EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS

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The Experimental and Developmental Therapeutics (EDT) program of the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) is focused on improving the therapy of cancer through innovative pre-clinical and clinical research. The activities within this program span the range of experimental and developmental therapeutics from initial target discovery to regulatory approval for new treatments. This program identifies new therapeutic targets for cancer, new therapies and approaches directed at these targets, and has the expertise to help translate discoveries. The EDT program facilitates the assessment of novel therapies by fostering collaboration between pre-clinical and clinical researchers ultimately to provide patients with the best possible treatments. Key themes within EDT include: 1) identification of novel therapeutic targets, 2) synthesis and pre-clinical assessment of new compounds directed at specific targets and 3) preclinical assessment of compounds in novel cancer situations. The integration in December 2007 of UTHSCSA's cancer-focused resources with those of the CTRC's Institute for Drug Development (IDD) has allowed a greater emphasis on the efficient translation of preclinical research into eariy phase clinical studies within the EDT program and will allow rapid further Phase 11/111 exploration of promising approaches. The EDT program has 31 scientific members representing 8 departments from the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and important components of the CTRC at UTHSCSA including the IDD and the Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute. EDT program members currently receive $5.55 million (direct costs) annually in peer-reviewed grants from the NCI, NIH, FDA, and Department of Defense. Training is a very important component of the EDT program's activities. Program members train fellows and graduate students in pre-clinical and clinical departments. The IDD's Advanced Oncology/Hematology Drug Development Fellowship is a unique training program for physicians that focuses specifically on the multidisciplinary nature of anti-cancer therapy development. In summary, the EDT program is a highly integrated multidisciplinary collaborative effort between pre-clinical and clinical scientists, all focused on providing newer, better-targeted and more effective treatments for patients with cancer