VOLUME 3, ISSUE 17 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 17 WWW.USUHS.MIL October 20, 2008 October 20, 2008

USU Newsletter 

Happy 233rd Birthday Navy 
Carol R. Scheman 

Vice President for 

External Affairs and 

Managing Editor 

Tech. Sgt. 

André Nicholson 

Editor 

Christine Creenan 

Staff Writer 

Marla Wright 

Shaun Sadowski 

Webmaster 

Publishing 

USU Duplicating Office

Production: 

Editorial content is 

edited, prepared and 

provided by the USU 

Office of External Affairs unless otherwise 

indicated. The Newsletter staff may include 

or exclude articles 

based upon news 

value, impact on the 

university and space 

availability. 

Submissions: 

The USU Newsletter 

will be published biweekly on Mondays 

and deadline for submission is Friday at 4 

p.m. Submissions can 

be sent to usunewsletter@usuhs.mil or by 

calling 301-295-3925. 

PAGE 2 

Cover photo: 

HM2 Michael Oliver 

In This Issue: 

 

CFC..................................2 

Parking...........................2 

New Center..................3 

USU Alumnus...............3 

Navy Retirement.........3 

Triathlon........................4 

Hispanic Heritage.......4 

Faculty Profile...............5 

Student Profile..............5 

Navy Birthday...............5 

Editor’s Letter...............6 

Dates to Remember...7 

CPDR Research............7 

 Fighting through metropolitan 

traffic, you make it to work with 

just moments to spare. Enter the 

university garage and through the 

maze you go. There isn’t a single 

space available and soon you will 

be late for work. 

 This scenario has become increasingly familiar to members of 

the Uniformed Services University 

of the Health Sciences (USU) community. As a result, university 

security is working diligently to 

ensure commuters are following 

USU protocol. For instance, officers tour the garage several times 

daily, making certain parked vehicles are outfitted with appropriate 

decals. And according to the USU 

Web site, automobiles are not to 

be parked overnight, unless otherwise authorized and denoted by 

special parking permits. 

 “We don’t want folks to diminish the severity of parking illegally,” said 

Director of 

Security 

Louis Loman. His 

words certainly ring 

true because failure to 

abide by 

university 

guidelines 

may result 

in ticketing 

by National 

Naval Medical Center police, 

heavy fines and a blemished driving record. 

 For more information about 

USU parking guidelines, visit 

http://www.usuhs.mil/sec. 

University Security Battles Parking Woes 

By Christine Creenan 

VPE Staff Writer 

Courtesy Photo 

University President Urges 

Community to Support Those in Need 

Dear USU Employees: 

 As we enter the final quarter 

of 2008, we again begin the University’s Combined Federal Campaign and while these are uncertain times, we have many reasons 

to be thankful. There are many 

people in the National Capital 

Area and the country who aren’t 

as fortunate. Some people are 

stricken by illness, worried about 

how they will ever pay exorbitant 

medical bills, or just hoping for a 

hot meal and a warm place to 

sleep. Still others may be faced 

with the fact that they are missing a fallen hero, who will never 

celebrate another holiday with 

their family. Many of us understand that often these people 

need our help and would like to 

help. The Uniformed Services 

University Combined Federal 

Campaign (USU CFC) is a convenient way to support these 

people in need. The CFC is the only annual fundraising drive conducted by federal employees in their 

workplace. No other annual employee-giving program raises as much money for charity. 

 Last year, USU employees generously pledged 

$174,000 to participating charities. I would like to 

thank those of you who participated 

in that very successful campaign. In 

continuing the USU tradition of generosity, I would like to invite you to 

participate once again. For those of 

you who weren’t able to donate in 

the past, might I suggest that perhaps this year could be a better year 

to do so. Donating can be completed either by payroll deduction or 

by making a one-time gift in the 

form of cash or check. 

 When an official USU CFC Keyworker visits you, please take your 

time to look through the 2008 Catalog of Caring and select a charity to 

which you have an affinity and donate. There are almost 4,000 approved charities in this year’s catalog. For less than the cost of a cup 

of coffee per day, you can significantly affect someone’s life for the 

better. Please remember, when you 

give through the Uniformed Services 

University Combined Federal Campaign, you become a star in someone’s life. The help 

and hope we offer through donations has an immeasurable impact on those in need. Please give. 

Charles L. Rice, M.D. 

