The Translational Coordinating Committee (TRCC-formerly the Laboratory Science Committees) was developed in recognition of the fundamental importance of translational research to the primary cancer treatment objective of the NCCTG- to improve survival and quality of life for patients with malignant disease. The mission of the TRCC is to being clinical investigators and basic laboratory scientists together and to facilitate translational research within the NCCTG. The primary functions of the committee are to identify, prioritize, and develop translational research activities, coordinate these activities, monitor the progress and quality of translational studies, promote introduction of the state-of-the- art techniques, and assure the efficient use of clinical material. Despite the current funding period, there were 21 protocols with a translational component. The TRCC has worked to be more proactive in protocol develop and review, and the committee, co-chairs have reviewed all NCCTG protocols during the current funding period for actual or potential translational components. In addition, a web-based tracking system has been developed that allows for monitoring and review of all active and pending protocols with a translational component. The TRCC has recently been organized in response to suggestions made both by external and internal reviewers. In order to more effectively communicate translational research protocols and technological advances to community physicians, the committee will now be composed of the disease-oriented scientific program coordinators, the Research Base modality committee chairs, and a community physician liaison. There will be further meetings of the Translational Committee membership at which the composed of the disease-oriented scientific program coordinators, the Research Base modality committee chairs, and a community physician liaison. There will be quarterly meetings of the Translational Committee membership at which the co-chairs will facilitate information and technology exchange. Translational research activities will subsequently be communicated to community physician by the scientific coordinators at the spring and fall meetings of their respective disease-oriented groups. The future of laboratory-based translational research lies in the molecular characterization of cancer and exploitation by the human genome project . The generation of molecular and genetic profiles for cancer will result in the development of new markers for early detection, diagnosis, and prognosis, and also novel markers that will predict response to therapy. The translational research base at Mayo has positioned itself to be a leader in the molecular characterization of cancer by developing a strategic alliance with Millennium Predictive Medicine for high density gene array construction, and by collaborating with companies such as Corixa Corporation to identify novel cancer specific targets for immunotherapy. The TRCC will also interact closely with the Novel Therapeutics Committee and the Pathology Committee to initiate prospective collection of fresh tissue, blood, and serum that will be necessary for clinical validation of novel genetic cancer markers.
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