Molecular Oncology Program

MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY PROGRAM (MOP) PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The central theme of the Molecular Oncology Program (MOP) is to identify fundamental cellular and molecular factors that enlighten the understanding of cancer biology and behavior and can potentially be targeted to prevent and/or reduce the cancer burden in the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCDCCC) catchment area and beyond. The Program brings together geneticists, molecular and cellular biologists, biochemists, pharmacologists, pathologists, and clinicians to conduct high-impact basic science research with the goal identifying and understanding the dysregulation of critical pathways that lead to the initiation, progression, metastasis, and recurrence of cancer. The Program has three Specific Aims that encompass the breadth and depth of Program members. Aim 1 is to define mechanisms to maintain genome stability. Aim 2 is to Interrogate key signal transduction and hormone receptor pathways. Aim 3 is to understand the role of energetics and metabolism in cancer. Kermit Carraway, PhD (cancer biochemist and molecular biologist) and Wolf-Dietrich Heyer, PhD (cancer geneticists and chromosome biologist) are co-leaders for MOP. The Program’s research portfolio spans the basic cancer research continuum, from genetics, genomics, chromosome biology, and biochemistry, to metabolism, energetics, and molecular and cellular biology. MOP has 33 full members from four schools/colleges and 11 departments at UC Davis. MOP’s total cancer relevant funding is $6.4M annual direct cost, including $6.3M is peer-reviewed and $1.8M in NCI funding. The total number of publications is 369 of which 15% are intra-programmatic, 32% inter-programmatic, 38% multi- institutional, and 30% published in high impact journals. MOP has instituted Program-wide strategies to maintain a strong total funding base. To increase cancer relevant funding, the UCDCCC provides abundant transdisciplinary fora and discretionary funding support to the MOP, providing its leadership the ability to support pilot projects that will result in high-impact team science cancer research.