# Presentation: 275179

## Linked Investigator Research in Cancer Biology

**Linked Investigator Research in Cancer Biology**

- Suresh Mohla, Ph.D.
- Associate Director, DCB
- Division of Cancer Biology

## Background

**Cancer is a complex and diverse disease**
**Enormous progress has been made in understanding tumor cells**
**Emerging focus: understanding and modeling the tumor as an organ with many interacting systems, such as:**
**Gene networks in cancer cells**
**Signaling pathways **
**Tumor and its microenvironment**
**Team or multi-disciplinary approaches are needed to fully characterize the tumor**

## Background

**Two multi-disciplinary integrative programs are focused on addressing these needs**
**Integrative Cancer Biology Program (ICBP)**
**Tumor Microenvironment Network (TMEN)**
**Both programs have the common goals of:**
** ****creating a nucleus of investigators that would attract and galvanize additional efforts from among the broader cancer biology community**
** ****establishing resources for the research community**

## ICBP and TMEN Multidisciplinary Groups

**ICBP**
**9 Centers**
**Systems biology of cancer**
**Predictive mathematical modeling**
**Analysis of “omic” data sets**
**Educational and research resources – software and tools**
**TMEN**
**9  Groups**
**Characterize the tumor microenvironment **
**Elucidate tumor–stromal interactions as they relate to the initiation, progression and metastasis continuum**
**Generate resources: reagents, models and markers for TMEN investigators and cancer community at-large**

## Goals of the PAR

**Enhance collaborations between the research community and the ICBP and TMEN**
**Extend scientific scope of the ICBP and TMEN to new organ sites and approaches, new technologies and models, new PIs**
**Increase the broad impact of ICBP and TMEN programs**

## Linked Investigator PAR

**Mechanism**
**Multiple-PI R01**
**Multiple PI award now routinely used by NIH, includes “Leadership Plan” in the application and review**
**Requirements**
**One PI must be associated (key personnel) with ICBP or TMEN, must include someone not part of the program**
**NCI/DEA review**
**1-2 receipt dates**
**Intimately linked to the parent programs**
**Awards**
**Estimate 6-8/year **
**No budget set aside, utilize R01 payline**

## Potential ICBP Topics 

**Integration of models across temporal and spatial scales**
**Application of new technology to generate quantitative measurements of interrogating and modeling cancer processes**
**Novel approaches to validate and refine current ICBP models**
**Application of integrative approaches to the identification and testing of new therapeutic agents**
**Integration of current modeling approaches within the ICBP to additional organ systems**

## Potential TMEN Topics

**Alterations in normal organ- and tumor-associated stroma: functions of and interactions among the component cells, growth factors/chemokines, and extracellular matrix**
**Critical alterations in the microenvironment responsible for tumor development, progression, and metastasis**
**Roles of the inflammatory/immune and bone marrow derived cells in tumor initiation, progression and metastasis**
**Identification of tumor stem or progenitor cells and characterization of their interactions with stromal cells**
**Development of novel technologies and model systems for the study of the microenvironment**
**Characterization of tumor microenvironment in additional organ sites**

## Current Portfolio Analysis

**Current Program Funding (FY 2007)**
**ICBP* - $14.479 million **
**TMEN* - $8.279 million**
**There are only a few RO1s that exclusively focus on these areas, and no multi-PI grants**
**Cancer Systems Biology Grants (FY07) - 15 R01s**
**Tumor Microenvironment Grants (FY07) – 25  R01s**
******* ****Both of these programs are relatively new and recently examined by the BSA **

## Cancer Biology Linked R01 PAR

**Cancer Biology Linked R01 PAR**

## Cancers not well represented in TMEN or ICBP

- Lung
- Melanoma
- Head and Neck
- Pancreas
- Renal
- Pediatric tumors
- Ovary
- Bladder