) The Cancer Genetics Program's goal is to stimulate interactions between clinical and basic researchers and to foster interdisciplinary collaborative research on genetic aspects of cancer. Remarkable advances made in our understanding of the relationship between genes and cancer have taken place during the past TEN years and it is now imperative that these molecular insights be translated to the clinical setting. The Cancer Center expanded the Chromosomes and Mutations Program to create the new Cancer Genetics Program, charged with developing this potential. Program goals are being accomplished through a clinic focused on Hereditary Cancer combined with a diverse membership pursuing a deeper understanding of genes implicated in neoplasia. Many Program members have been deeply involved in the Human Genome Project, developing somatic cell hybrids, chromosome specific clone sets, and physical and genetic maps for several chromosomes important to cancer etiology including 3, 11, and 21. Our members have cloned several important cancer genes and are developing a deeper understanding of leukemias and solid tumors including those affecting kidney and lung and many other organs. Our members utilize diverse genetic approaches to investigate solid tumors, leukemias, mutational mechanisms, cancer epidemiology, murine models and developmental aspects of cancer. The Program includes 21 full and associate members as well as 4 secondary members drawn from both basic research laboratories and from the clinic. Members are brought together through Program meetings, presentations in our Seminar series and participation in clinically oriented meetings. Our members have attracted over $2.6 million in direct cost funding on an annual basis and have published over 180 papers since the last site visit, of which 43% have intra- or inter-program collaborations, or both. We have established Core facilities including the DNA Sequencing and Cytogenetics Cores. The Hereditary Cancer Clinic forms a nexus for our Program and a major effort in the coming funding period will be to develop mechanisms to strengthen and grow this clinic. This will be accomplished by infrastructure development including recruitments and by establishment of Core capabilities in the testing arena coupled with the necessary support structures to capture family information and biological specimens. We believe this to be essential if we are to realize the potential of the Hereditary Cancer Clinic as a source for basic science investigations. Conversely, these efforts should make the clinic the primary testing ground for translation of laboratory based discoveries into improved patient care.
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