Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center Report 2016...Cancer Centers in Texas, and one of 47 across...

Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center Report 2016 bcm.edu/cancercenter

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An NCI-designated cancer center

NUMBER OF TR IALS IN 2016

PEER-REVIEW E D FU NDING

PROGRAM PU BL IC ATIONS

Total trials

308

Interventional

185

Non-Interventional

123

SPECIFIC FUNDING SOURCE PROJECT DIRECT COST

PROJECT TOTAL COSTS

TOTAL NUMBER OF PROJECTS

NCI Peer-Reviewed Research Projects $22,089,915 $32,895,455 118

Other NIH Peer-Reviewed Research Projects

$25,335,081 $36,654,033 99

CPRIT Research Projects $25,496,800 $26,697,679 77

Other Peer-Reviewed Research Projects $38,601,483 $43,068,979 162

Non-Peer-Reviewed Research Projects $29,150,846 $37,896,898 144

Grand Total (All Projects) $115,177,325 $150,515,365 523

PROGRAM TOTAL PUBLICATIONS

INTRA-PROGRAMMATIC

INTER-PROGRAMMATIC

Breast Cancer 220 22% 31%

Cancer Biology 685 15% 19%

Cancer Cell and Gene Therapy 412 49% 26%

Cancer Evolvability 452 13% 28%

Nuclear Receptor 227 27% 36%

Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences 572 38% 15%

Treatment: 163

Prevention: 3

Supportive Care: 12

ScrZeening: 4

Ancillary/Correlative: 64

Observational (OBS): 59

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A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR �� 3

STORIES FROM OUR RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Breast Cancer Program ��4

Cancer Biology �� 6

Cell and Gene Therapy��8

Cancer Evolvability �� 10

Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program ��12

Pediatric Cancer Program ��14

Nuclear Receptor Program ��16

OFFICE OF OUTREACH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES �� 18

GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS, AND METABOLOMICS �� 20

PRECISION ENVIORNMENTAL HEALTH �� 22

NEW VENTURE�� 24

EDUCATION AND TRAINING �� 26

DISEASE ORIENTED WORKING GROUPS��28

NEW FACES �� 32

SHARED RESOURCES & LEADERSHIP �� 34

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The cover photo depicts Ken Scott, Ph.D. in his lab. See story on page 6 for more information.

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It is my pleasure to introduce the stories included in this report, welcoming you to gain unique insight into the exceptional clinical, research, educational, and community-oriented initiatives undertaken by our talented faculty and staff at the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center (DLDCCC) at Baylor College of Medicine.

Perhaps the most exciting development for the DLDCCC is the designation of “Comprehensive” status from the NCI in 2015, indicating excellence in the areas of laboratory, clinical, and population-based research, education, community outreach to the underserved, and state-of-the-art patient care. As a Comprehensive Cancer Center, we develop and conduct clinical trials and also engage with the community through outreach and education to ensure the underserved population gains access to these exciting new therapies. With the Comprehensive designation, we join the ranks as one of only three Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Texas, and one of 47 across the country. Our relationships with Harris Health System’s Ben Taub Hospital, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center have continued to grow and strengthen, casting an ever-widening net of care across the Houston community. Our Center cares for all of the people of Houston.

In this report, you will read more about the exceptional research being conducted through our seven research programs, including Cancer Biology, Cancer Prevention and Population Science, Breast Cancer, Pediatric Cancer, Cancer Cell and Gene Therapy, Nuclear Receptors, and Cancer Evolvability. While research always has been a strength at Baylor, the DLDCCC has also created 15 cancer specific working groups to explore and consider cancer from multiple perspectives and encourage collaboration across clinical and research disciplines. With this growth, we have recruited more than 40 new cancer-focused scientists and clinicians over the last two years, including internationally known experts in lung, liver, and esophageal cancers, the latter two of which are rapidly increasing in incidence and are a particular problem in south Texas. The success of our specialized research programs and dedicated disease-oriented working groups is evident in successfully competing for $150 million in research grant funding this year.