USU President 

 Photo by HM2 Michael Oliver 

Pat Guild (left) and CDR Gina 

Trotter admire Dolby, a Portuguese mix, during the CFC Kickoff celebration. Guild was advocating on behalf of the American 

Rescue League. 
PAGE 3 

Understanding TBI: USU Stands Up New Center for 

Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine 

 Our troops understand all too well the consequences of war. 

In Iraq and Afghanistan, battle scars weaken even the bravest of 

soldiers and recovery demands the expertise of extraordinary 

medical professionals. 

 There is a special place that teaches aspiring physicians and 

advanced practice nurses how to care for these wounded warriors. It is here: the Uniformed Services University of the Health 

Sciences (USU)—you will find the cadres responsible for healing 

our Nation’s heroes. Graduating physicians 

and advanced practice nurses are well 

equipped to treat the obvious afflictions: 

explosions marring the human body and 

bombs claiming soldier’s limbs. Sometimes 

though, injuries are hidden and treatment 

requires teams of experts, revolutionary thinking and cutting edge 

technology. Such is the case when diagnosing and caring for 

traumatic brain injury (TBI) and USU is responding by standing up 

a new Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine. 

 At the center, subject matter experts from across the spectrum, 

including professionals at the National Institutes of Health and the 

Walter Reed Army Medical Center, are mobilizing science to develop better outcomes for what has been dubbed a “signature 

injury” of war. 

 Vice President for Research Steve Kaminsky, Ph.D., admits jumping the TBI field requires new ways of thinking. USU, therefore, 

will “go after the kinds of experiments that wouldn’t get funded 

without a center like this.” 

 The center is still in the developing stages though, and in order 

to gain the knowledge that will lead to better diagnostic tools and 

regenerative therapies, USU is bringing together professionals 

from diverse backgrounds. Consider, more than 200 scientists are 

convening weekly to move TBI understanding forward. 

 Director Regina Armstrong, Ph.D., said, “I am talking a lot of 

science with a lot of people.” And the collection of voices—spoken 

by neurologists, psychiatrists, molecular scientists, clinicians, and others—are discussing topics like improved diagnostic tools, new approaches to increase neuroplasticity 

and the use of regenerative medicine to address brain injury at the organ, cellular and molecular 

level. 

 This center, still in its infancy, is garnering much enthusiasm, 

and university President Charles Rice, M.D., believes these collective pursuits will enhance the academic environment and change 

the face of military medicine. “We are absolutely convinced good 

research informs good teaching,” he said. “It’s important we create the next generation of researchers who will move this work 

forward.” 

By Christine Creenan 

VPE Staff Writer 

“We are absolutely convinced good 

research informs good teaching.” President Charles Rice, M.D. 

 For nearly four decades, USU alumni 

have gone on to hold various illustrious 

titles and have advanced biomedicine in 

many capacities. Among the cadre: physicians serving on the White House medical 

detail, leaders in overseas military operations and medical ambassadors providing 

support during national and international 

disasters. Sometimes though, alumni pursuits take on a more literary role. 

 In addition to the care he provided as a 

medical officer in the U.S. Army, retired 

COL, (Dr.) Stephen Hetz broadened knowledge of military medicine by co-editing 

“War Surgery in Afghanistan and Iraq.” 

Conducted in the vortex of raging battle, 

the text provides a sobering view of combat trauma. The cases are vivid characterizations of the challenges uniformed medical personnel face while treating the spectrum of trauma that exists on battlefields 

today. 

USU Alumnus Provides Candid Glimpse Into Battlefield Trauma 

By Christine Creenan 

VPE Staff Writer 

CAPT Joseph Lopreiato, M.D., retired from the 

U.S. Navy Sept. 26, after more than 30 years of 

career service to the Nation. Family, friends and 

USU community members attended the ceremony, celebrating his many personal and professional accomplishments. Guest speakers recalled 

CAPT Lopreiato’s adventures in the USU Department of Pediatrics as well as the work he advanced at the National Capital Area Medical Simulation Center. At the culmination of his career, 

CAPT Lopreiato served as Associated Dean for 

Simulation Education. 

Fair Winds and Following Seas 

Photo by HM2 Michael Oliver 
PAGE 4 

USU 

A Traditional Academic University with a Unique 

Focus 

 Ask physicians why they chose 

medicine and the reasons are certain to run the gamut. Always 

though, there is the unifying motivator among those who take the 

Hippocratic Oath: doctors want to 

help the sick. For Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ (USU) alumna Jane Ward, 

that drive has permeated nearly 

every capacity of her life and she is 

using her mind and body to promote well being. 

