Molecular and Structural Biology (MSB)

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15.0 Abstract: Molecular and Structural Biology Program The overarching goals of the Molecular and Structural Biology (MSB) Program of UMGCC are to elucidate molecular mechanisms and cellular processes that are altered in cancer and to encourage translation of these basic scientific findings toward the development of novel strategies for treating cancer. To achieve these goals, the program focuses on three themes: Theme 1: DNA repair and checkpoint signaling—characterizing defects in DNA repair and checkpoint signaling and understanding how these defects impact cancer development; Theme 2: Inappropriate gene expression—determining how defects in transcriptional and posttranscriptional processes lead to inappropriate regulation of protein expression in cancer; and Theme 3: Oncogenes and tumor suppressors—delineating how signaling pathways (i.e., oncogenic, tumor suppressor, etc.) are deregulated in cancer and identifying specific biomolecules that can be targeted to reverse these effects. The MSB Program has 50 members representing 16 academic departments and 6 schools of the University of Maryland. Members of the program conduct cancer-focused research that receives $6.78 million total annual funding, including $2.34 million from NCI and $3.58 million from other peer-reviewed sources. In addition, the MSB Program members receive over $0.86 million annually from non-peer-reviewed funding sources. Between January 2010 and December 2014, MSB members authored 664 cancer-related publications, of which 13 percent resulted from intraprogrammatic and 18 percent from interprogrammatic collaborations. Approximately 48 percent of the publications represent collaborations with external investigators. Research efforts by MSB faculty are supported by extensive use of the SBSS, FCSS, TLSS, PBSS, ISS, and BSS.