The Fellows Grants support innovative research by a meritorious young investigator by presenting the Fellow with research funds to pursue an independent line of investigation within the context of his/her current Fellowship placement. By allowing a Fellow to acquire the equipment and supplies needed to pursue a new direction in his/her research program, the Fellows Grant assists the Fellow in developing preliminary data to support a future project or investigating a new technique that otherwise would not be possible in the absence of this funding.
2008-2009 AACR-Colorectal Cancer Coalition Fellows Grant, in memory of Lisa Dubow
Yaguang Xi, M.D., Ph.D.
University of South Alabama,
Project: MicroRNAs, Novel Prognostic BioMarkers in Colorectal Cancer
"The goal of my project is to explore the potential of miRNAs as prognosis markers in colorectal cancer by investigating the impact of several candidate miRNAs on chemosensitivity, and validating the clinical utility of miRNAs as clinical prognostic markers using a large number of archived formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) specimens. MiRNAs are non-coding small RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional and translational level by mainly interacting with 3'-UTRs of their target mRNAs. Due to the critical regulatory function of miRNAs and their relatively small number, miRNAs may be potential candidates as biomarkers and novel anti-cancer targets. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is estimated to affect millions people worldwide, resulting in over half a million deaths each year. In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and is a significant cause of death in both males and females. Even though tremendous progress has been made in the past on colorectal cancer, there has been very little information on the impact of miRNAs in the tumorgenesis process. The success of this project will provide the direct evidence of miRNAs clinical relevance and an important investigation using FFPE samples in colorectal cancer, which will move miRNAs closer to clinical application. I am very proud to be awarded the prestigious AACR-Colorectal Cancer Coalition Fellows Grant, in memory of Lisa Dubow. However, it did not only bring me the honor, but also the responsibility to utilize my research to benefit the colorectal cancer patients. I appreciate AACR, Colorectal Cancer Coalition and Lisa fund that all support this study. Also, I extend my appreciation to my mentor, Dr. Jingfang Ju, who has enlightened me to devote myself to colorectal cancer research. I also deeply appreciate my institution, University of South Alabama-Mitchell Cancer Institute, who has provided the solid support for my research."
2008-2009 AACR-FNAB Fellows Grant for Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research
Heather R. Shah, M.D.
University of Alabama, New York, NY
Project: Personalized Erlotinib Therapeutics: Low Morbidity Tissue-based Assays
"My research project will be to attempt to develop a chemotherapy sensitivity-resistance assay (CSRA) for pancreatic cancer. Traditional chemotherapy involves empiric selection of a regimen based on clinical trial evidence and subsequent objective response assessment by clinical and radiographic means. Using this method we are unable to select the better patient candidates prior to therapy. Since pancreatic cancer expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein by itself is not predictive of therapeutic response, alternative methods of patient selection are essential for the success of EGFR-targeted treatment. A comprehensive analysis of a panel of biomarkers proven to be relevant to EGFR signaling and erlotinib's mechanism of action should prove useful in creating an assay to predict response to erlotinib in chemotherapy patients. Our current clinical trial proposal includes a short course of pre-operative erlotinib followed by post-operative erlotinib-gemcitabine in an approach to the treatment of patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We will begin by testing live tumor cells in the presence of the drug, and measuring the molecular responses. We also will move beyond cell line or animal model, since we will develop assays to apply to the patient, moving from bench to bedside. Individual patients will have their tumor analyzed for sensitivity to the therapeutic agents, and the predictive capability of the assays will be evaluated. This will represent a major advance, because the CSRA would enable prediction of clinical response prior to initiation of therapy. Ultimately, this would enable pancreatic cancer patients to receive personalized therapy. The AACR-FNAB Grant will provide me with the support needed to pursue this research. The support and knowledge of my mentors, Dr. Piotr Kulesza and Dr. James Posey, will help me accomplish this project."
2008-2009 AACR-National Brain Tumor Foundation Fellows Grant, in memory of Bonnie Brooks
Milan G. Chheda, M.D.
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Project: Identification & Characterization of Novel Genetic Drivers of Glioblastoma
"Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. Although there is a wealth of information on regions of genetic aberration in GBM, there is a lack of functional data validating which alterations actually drive gliomagenesis and maintain the tumor bed. Using RNA interference, we performed a systematic loss of function screen targeting genes on recurrent regions of amplification in the GBM genome. We identified approximately 20 genes required for proliferation and/or survival of glioma cells. We will now validate our hits, specifically confirming knockdown-phenotype correlations and then perform loss of function and gain of function studies of candidate oncogenes. Future studies will take the most promising potential oncogenes and assess differential gene expression in human glioblastoma specimens and follow up with in vivo experiments assessing tumorigenicity."