 In addition to her pursuits as an 

ophthalmologist, the Texasphysician also relies on physical 

strength to cure disease. A real 

powerhouse—Ward recently completed the Nation’s Triathlon, running, swimming and biking her 

way towards a cure for blood cancers. 

 Hardly an adventure for idle 

bodies, Ward treaded more than 50 

kilometers of land and water, in the 

midst of a sultry mid-Atlantic summer. 

The sweat, blisters and aching limbs 

paid off in a big way, though. The 

triathlon raised more than $3 million 

for the Leukemia and Lymphoma 

Society. 

 Having lost loved ones to cancer, 

Ward is deeply invested in the mission and she enjoys the athleticisms 

that accompanies this type of fundraising, enthusing, “Participating in 

any event with the Nation’s Triathlon 

is a great experience for patients, 

families and friends of blood cancer 

patients and just folks who want to 

get exercise in a group setting with 

great coaching and a bigger than 

personal goal.” 

 Ward finished the course in less 

than four hours and “right in the middle of the pack for women over 50.” Her journey, inspired by a 

desire to help and a little goading from Ward’s athlete-daughter, is 

a testament to the distance one USU alum will go to make a difference. 

USU Alum Goes Distance to Find Cure for Cancer 

By Christine Creenan 

VPE Staff Writer 

Triathlon participants navigated the arduous course on 

water, bike and foot. 

USU alumnus Jane Ward, 

M.D. finished the race in 

just under four hours. 

Courtesy Photo 

Courtesy Photo 

The USU community came together in celebration 

of Hispanic Heritage Month. Gilbert Muniz, Ph.D., 

deputy director of the National Capital Area Medical 

Simulation Center, was the keynote speaker. In his 

address, Dr. Muniz described the innovative technologies offered at the Simulation Center, including 

the immersive virtual reality area and high-fidelity 

human patient mannequins. These cutting-edge 

technologies prepare students for service careers in 

the medical and nursing corps. In his address, Dr. 

Muniz also engaged audiences by sharing inspiring 

personal stories of triumph. A high school dropout, 

he enlisted in the Army and described wonderful 

experiences traveling the world and serving his 

country. Dr. Muniz, however, came to understand 

the importance of education, went back to school 

and eventually earned a Ph.D. Today, Dr. Muniz is 

universally recognized as a leader in military medicine, medical education and medical simulation 

technology. 

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage 

Photo by HM2 Michael Oliver 
PAGE 5 

Faculty Profile: Dr. John Cross 

Dr. John Cross 

 Ensign Amy Alexander always knew she 

wanted to be a doctor. As far back as the 

young sailor remembers, her ambitions lay 

firmly grounded in the sciences. That resolve carried through her formative years 

of high school, extended beyond graduation from the Naval Academy and continues to motivate her daily at the Uniformed 

Services University of the Health Sciences 

(USU). 

 Now she is deeply enthralled in the first 

year of medical school, and excited to be a 

part of honored academia and military traditions. Like most of her classmates, the 

Idaho native chose medicine because she 

wants to make the world a healthier place. 

 Before healing can begin, she must first 

navigate the rigors of medical school, and 

USU is steeped in academic and scientific 

excellence. And though Alexander is well 

prepared, having excelled in all of her scholastic pursuits thus far, the tiniest hint of 

trepidation underscores her exposure to a 

challenging USU curriculum. 

 “They said we are going to learn 50,000 

new terms,” she sighed before quipping, 

“I’m going to need an external hard drive 

for my brain.” 

 Alexander is not one to shy from hard 

work or discipline though, tackling coursework with a kind of bravado that sets her 

apart from many scholars. “I’m going to 

shoot for all A’s,” she mused, with decided 

conviction. 

 Fortitude seems to be a framework by 

which she lives. In addition to her intellectual capabilities, Alexander is a talented 

athlete, who pushes all sorts of physical 

boundaries. 

 “I was exposed to sports early on,” she 

casually mentions, before describing adventures in skiing, gymnastics, soccer, whitewater kayaking and most recently, triathlons. Her pursuits are more than leisurely 

undertakings though; she recently won a 

silver medal at the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon, placing second among the elite 

women. 

