Enhancement of Two Key Research Programs within the Sylvester Cancer Center

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DESCRIPTION (Provided by the applicant): The Sylvester Cancer Center (Sylvester) is a membership-based, matrix organization which brings together 121 members and 133 affiliate faculty investigators from 18 different departments in two different schools of the University of Miami to conduct multidisciplinary cancer research. Interdisciplinary translational research is facilitated through the center's seven multidisciplinary research programs (MRPs). Total NCI funding is currently $19,297,201 million for 70 projects. Continuing development of Sylvester's Viral Oncology and Bio-behavioral Oncology MRPs are among the highest priorities of the Center. Each address unique community needs through cohesive research themes that take advantage of faculty strengths. Both are relatively small programs which have identified critical gaps that can be best filled through recruitment. We are proposing two candidates for recruitment - one into each of these Programs. The investigators named in this application were identified following strategic planning at the Center's membership retreat in the fall of last year, and had already made initial visits to the Center when recruiting was suspended due to financial challenges in the University. Fortunately (for Sylvester) they are still available and highly interested. Detailed plans for development of their research have been completed as has a plan for evaluation of overall success. The Sylvester research budget is highly dependent on fundraising, endowment, institutional support, and State funding. All four of these sources of support have been adversely impacted by the current recession. Funding of this P30 would provide critical support for strengthening two of the Center's seven MRPs. As a regional resource, the Center has a direct impact on a primary catchment area that includes 5.4 million people living along 125 miles of coastline in the three counties of southeast Florida. Because of its tourist oriented and growth based economy, this area has been particularly hard hit by the current recession. Sylvester is also highly interactive within the School of Medicine. All faculty recruitment is done jointly with the most appropriate academic department. Collaborations with other centers and institutes also abound, including the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, the Miami Institute for Human Genomics and the Miami CTSA initiative. It follows that enhancing these two MRPs will strengthen Sylvester and this Academic Health Science Center.