A few areas of growing focus for the DLDCCC include global health and survivorship, or the care of cancer patients after initial diagnosis and treatment. We have developed partnerships in emerging countries across the world to develop technologies and procedures to help decrease cancer incidence and improve overall care, and our Office of Outreach and Health Disparities helps to address these issues on a large scale within the Houston community itself. The newly-founded Center for Precision Environmental Health takes a deeper look into how environmental factors contribute to the development of cancer later in life. In the continued pursuit of precision medicine, we have placed significant emphasis on the development of a strong proteogenomics and metabolomics program to clarify the molecular pathways leading to development and progression of cancer and, then, new drugs to block those pathways.

Achievement of our NCI comprehensive status, would not have been possible without the generous support of the Houston community and the many donors who have supported the DLDCCC and cancer programming at Baylor. The DLDCCC is named to honor the late Dan Duncan and his family, and their 2006 gift has had a profound influence on the trajectory of the DLDCCC. Lester and Sue Smith have made several large gifts over the past decade supporting key programs, departments or clinics that are part of the DLDCCC, while Bob and Janice McNair, our new campus home namesakes, have supported the recruitment of seven McNair Scholars in the area of cancer who are pushing the bounds of research discovery, which translates to enhanced patient care.

As our Cancer Center continues to expand, we are looking forward to the completion of our new DLDCCC clinical space at the Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center at McNair Campus, which will further enable our team to provide state-of-the-art comprehensive patient care. In the ever-changing environment of cancer research, better treatment, and comprehensive care, the DLDCCC looks forward to a challenging and exciting future that brings us closer to solving the cancer puzzle.

Get to know the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine

C� Kent Osborne, M�D� Director, Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center

Best regards.

C. Kent Osborne, M.D.

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THE DAY SHARON SHAPIRO’S DAU GHTER DELIVERED HER B ABY WAS NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE. What had been a relatively standard pregnancy for her daughter had become complicated when she was initially diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and additional ultrasounds revealed that the baby had abnormalities impairing her brain stem, urinary tract, and reproductive organs. Faced with a heartbreaking prognosis for the baby, Sharon and her family felt blessed to have spent five days with their granddaughter after her birth.

Shortly after, the family ordered genetic testing at Baylor College of Medicine to determine what was behind the baby’s fatal condition. The diagnosis, called Fanconi anemia, was revealed to be the cause due to two copies of the BRCA2 mutation, a genetic mutation commonly associated with breast cancer.

“The genetic testing gave us the answers we were looking for, and prompted other members of our family to undergo genetic testing to determine our risk factors for other diseases,” said Shapiro.

Shapiro’s daughter and son-in-law went through genetic testing, finding that they were both carriers of the BRCA2 mutation, a very rare coincidence, and both had passed the mutation on to their daughter. Shapiro decided to have genetic testing done, as well, to determine if the mutation was being passed down through her family tree. Her test came back BRCA2 positive.

Shapiro was quickly referred to Dr. Julie Nangia, assistant professor at the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center and a specialist in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, who ordered a mammogram and MRI to screen for breast cancer.

Breast Cancer ProgramJulie Nangia, M�D�, assistant professor in the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center�

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“I am very diligent in getting my annual mammograms and doing self-exams. I know the importance of early detection, and I never missed my appointment,” said Shapiro. “I was confused as to why they wanted to do another mammogram along with an MRI, but trusted Dr. Nangia that they were simply looking a little closer at my breast tissue, knowing that I carry the BRCA2 gene.” Shapiro’s MRI revealed a small mass that Nangia felt required a biopsy.

“What we thought was just a small tumor in Sharon’s breast turned out to be a highly aggressive 4.5 centimeter tumor,” said Nangia. “This MRI screen likely saved Sharon’s life, and if it had been diagnosed later it may have been at a more advanced stage and not curable.”

“I was blown away. This tumor had gone undetected through self-exams, mammograms, and physician exams,” said Shapiro.

Shapiro began her chemotherapy treatment immediately, and underwent a double mastectomy in November, which showed the cancer was completely gone with the chemotherapy she received!

“As difficult as it was to lose a granddaughter, she truly saved my life. She told us more about our family than we ever could have imagined, and she is to thank for inspiring our family to be more proactive about our health and cancer risk,” said Shapiro.