 “Every second you are trying your hardest,” remembers Alexander. “It feels so 

good coming through the finish line. I was 

thinking—yes, I’m done!” 

 Perhaps four years from now, when the 

threshold of graduation looms imminent, 

Alexander will feel the same exalted relief. 

But for now, the physician-in-training is 

enjoying the lessons of medical school and 

childhood aspirations realized. 

Student Profile: Amy Alexander 

By Christine Creenan 

VPE Staff Writer 

 A long, narrow table divides his laboratory in half. Weighing down the sturdy 

structure is a mound of paperwork, text 

books and several instruments of scientific 

inquiry. From the corner, an old radio quietly broadcasts political commentary of 

sorts, but the discourse becomes background noise as the seasoned professor 

settles into conversation. Out come three 

jars, containing various worms—and suddenly, Dr. John Cross is in his element. 

 You see, the former corpsman and now 

professor in the Department of Preventive 

Medicine and Biometrics, has spent much 

of his career studying parasites, traveling 

the world and eventually ending up at the 

Uniformed Services University of the Health 

Sciences (USU). On the Bethesda-campus, 

Cross teaches aspiring military doctors 

about diseases such as rat lung worm, malaria and leishmaniasis. 

 A favorite among students, his lectures 

are engaging and sprinkled with personal 

anecdotes. And Cross doesn’t hold back 

one bit, even telling students about the 

time he contracted cyclosporiasis while 

conducting research in Nepal. “I kept it for 

a few weeks because I wanted teaching 

material,” he offers bluntly. 

 His dedication to education appears to 

transcend infection even, perhaps because 

the USU professor feels the weight of his 

charge. He is willing to cross many boundaries to advance science, traveling to highly 

endemic areas and bringing back the 

knowledge that prepares the young men 

and women in his class to take on a broad 

range of medical challenges and succeed 

in any environment. 

By Christine Creenan 

VPE Staff Writer 

“Every second you are trying 

your hardest.” 

 ENS Amy Alexander

Photo by HM2 Michael Oliver 

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences celebrated the Navy’s 233rd birthday Oct. 13 with a cake-cutting 

ceremony on campus grounds. Guest speaker, Force Master 

Chief Lillian Martinez (pictured), described some of the wonderful contributions made by our nation’s sailors. The celebration recognized the Navy’s rich history, which began when two 

vessels armed by the Continental Congress in 1775 were dispatched to fight in America’s war for independence. Still it 

would take Congress more than 20 years to establish a Department of the Navy on April 30, 1798. 

Happy Birthday Navy 
 As you all know by now, the USU Newsletter is published bi-weekly on Mondays. 

 Anyone who would like to submit an 

article can do so by e-mailing it to usunewsletter@usuhs.mil. Articles need to be received by Friday at 4 p.m. a week before 

the scheduled publication date of the 

newsletter. 

 For example, today’s newsletter, which 

was published Oct. 20 should have had all 

articles submitted Friday a week prior, 

which was Oct. 10. Some articles that are 

submitted require a rewrite by our staff to 

put into the correct format. We do not 

change article content, just the format in 

order to make all writing consistent and 

understandable by our audience, which 

includes faculty, staff, students, spouses, 

and visitors who might just be looking to 

find out information about the university. 

 Articles should have a tie to the university or the people who make up the university. It is not a publication to market personal business endeavors. As the editor, 

and with the guidance of the managing 

editor, it is my job to screen articles and 

photos to ensure they meet the standards 

of good taste and are grammatically correct. Since the USU Newsletter is not the 

size of most newspapers, we do not have 

the space to publish articles that are extensive in length. Articles should be between 

500 – 750 words (or 1 1⁄2 - 3 pages single 

spaced), 12 point, times new roman, in a 

standard Microsoft word document. 

 The newsletter staff strives to present the 

newsletter in a professional, but creative 

manner, while following the rules of layout/design. 

 Thank you for reading the newsletter. 

We are open to suggestions and are always 

looking for contributing writers and ideas 

for news articles. 

PAGE 6 

 Styles of writing are as varied as the people who write, so it’s 

not surprising that consistency in writing depends on what a person is writing about and, probably more importantly, who is actually doing the writing. 

