Experimental and Developmental Therapeutics

The mission of the EDT Program is to translate mechanism-based research to improve therapy for cancer while promoting education of the next generation of researchers. EDT accomplishes this mission by coordinating and catalyzing collaborations and Team Science. EDT themes and aims are closely aligned with components of the IUSCCC Strategic Plan focused on mechanism-based medicine and catalyzing team-based science, with expansion of outreach initiatives. To support the strategic goal of translating science into clinic (novel drug discovery and translational biomarkers), IUSCCC and the EDT Program established a cost-effective collaborative platform, the Cancer Drug Discovery and Development Accelerator (CD3A), that powers a robust and sustainable drug discovery and development portfolio going from target identification to clinical proof of concept. CD3A members include experts in screening assay development, preclinical studies, pharmacological analyses, market analysis, and clinical trial design. The purpose is to guide IUSCCC investigators through the stages of drug development from target identification to early-phase clinical trials, as well as provide pilot funding to advance their new molecular/biological entity along the pipeline. While the CD3A is anchored in EDT, it is accessible to all programs across the IUSCCC. The EDT Program adds substantial value to IUSCCC by serving as a central hub for cancer therapeutic and biomarker development to facilitate novel therapies that come from basic science and translational laboratories in our program and other parts of IUSCCC such as the Brown Center for Immunotherapy (in HHM). Cancer-specific EDT Working Groups enhance interactions between basic and clinical scientists to stimulate “bedside-to-bench to-bedside” research. Clinical data and analysis of clinical samples correlated with clinical outcomes generate hypotheses that promote development of new lines of research throughout IUSCCC. EDT is leading the global oncology efforts, as highlighted by U54 grant supporting East Africa Consortium exploring research into HPV related malignancies, to support additional goal of improving care delivery in settings with limited medical infrastructure to assure that all patients within Indiana (our catchment area) receive the best care. Mentoring and training programs awarded through the IUSCCC ACS Cancer Research Internship Program and IUSCCC American Cancer Society Post-Baccalaureate Cancer Research Education Program demonstrate EDT’s commitment and the Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) Core. The recently awarded T32 grant “Pediatric and Adult Cancer Translational Drug Discovery and Development” highlights the commitment of EDT to graduate education.