Shapiro’s daughter and son-in-law are now involved with Baylor’s Fertility Center to help determine their pregnancy risks moving forward and are hopeful for a future pregnancy. “I cannot say enough about all of the doctors, nurses and specialists who helped us through this long journey at Baylor. Every person was nicer, more caring, more compassionate than the next,” said Shapiro, who also met with a gynecological oncologist to have a preventative hysterectomy.

Shapiro’s complicated road to her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment reflects the personalized approach to care Baylor, the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center strive to provide.

Shapiro adds, “My genes held the vital information we needed to make my breast cancer diagnosis, and now I realize more than ever that knowledge is power.” •

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BREAST CANCER PROGRAM

LEADER Jeffrey Rosen, Ph.D.

CO-LEADERMothaffar Rimawi, M.D.

MEMBERSHIP22 Research members4 Clinical members3 Adjunct members

THEMESMechanisms of resistance to therapy; Stem cells in normal mammary gland development and breast cancer progression; Estrogen receptor and other signaling pathways in development, prevention and progression of breast cancer; Development of new preclinical metastasis models

RESEARCH FUNDING NCI: $9.6MNIH: $0.31MCPRIT: $4.8MPeer-Reviewed: $18.9MNon-Peer Reviewed: $2.0MTotal: $20.9M

THE LESTER AND SUE SMITH BREAST CENTER

The Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center strives to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast disease while providing top-tier education for future physicians and researchers. Clinically, the center offers comprehensive, compassionate care for women with breast disease and cancer. Clinical research is an integral component of the center, which offers nationwide and local regional clinical studies in all aspects of breast health. Currently this group is one of only six recipients nationally of the NIH Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) Grant in Breast Cancer. Training of physicians, fellows, medical students and other healthcare providers is also an integral function of the Smith Breast Center. Dr. Matthew Ellis, an international leader in breast cancer genomics, was recruited to Baylor in September 2014 to serve as director of the Center.

Claudette Foreman, research coordinator in the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, demonstrates the Paxman Scalp Cooling device, which helps prevent hair loss from chemotherapy�

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THE CANCER BIOLOGY PROGRAM IN THE DAN L DUNCAN COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER is focused on understanding mechanisms of cancer development and its implications for therapeutic intervention. To study the biology of cancer, researchers in the Cancer Biology Program depend on genetic and molecular biological techniques to perform studies with human cells and tissues to investigate cancer signaling pathways.

The program centers around four key themes – including animal models of human cancers, human cancer signaling pathways, translational research, and cancer genomics and bioinformatics – and researchers in the program collaborate heavily with the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor to analyze molecular alterations in human cancer types. While many scientists in the Cancer Biology Program overlap with the Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, few have the opportunity to study a tumor living in their own body.

Dr. Ken Scott, assistant professor of molecular and human genetics at Baylor and an avid Ironman competitor, is living his work, in more ways than one. As a functional geneticist, his job uses robotics to find new genes, with a concentration on cancer gene discovery.

When training for his next test of physical prowess, a continuous three-day endurance challenge termed “the Death Race,” Scott began to develop a pain in his pelvis, chalking it up to training. The pain persisted and Scott visited his doctor to have a scan of the area. In the peak of his health, Scott was diagnosed with unclassifiable stage four sarcoma, a cancer of the bone and soft tissue, which had spread to his spine and scapula.

“Initial X-rays indicated that a part of my pelvis had literally been chewed away by the cancer, leaving it shattered into tiny pieces,” Scott described.

Faced with a rare and difficult cancer, Scott went in for a biopsy. At the time of the procedure, Scott’s heart rate was a very slow 42 beats per minute, and he could not be put under with traditional anesthetic. Being a functional geneticist, the biopsy procedure got his brain turning.

Cancer Biology

Ken Scott, Ph�D�, assistant professor of molecular and human genetics, in his lab� On the right is an image of his pelvic sarcoma tissue�

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“Before my diagnosis, my only real connection to cancer had been through a microscope. During the biopsy, I asked my surgeon if I could keep a piece of the tumor,” said Scott. “I don’t think they had ever had someone ask that before, so it took them by surprise, but he nodded and let me leave with a sample after the pathologist in the room tracked down some dry ice and a Styrofoam cup.”