 No matter the subject, writing comes down to the basic elements of grammar, which were instilled in many people at a 

young age. Although people might not think about them often, 

they’ve heard of them before....nouns, verbs, pronouns, adverbs, 

adjectives and the list could go on. From here you could go into 

the structure of sentences or how to form paragraphs. But this 

article is not about the basics of writing as much as it is to explain 

some rules of writing and why Department of Defense (DOD) 

journalists write the way they do. I’m often asked why don’t we 

capitalize a title, or why do we write ranks a certain way. 

 Journalist training stems from the Defense Information School 

(DINFOS), Fort Meade, Md., which is a joint service school, and 

provides training to all Department of Defense public affairs journalists, photographers and other print related career fields. It is 

during these months of training that DOD journalists are taught 

to write in a unified style, but for a varied audience. 

 One way to do that is by following the rules of the Associate 

Press Stylebook. This manual makes a story written anywhere understandable everywhere. Along with others manuals, it provides 

the guidance for journalists from things such as how to write military ranks and courtesy titles, to what should and shouldn’t be 

capitalized. A perfect example of this is writing the military ranks. 

 Each military service has a certain style of writing their ranks, 

i.e...the Navy abbreviates captain as CAPT, and the Air Force abbreviates it as Capt. Although a Navy captain is an O-6 and an Air 

Force captain is an O-3, DINFOS trains its writers to write them all 

the same. So it will appear as Capt. John Doe. In a joint service 

environment like that of the Uniformed Services University journalists write things of this nature in a “uniform” manner (the USU 

Newsletter staff writes the ranks as each respective service prefers). 

 Capitalization is something that is over used by most people 

and should be done sparingly. Most people are taught to always 

capitalize a person’s job title, but DOD journalists are taught to 

only capitalize the title if it’s written before the name of a person, 

not after, i.e...Chief Operating Officer Jane Doe versus Jane Doe, 

chief operating officer. Also, capitalization of names that are not 

the proper or official name are not capitalized. An example of this 

is when writing an article about USU, one might say the university 

or a university. Many people would write it as the University versus a university since USU is the only one in existence as opposed 

to a university which could refer to any school. DOD guidance is 

to write it as the university no matter which way it is used because 

it isn’t the official name of the university. The exception to this rule 

and several others is if a local style guide of writing has been established. 

 There are several rules of writing and going into them would 

be a laundry list of dos and don’ts that many people don’t understand or probably even care to know, but the purpose of this article is to simply shed some light on the method behind the writing 

madness. 

Letter from 

the Editor 

Palmer Road South will be the site location for the annual Collaborative 

Multi-Agency Exercise Oct. 30. No vehicles will be allowed to drive on 

Palmer Road South in front of USU from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, pedestrians will not be permitted to use Palmer Road South to enter the University. Pedestrians will have to enter the campus through the parking garage entrances. There will be multiple police, fire, ambulance vehicles, 

simulated mass casualty victims, simulated smoke, media and observers 

in the area. However, it should be noted, the USU gate off of Jones 

Bridge Road will be open that day from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. to accommodate 

USU employees and visitors who normally use Palmer Road South to 

enter the USU garage. 

Road Closure 

By TSgt André Nicholson 

NCOIC, Office of External Affairs 

By TSgt. André Nicholson 

NCOIC, Office of External Affairs 

Writing 101: To Capitalize or Not to Capitalize
PFT/PFA/APFT Notice: The fall 2008 Physical Fitness Test for all 

services is scheduled for Oct. 21, 22, 23 and 28 at 7 a.m. and 

noon. All military personnel are required to select the time and 

date they will take the test. All Sailors must complete the Health 

Risk Assessment questionnaire and Physical Health Assessment 

annually. Navy weigh-ins must be conducted between 10 days 

and 24 hours prior to the Physical Readiness Test. If there are any 

questions contact your service specific fitness coordinators. Air 

Force contact: (T)Sgt Ernle at 295-3281; Navy contact FC2 Race at 

295-9637; and Army contact SSG Rogers at 295-3720. 

Voting: The 2008 presidential election is on Nov. 4. Absentee 

voters should request ballots at least 60 days before the election. 

An online version of the Federal Post Card Application (SF-76) can 

be obtained at: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.pdf. 

2008 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC): The mission of the CFC 

is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is 

employee focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for 

all. 

