Translational Laboratory Shared ServiceThe facility for the Translational Laboratory (TL) was established in 2004 at the University of MarylandMarlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center (UMGCC). The TL facilitates the preclinical and clinicaldevelopment of novel, targeted anticancer agents that will ultimately provide cancer patients with bettertreatment options.The TL has several missions and capabilities: (a) make preclinical in vitro and in vivo model expertiseavailable to UMGCC members on campus and facilitate translation of novel therapeutic concepts frombench to bedside; (b) add value to advanced preclinical developments of pharmaceutical companies andcreate a pipeline of new drugs for UMGCC's Phase I and II clinicians; and (c) provide UMGCC's clinicianswith the means to perform early clinical trials of molecularly targeted drugs that require the assessment ofpharmacodynamic endpoints.The TL is located in an 800-square foot room on the 9th floor of the Bressler Research Building, justacross the bridge from the UMGCC 9W inpatient hospital. The building also includes space for a liquidnitrogen storage room, cold room, centrifuge and freezer room, dark room, and radioisotope area. Animalwork can be performed in the vivarium, which is operated by Veterinary Resources of the University ofMaryland School of Medicine. Space in two holding rooms, allocated to TL, can house immunocompetent orimmunodeficient mice.Currently, the TL has five staff members: the director; two members dedicated to assay development,collection, and analysis of clinical samples for effects of drugs on proposed molecular targets and affectedpathways; and two postdoctoral fellows dedicated to research and development. Currently, eight clinicalPhase I and II trials, with a translational research initiative component, are ongoing. Six trials are sponsoredby the National Cancer Institute; three are investigator initiated, and three are conducted under the U01subcontract with Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. From April 2005to June 2007, the TL supported 37 grant applications; 25 percent of these were funded, including 4 R01grants from NIH and 2 grants from the U.S. Department of Defense. The preclinical services most indemand are drug screening and in vivo animal models. The TL also provides these services to smallbiotechnology companies and has contracts with three small businesses that relate to either drug orbiomarker development. Three provisional patents have been filed with TL's involvement. About 78 percentof the budget for Fiscal Year 2008 will result from chargebacks and grants.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 257 publications