Scott took his tumor sample back to his lab at Baylor, where he then contacted the Human Genome Sequencing Center to have it sequenced. They found that the NF2 gene had fused to RNF7, the causal gene that activates certain cancer pathways.

Strangely enough, Scott’s research is squarely focused on discovering new cancer genes, and his lab had just developed a new technology to create these fusion genes, where two genes come together to form an entirely new gene.

“I am studying my own disease in my lab, which provides a unique perspective as both a scientist and a patient. My physical training, career and educational background, cancer diagnosis and new technology development all came together at the same time to allow me to do this in a novel way and identify clinically and scientifically valuable data.”

Thus far, Scott has been through 22 rounds of grueling chemotherapy, and his tumors are responding well, but slowly, as he explains it is a “quiet” tumor with few mutations, which is typical for rare sarcomas “driven” by fusion genes. “The nurses call me Superman,” said Scott, as he leans back in his office chair. “It is astounding to have been put through that much chemo and still have the ability to make it into the office, gym and lab regularly. But I feel both the drive to continue my research and study this disease, but there are also days that I simply want to be a patient and focus on maintaining my health and strength; it’s a Catch 22.”

Scott’s work is an ideal example of how the Cancer Biology Program strives to combine the biology and makeup of a tumor with its genetic structure to identify potential new pathways and methods of treatment.

“The Cancer Biology Program operates through Focus Threads, which allow us to bring together researchers and physicians from different programs and areas of cancer care and the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center to foster collaboration and joint projects to make advances in understanding tumor biology,” said Dr. David Rowley, professor of cellular and molecular biology and director of the Cancer Biology program. “By studying cases like Dr. Scott’s, the program can open the door to a much larger number of grants with more researchers, core programs and physicians communicating about cancer and the grant opportunities to apply for.”

As for his legacy, Scott is making a larger effort to study sarcoma at Baylor and make it a greater focus within its cancer program at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, and is writing grants to support research in pediatric sarcomas at Texas Children’s Hospital. He also was recently awarded a federal grant to scale his fusion gene technology, which he hopes to use to build and examine the cancer activity for thousands of uncharacterized fusion genes.

“My diagnosis directed me to become an advocate for sarcoma research,” said Scott. “Cancer is scary, and you truly are your own biggest advocate. If I hadn’t had the thought to sequence my tumor, it likely never would have happened.” •

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CANCER BIOLOGY PROGRAM

LEADER DAVID ROWLEY, PH.D.

CO-LEADERMichael Ittmann, M.D., Ph.D.


THEMESComputational Biology, Functional Genomics, Cell Signaling, and Translation

RESEARCH FUNDING NCI: $6.4MNIH: $14.1MCPRIT: $6.9MPeer-Reviewed: $29.8MNon-Peer Reviewed: $9.2MTotal: $39M

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ONE OF THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE CANCER CELL AND GENE THERAPY (CCGT) PROGRAM WITHIN THE DAN L DUNCAN COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER is to facilitate the rapid translation of novel cell and gene therapy protocols from the laboratory to the clinic.

The program is part of the larger Center for Cell and Gene Therapy (CAGT), which has six component areas that bring together a wide variety of scientists and clinicians to develop strategies for the treatment of cancer and viral infections. These six components include basic science research, including the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, Translational Research, GMP facilities for manufacturing cells and vectors, the Clinical Research and Regulatory Group, and the Stem Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapy Program.

Clinical trial research and development is also a large part of the Center for CAGT’s activities, and its members work hard to bring these alternative options to patients dealing with complicated cancers.

One such clinical trial is studying the effect of infusing T cells that are specific for antigens that are aberrantly overexpressed by multiple myeloma. Myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, which by its outgrowth can cause bone destruction, anemia and sometimes kidney failure.

