme is to explore biological processes that mediate the phenotypical plasticity, proliferation, and survival of tumor cells. Translational research is conducted to evaluate the potential clinical application of these molecular determinants as tumor markers and/or therapeutic targets. The second theme investigates mechanisms that enable tumor cells to overcome external barriers during invasion and metastasis. Our investigators assess the importance of factors that control extracellular proteolysis and signaling mechanisms that are being used by tumor cells to adapt to and subvert the microenvironment at primary and metastatic sites. The objective of the third theme is to develop new strategies to engage the immune system as powerful defenses against cancer. Research activities include the development of immune modulators and novel vehicles to optimally deliver immunotherapeutics, as well as the use of state-of-the art imaging modalities for monitoring the success to tumor immunotherapy. The TBM Program is led by Dr. Kay-Uwe Wagner as Program Leader and Dr. Asfar Azmi as Program Co-Leader. The Leader and Co-Leader are new since the last competitive renewal. All members of the TBM Program actively collaborate with members of the MI, MT, and PSDR Programs at KCI. Of the 484 manuscripts published between December 2015 and November 2019, 41% and 44% were intra- and inter-programmatic, respectively, and 61% were multi-institutional collaborations.
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