Research Core

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PROJECT SUMMARY (See instructions): Prostate cancer is the second leading of cancer deaths among american men after skin cancer. In African- American men, the incidence of prostate cancer is 65% higher and the mortality rate is more than double compared to Caucasian men. The reasons for this racial disparity in incidence and death rate in African Americans are poorly understood, but may involve both biological and environmental factors. The Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development (CCRTD) at Clark Atlanta University is continuing to build a comprehensive research program to investigate the cellular and genetic factors involved in transformation, angiogenesis and metastasis of prostate cancer and how these factors may differ in African-American men. Three research projects in this renewal application will investigate 1) Role of TGFbeta signaling during different phases of prostate cancer, 2) Impact of androgen regulated immune/inflammatory pathways in prostate cancer, and 3) The role;of SNAIL transcription factor in prostate cancer bone metastasis. All investigators are housed in the same building and have access to state-of-the art research core laboratories. These cores provide instrumentation and technical assistance in cell biology/imaging, molecular biology, histology, proteomics, structural biology and bioinformatics, tissue repository and genomics. These facilities are managed by a Senior Research Scientist and a Facilities Coordinator. The reagents, clinical samples and materials generated for individual projects will be handled by the research core and will be shared by all investigators. The research projects from individual investigators are based on very interactive approaches and provide opportunities for collaborations among multiple investigators at CCRTD and scientists at several other institutions. The Pis of the different projects and the research staff meet once a week to monitor and discuss the progress of individual projects. The scientific program of the center is overseen by internal and external advisory committees with several members in the area of prostate cancer biology and chemistry.