“The main focus of our work is determining how T cells, warriors of the immune system that identify and destroy abnormal cells, can be taught to recognize specific elements of a tumor or of the infected tissue, so we are then able to eliminate those cells from the body,” said Dr. Carlos Ramos, associate professor at CAGT.

In cases of adult myeloma, therapies such as proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs have improved the average survival overall, but the search for a cure is still active, as even with these therapies, most patients eventually relapse.

Cell and Gene TherapyPremal Lulla, M�B�B�S�, assistant professor of medicine, and Ayumi Watanabe analyzing correlative data in the lab�

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Recognizing the need for novel T cell-based curative therapies for multiple myeloma patients, Dr. Ann Leen, a senior scientist at CAGT, and her team of researchers developed a strategy to a reactivate autologous T cells that simultaneously target a range of tumor associated antigens that are often expressed by myeloma cells. Those include PRAME, MAGEA4, SSX2, Survivin and NY-ESO-1. Dr. Premal Lulla, who is a clinical investigator at CAGT, collaborated closely with Leen to design and implement a phase I/II clinical trial to determine the safety, expansion, persistence, and anti-myeloma effects of infusions of these T cells to patients with multiple myeloma.

“Each of these antigens is highly expressed by myeloma cells, which is why they were selected for targeting using T cells,” said Lulla.

The clinical trial for the treatment of myeloma has, to date, enrolled seven patients with high-risk multiple myeloma, who in some cases have shown to be refractory to more than three lines of conventional therapies. Two infusions of these “multi-tumor antigen” specific T cells were administered to patients, two weeks apart.

“With this clinical trial we are asking the question of whether these infused T cells are safe in patients, and if they are, do they have any activity in controlling a patient’s disease?” said Lulla.

Of the seven patients involved in that trial, four had active disease at the time of infusion. Six of the patients were infused at dose level one, and one patient was infused at dose level two. All four patients with active myeloma had a positive and quantifiable abnormal protein in the blood referred to as an “M-spike.” This was measured before and after the infusion to determine response in each patient. The levels of M-spike showed that one patient was stable in their disease, one moved into a complete remission, one attained a partial remission while one patient progressed.

Three patients were given T cells while their myeloma was quiescent (no measurable M-spike) with the purpose of preventing a relapse, and they have remained in remission now ranging from 6 to 12 months post-T cell infusion. The scientists at CAGT are actively investigating mechanisms of activity in patients who responded and mechanisms of immune escape in the patient that progressed.

“The trial has, so far, taught us that at the second of four dose levels the treatment is safe and that in preliminary correlative analysis the infused T cells are capable of recognizing the targeted antigens expressed by the patient’s myeloma,” said Lulla. “We are actively developing strategies within the laboratory, such as these multi-tumor antigen specific T cells, which have the capacity to adapt and respond to the patient’s tumor as it evolves.”The myeloma study conducted through the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy has not only resulted in a greater understanding of treatment and targeting in myeloma, but has also spurred the development of a novel treatment product that has been expanded in the lab to target multiple myeloma cells.

Future versions of the study aim to achieve dose level four and enroll up to 32 patients.“The collaborative work of Drs. Leen and Lulla to develop T cell immunotherapy to treat myeloma is an excellent example of the team science that we strive to do here in the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy,” said Dr. Helen Heslop, director of the Center. “The team has developed a novel strategy in the research laboratory, translated it into the GMP facility working with Dr. Adrian Gee and then worked with Bambi Grilley and the regulatory team to develop a first-in-man clinical trial conducted under an Investigational New Drug from the FDA. They will carry out correlative studies aimed at further improving this approach. Clinical trials are critical in advancing our understanding of the treatment of cancer and other diseases, and the patients who participate are contributing in a very personal way to the process of improving outcomes.” •

CANCER CELL AND GENE THERAPY PROGRAM

LEADER Helen Heslop, M.D.

CO-LEADERMargaret Goodell, Ph.D.

