MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND GENETICS (MBG) PROGRAM ABSTRACT: The purpose of the MBG, as a Discipline-Focused program is to: 1) Integrate fundamental studies in molecular oncogenesis, transcription regulation, and chromatin structure to identify vulnerabilities in that make cancers susceptible to targeted therapies; 2) Determine how the immune system contributes to tumorigenesis and can be modulated to improve treatments; 3) Improve therapeutic approaches to hematological and solid organ malignancies that increase overall survival. Current aims are:
Aim 1 : Investigate epigenetic and genetic alterations in tumor development and maintenance Aim 2: Assess immune cell functions in tumorigenesis and therapeutic interventions Aim 3: Study virus-associated malignancies, prevention, and virus-mediated vaccines for tumors The MBG program is focused on investigating mechanisms of tumorigenesis, genetic risk factors in developing cancer, molecular basis of race disparities, improving leukemia and lymphoma treatment, and HIV immunity and prevention. MBG program has 38 members that include basic, population focused, and clinical researchers with a common interest in understanding the genetic and molecular basis of disease. In the last project period, MBG members generated 522 publications, an increase of +14.2% over the prior project period. Of these, 65 (12.5%) were intra-programmatic, similar to the previous funding period; 109 were inter- programmatic (20.9%), a modest increase since the last funding period. Overall impact has improved with 10.4% appearing in journals with an impact factor >10 and an average impact factor of 6.2. In 2016, SKCC also began to track collaborations with authors from other NCI-designated Cancer Centers; at present, 46.6% of MBG program publications were in collaboration with authors from other NCI-designated Centers. The overall impact of MBG is illustrated by the number of high-impact fundamental discoveries that have been published, including in Cell, Nature, J. Clin Invest., Mol Cell, Leukemia, and Nature Comm. MBG members have been productive in securing funding. Notably, the mechanism for calculating total and direct costs have changed since the last CCSG review, now requiring exclusion of funding sources that were allowable in the last review. Furthermore, SKCC was last reviewed during the peak of ARRA funding. Despite these barriers in comparing current funding totals versus the last review, MBG remains strong. Total cancer relevant funding increased from $8.6M to $12.1M total costs (+40.7%) with direct costs also increasing from $5.7M to $8.3M (+45.6%). Annual peer-reviewed funding also increased from $7.8M (total) to $9.8M (+25.6%), with direct costs increasing from $5.0M to $6.3M (+26.0%). Of this, 32.7% is derived from NCI.
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