Learning Resource Center (LRC) Classes: Introduction to Microsoft 

Excel 2007 Class will be held Oct. 23 at 2 p.m.. You will be taught 

how to create and manipulate a workbook in Microsoft Excel 

2007. This hands-on workshop will review the new interface of 

Excel 2007 and review how to navigate a workbook, cell references and simple formulas. PDA Basics & Medical Information 

Class will be held on Oct.28 at 11:30 a.m. Come to the first halfhour to learn the basic skills you1ll need to use your handheld 

device (palm or pocket PC). Then stay for a full-hour demonstration of the medical tools that provide disease, drug and treatment 

information in the palm of your hand. To register and find a complete list of LRC classes, follow this link: 

http://www.lrc.usuhs.mil/content/training_reg.php 

Red Ribbon Week: Red Ribbon Week is a United States initiative 

for the prevention and education about the dangers of drugs and 

alcohol. The first Red Ribbon Celebration was organized in 1985 

by an organization of parents concerned about the destruction 

caused by alcohol and drug abuse. All uniformed personnel are 

required to be at the stand-down formation Oct. 24 in the Sanford 

Auditorium at 8 a.m. There will be multiple guest speakers from 

various outside agencies. 

National Disability Month: USU requests your attendance at the 

annual USU National Disability Month Program on Oct. 28 from 

10 a.m. – 11a.m. in the USU Cafeteria. Dr. Sharon L. Juliano (APG) 

will be the guest speaker. This year's theme is, ""America's People, 

America's Talent...America's Strength!" Refreshments will be provided. 

USU Briefs 

USU 

A Traditional Academic University with a Unique 

Focus 

 In the past three years, ground-breaking 

discoveries in the prostate cancer field have 

highlighted that alterations of ETS related 

genes (predominantly ERG), as a result of a 

fusion between male hormone receptor 

regulated gene promoters (predominantly 

TMPRSS2) and ETS transcription factors, 

represent one of the most common oncogenic defects in prostate cancer. Researchers at the Center for Prostate Disease Research (CPDR) at the Uniformed Services 

University of the Health Sciences (USU) had 

originally shown frequent overexpression 

(60-70%) of the ETS related gene ERG in 

the epithelial cell transcriptome of prostate 

cancers. In their continued quest to understand the functional role and clinical utility 

of ERG alterations in prostate cancer, CPDR 

researchers have now defined new features of ERG function and expression 

which will further enhance the potential of 

ERG as promising biomarker and therapeutic target for prostate cancer. 

 Using cell culture and animal models 

and prostate cancer specimens from patients, the multi-disciplinary group co-led by 

Dr.Shiv Srivastava, Dr. David G. McLeod, Dr. 

Isabell A. Sesterhenn and Dr. Albert Dobi 

shows that inhibiting ERG expression in 

prostate tumor cells induces markers of 

prostate differentiation and inhibits tumor 

cell growth in mice. This study also highlights the role of the C-MYC oncogene in 

mediating ERG functions in prostate cancer 

cells. Taken together, these novel findings 

strongly implicate causal roles of ERG in 

prostate cancer at least in part by affecting 

cellular differentiation. Moreover, this study 

underscores promising potential of ERG 

and C-MYC in developing new targeted 

therapy for a large percentage of prostate 

cancers with ERG overexpression (60-70%). 

The second innovative CPDR study, co-led 

by Dr. Shiv Srivastava, Dr. David G. McLeod, 

Dr. Isabell A. Sesterhenn and Dr. Gyorgy 

Petrovics, defines full length transcripts and 

proteins encoded by common TMPRSS2-

ERG fusions in prostate tumors. This study 

for the first time has led to the discovery of 

two major types of ERG products (type I: 

full length and type II: without ETS domain) 

in prostate tumors. Surprisingly, they found 

an abundance of type II products in tumors 

cells. Although the functional role of the 

type II products is unclear, early data suggest that ratios of type I and type II products in prostate tumor cells may provide 

prognostic indicators for disease progression. New information from this study has 

promise to enhance future strategies for 

utilizing specific ERG products as biomarkers or as therapeutic targets. Further 

studies are also warranted that would address the role of specific ERG products in 

overall ERG functions in prostate cancer. 

Towards these goals the CPDR team has 

been recently awarded a three year grant 

from the DoD-Prostate Cancer Research 

Program. 

CPDR Researchers Provide New Insights Into Common Alterations of ERG Oncogene in Prostate Cancer 

Courtesy of 

Center for Prostate Disease Research 

PAGE 7 
UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY 

of the Health Sciences