Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention

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Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program Summary The scientific goals of the Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program are to identify biomarkers for tobacco-related cancer risk; and to understand how environmental and dietary chemicals contribute to carcinogenesis through specific biochemical pathways and to apply this knowledge for individualized cancer risk stratification and cancer prevention. The ultimate objective is to translate these findings into investigator- initiated clinical trials that change public policy and health care. To achieve our goals, we have successful, mature research programs which address the following aims: 1) to characterize the harmful effects of tobacco chemicals and products and develop biomarkers for cancer risk stratification in clinical and epidemiological studies; 2) to understand how chemicals in food and medicine and specific biochemical pathways may contribute to carcinogenesis; 3) to identify food products, as well as natural and synthetic chemicals, that reduce cancer risk. Drs. Lisa Peterson and Frank Ondrey lead the Program, which has 24 members, representing 14 departments and 8 schools or colleges (College of Biological Sciences; College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources; College of Pharmacy; College of Science and Engineering; College of Veterinary Medicine; Hormel Institute; Medical School, and School of Public Health). In the last budget year, these members were supported by $5.6 million in direct costs from the National Cancer Institute; funding from all peer-reviewed sources totaled $8.2 million in direct costs. Since 2013, Program members have published 628 papers, 20% of which resulted from intraprogrammatic collaborations, 20% from interprogrammatic collaborations, and 87% from external collaborations. Since 2013, 53 clinical trials in all clinical research categories have opened under this programmatic area and have accrued 7728 subjects. The Masonic Cancer Center (MCC) has provided substantial value to the program, including access to shared resources, recruiting 3 new faculty, funding of 10 pilot projects ($382,500 awarded), 1 research retreat, 1 strategic planning meeting, 24 meetings on recent Program member research projects, 2 special seminars, and 2 meetings to discuss specific requests for proposals from the NIH. A monthly interprogrammatic translational biomarker focus group brings together population scientists and clinicians with basic research groups developing specific biomarkers. The Program's future direction fits well within the MCC's strategic plan. We will continue the translation of our basic research into chemoprevention clinical trials (Scientific Priority for Growth 3- SPG3). We are actively using biomarkers to understand carcinogenesis and to develop strategies to personalize cancer screening and treatments (SPG4). Program members are actively involved in the planning of the 10,000 Family cohort (SPG5), and this resource will be invaluable for the translation of our science to the catchment area. Lastly, we plan to use tobacco-related biomarkers to develop individually targeted smoking cessation and screening protocols in Minnesota's minority populations who have a disproportionate cancer burden (SPG6).