MEMBERSHIP20 research members 5 clinical members0 Adjunct members

THEMESNormal and malignant stem cells, adoptive immunotherapy of cancer, and improving outcomes of stem cell transplantation for cancer


CENTER FOR CELL AND GENE THERAPY

As a collaborative initiative between Baylor, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy brings together the resources of all three institutions. Established in 1998, the Center has expanded to employ more than 30 clinical and research faculty members and 300 staff members. Patient facilities include the adult stem cell transplant unit at Houston Methodist Hospital and the pediatric stem cell transplant unit at Texas Children’s Hospital. The Center is a major component of the translational Cancer Cell and Gene Therapy program in Baylor’s Duncan Cancer Center.

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THE WORD ITSELF MAY NOT BE “REAL,” YET THE WORD “EVOLVABILITY” perfectly articulates the goal of the Cancer Evolvability Program in the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center; the study of a cancer’s ability to evolve.

The evolution of tumors and infectious diseases occurs through variation and selection, and there are two basic pathways to generate variation; intrinsic genomic and phenotypic instability, and extrinsic introduction of foreign genes, proteins, RNAs, and other molecules and infectious agents. The Cancer Evolvability Program addresses both routes to generating the diversity that drives evolution of cancers and their resistance to therapies.

In a recent study published in Science Advances, members of the Baylor Cancer Evolvability team, led by Dr. Susan Rosenberg, along with researchers from Rice University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, studied cancer from a new angle. They identified signature genetic reaction intermediates that occur in cells on their way to becoming, and that are already, cancerous. Understanding how those DNA intermediates lead to cancer help to develop new drugs to neutralize the intermediates before they lead to potentially deadly disease.

“When you know these reactions and the role each intermediate plays in the mechanisms that change DNA, you can think about making drugs that will stop them,” said Rosenberg.

Rosenberg, also the Ben F. Love Chair in Cancer Research, and the collaborative, multi-institutional team engineered synthetic proteins, man-made molecules that mimic the function and structure of natural proteins, which trap reaction intermediates in genome instability in living cells.

This was a fundamentally novel approach to understanding biochemical reactions. These synthetic proteins were used to discover new functions of a bacterial protein related to five human cancer proteins, and to implicate the new function as a probable way that two related human proteins promote cancer in the eight most common cancer types.

“The intermediate molecules are the most important parts of biochemical reactions,” said Rosenberg. “They define what the reaction is and how it will proceed. But because they are transient and elusive, it’s really difficult to study them, especially in living cells, so we invented synthetic proteins that would trap DNA reaction intermediates in living cells in real-time. Essentially freezing them in time and giving us the chance to isolate and study them.”Utilizing freeze-frame proteins lets you map in the genome where reactions happen, and

Cancer Evolvability

Susan Rosenberg, Ph�D�, in her lab�

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inventing this new technology allows researchers to approach the process in a new way by making these traps work in all cells, including human.Rosenberg and colleagues carried out this study in the laboratory bacterium E. coli, which has been shown to be a reliable model of the genetic changes that occur in animal cells.

The freeze-frame protein traps a special X-shaped DNA structure that occurs where four DNA strands come together. Xs in DNA occur when its replication is impaired, and also as an intermediate step in DNA repair. If replication stalls, X structures must be removed for DNA replication to continue, which is essential for proliferating cancers.

The team modeled the most common kind of cancers, those that lack the protein P53, in E. coli. P53-deficient cancers overproduce a DNA repair protein called RAD51, which is related to E. coli’s RecA repair protein, so they overproduced RecA in E. coli. They discovered that this results in X structures, specifically the kind caused by replication stoppage. They also discovered that an E. coli protein, RecQ, prevents X structures from forming. They reasoned that if P53-deficient cancers also had excessive Xs, they would need to overproduce the proteins that prevent or remove X structures so DNA replication and proliferation could continue.

The team mined the data of RNAs in cancers and found two human cancer genes related to RecQ that are significantly overproduced with RAD51, the X-maker, in all of the eight most common cancer types. The two human proteins are likely preventing Xs so that the cancer DNA can be replicated—a wholly new role for the two human proteins in promoting cancers.

“The most exciting part is that we can learn something new about the mechanisms of cancer from the E.coli model,” said Qian Mei, a research assistant in the Rosenberg lab and a graduate student in the Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology (SSPB) program at Rice University. “Even though bacteria and human cells are very different, many DNA repair proteins are highly conserved through evolution; this makes E. coli a good model to study how cells repair DNA or accumulate mutations.”

