Developmental Research Program

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PROJECT SUMMARY (Developmental Research Program) The goal of the Developmental Research Program (DRP) of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Prostate Cancer SPORE is to fund promising studies in translational prostate cancer research. It is directed by Dr. Timothy C. Thompson and co-directed by Dr. Christopher J. Logothetis. As with our current SPORE, the DRP in this renewal will emphasize the support of translational research studies that can generate clinically testable hypotheses to help reduce the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer and/or improve the quality of life of prostate cancer patients. The Prostate Cancer SPORE Administrative Core has established a broad-based effort for solicitation of potential DRP projects. Letters of intent of no more than 2 pages for innovative translational research are invited from MD Anderson and outside institutions and SPORE and non-SPORE investigators, including participants in the SPORE Career Enhancement Program. These applications will be screened by the program Director and co-Director (who also serve as the SPORE Principal investigator and co-Principal Investigator) according to objective criteria. Investigators of selected applications will be asked to prepare a 5-page proposal modeled after a National Institutes of Health R01. As appropriate, the Administrative Core Directors and staff will assist investigators submitting proposals formulate translational specific aims and research plans, as many of these investigators will not have expertise in these areas. The process constitutes a major educational activity and will further stimulate the development of innovative translational research concepts. The proposals will be reviewed and prioritized by the Prostate Cancer SPORE Leaders (Principal Investigators, Project co-Leaders, Program Directors, and Core Directors). The projects will be funded for 1 year and will be renewable for an additional year on the basis of established criteria. Developmental Research projects will be evaluated ad hoc and annually by the program Director/co- Director, SPORE Leaders, Executive Committee, and combined Internal/External Advisory Boards. The DRP has established a mechanism for termination of projects that do not meet our criteria for continuation; however, it has not been necessary to utilize this mechanism in the DRP to date. Nine developmental projects were funded in the current Prostate Cancer SPORE. Investigators receiving DRP grants wrote 29 publications related to the research supported by their grants during 2009-2014 and were awarded 19 external peer-reviewed grants. Importantly, 2 DRP awardees are investigators for major projects in the Prostate Cancer SPORE renewal application: Drs. Sue-Hwa Lin (co-Leader, Project 2) and Padmanee Sharma (co-Leader, Project 1), highlighting the importance of the DRP in identifying projects and investigators with potential value for translational research.