Rosenberg and colleagues think their approach offers significant advantages. For instance, with the synthetic proteins, they have been able to identify specific DNA-repair intermediate molecules, their numbers in cells, rates of formation and locations in the genome and the molecular reactions in which they participate. The Rosenberg lab team, with a gift from the W. M. Keck Foundation, hopes to develop a toolbox of synthetic proteins that will be available to people who work in any organism in the world to show it is a universal approach.

“It is most exciting that we are now able to trap, map and quantify transient DNA reaction intermediates in single living cells,” said Jun Xia, graduate student in the Rosenberg lab and in the Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences program at Baylor. “This new technology helps us reveal the origins of genome instability.”

“In the future we hope we will be able to design drugs that target specific types of cancers; drugs that block the cells’ ability to evolve into cancer cells and to evolve resistance to chemotherapies, instead of, or in addition to, traditional chemotherapies that kill or stop cancer cells from growing,” said Rosenberg.

“Inventing new technology leads to breakthroughs, and our new technology demonstrates a different way to investigate biology in living cells. Discoveries are made because we are looking at things in ways no one else has looked before. We are grateful to the W. M. Keck Foundation for supporting this high-risk high- payoff work.” •

CANCER EVOLVABILITY PROGRAM

LEADER Susan M. Rosenberg, Ph.D.

CO-LEADERJanet S. Butel, Ph.D.

MEMBERSHIP32 Research members0 Clinical members1 Adjunct member

THEMESIntrinsic: Genome and Phenotypic Plasticity (mutation, genome rearrangement, recombination, epigenetic and stochastic protein and RNA variation); Extrinsic: Infectious Oncogenesis and Microbiome, in which introduction of foreign genes, proteins, RNAs, and other molecules and genetic programs by infectious agents (viruses, microbes, microbiome) promote (or prevent) oncogenesis


Dr. Janet Butel, long-time co-leader of the Cancer Evolvability Program, retired as Chair of the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology on December 31, 2016. Her research laboratory has focused on studies of the molecular biology and tumor potential of polyomaviruses, which have provided many fundamental insights into the molecular basis of carcinogenesis. She will continue to be an active scientist at BCM.

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THE MISSION OF THE CANCER PREVENTION AND POPULATION S CIENCES PROGRAM is to conduct exceptional research in cancer prevention and control through innovative, multidisciplinary scientific interactions that will lead to reductions in cancer morbidity and mortality.

An endoscope, a small medical device with a light attached to it, is used to look inside a patient’s body cavity or particular organ to locate or diagnose the source of a given ailment. Dr. Sharmila Anandasabapathy, a professor in the section of gastroenterology and hepatology at Baylor College of Medicine, has embarked on a mission to bring low-cost endoscopes to developing countries, where a simple endoscopy could help diagnose hundreds of gastric, colon, and esophageal cancers and ailments such as squamous cell carcinoma, which is common in China.

Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program

A team of physicians and researchers in China examine endoscopy images�

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There are many standard endoscopy technologies used in the United States for these types of procedures, but they are too cost prohibitive for use in developing countries. Not only is the cost of the machine unattainable, but there are other restrictions, such as limited access to electricity or a power source and lack of sedation methods.

Anandasabapathy is looking to develop lower cost methods with support from two RO1 funded trials, one studying Barrett’s Esophagus in the United States, and the other looking at esophageal squamous cell cancer in China and the United States, while also addressing the issue of diagnosis in real time.

“For less than $2,000, we have developed an endoscope that connects with a digital device, such as a tablet, and can interpret what the endoscope sees. This is revolutionary for developing countries, particularly along the former Silk Road route, where squamous cell carcinoma is common,” said Anandasabapathy. “The ability to study the images on a tablet allows us to develop software algorithms to interpret the images in real time, eliminating the need for a specialized endoscopist on site.”

“We’ve used this validated high-resolution micro endoscope in 1,300 patients in the United States and China so far. It magnifies the lining of the esophagus 1,000 times and uses a fluorescent stain to highlight the nuclei of the cells, which gives a close-up view of the cancer cells and allows for real-time cancer diagnosis,” said Anandasabapathy. “The combination of a lower cost device, ability to see the cells in real-time, and diagnose a cancer with the assistance of software will change the way cancer is approached in these countries.”

Anandasabapathy’s future goal is to expand the technology to include screening for more cancers, including gastric, and to continue to lower the costs, bringing endoscopes to more regions such as South Africa, Central and South America, and Sri Lanka.

“Dr. Anandasapathy’s work in bringing affordable endoscopy to developing countries hugely impacts the level of care these physicians are able to provide, and thereby decreases the rates of cancer mortality in these places,” said Dr. Melissa Bondy, co-leader of the program. “We look forward to seeing Sharmila continue to advance her reach and involvement in clinics across the globe.” •

CANCER PREVENTION AND POPULATION SCIENCES

LEADER Melissa Bondy, Ph.D. McNair Scholar

CO-LEADERHoda Badr, Ph.D.


THEMESMolecular and genetic epidemiology, behavioral research in tobacco cessation, obesity, and addiction, and statistical genetics

RESEARCH FUNDING NCI: $3.9MNIH: $3.6MCPRIT: $4.8MPeer-Reviewed: $15.2MNon-Peer Reviewed: $25KTotal: $15.3M

A team of physicians and researchers in China test the endoscope technology�

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“HEALTH CONCERNS DO NOT END WHEN CANCER TREATMENT IS SU CCESSFULLY COMPLETED,” said Dr. David Poplack, professor and head, Hematology-Oncology Section, Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and director of Texas Children’s Cancer Center. “We need to know more about the health challenges pediatric cancer patients may face in the future, and the best way to do that is to follow these patients as they age.”

More than 75 percent of pediatric cancer patients are cured, but approximately two thirds of them will have late effects of their treatment that can be serious and even life-threatening. The Texas Children’s Cancer Center runs an entire clinic dedicated to this increasingly important area of pediatric cancer care. Eligible patients have been off treatment for two years and are typically four to five years post-diagnosis. The Long-Term Survivor Program has pediatric and internal medicine clinicians who follow these patients yearly. Unfortunately, many of the survivors ultimately no longer return to the clinic and are followed in the community by physicians without specialized training in the survivor’s medical issues. In fact, of the more than 450,000 survivors of childhood cancer in the U.S., it is estimated that less than 20 percent are being actively followed by a survivor clinic.

Recognizing this need for surveillance of long-term survivors, Poplack partnered with Dr. Michael Fordis, director of Baylor’s Center for Collaborative and Interactive Technologies and the Children’s Oncology Group to create the Passport for Care. The Passport for Care is a web-based decision support tool to address the needs of physicians and survivors for individualized information about surveillance testing for more than 150 potential late effects, such as infertility, secondary malignancies and heart disease, which could impact the survivor down the road.

Since its development in 2008, Passport for Care has grown to serve nearly 26,000 survivors, and it is used in over 125 clinics. The program is free to Children’s Oncology Group institutions, and is fully supported by philanthropic efforts and grants, including funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Initiative of Texas (CPRIT).

The Passport for Care Clinician Website allows oncologists to enter a survivor’s basic medical history, including type of cancer and treatment, including any chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. With the click of a mouse, the Passport for Care program then generates individualized health care recommendations for the long-term survivor based on the most up-to-date survivorship guidelines, which were developed and are updated by the Children’s Oncology Group and programmed within Passport for Care. These guidelines

Pediatric Cancer Program

David Poplack, M�D�, at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, the pediatric cancer program of the Duncan Cancer Center�

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Lester and Sue Smith�

help inform the physician about the survivor’s risk for late effects, potential risk factors, surveillance tests and recommended frequency for testing and follow-up screening.

The Clinician Website has been used for more than 6 years; currently by clinicians in 125 pediatric oncology clinics on four continents. It provides them with a detailed summary of the survivor’s treatment, individualized recommendations for screening and preventative health based on the latest guidelines, and Health Links, a survivor education tool.

The Passport for Care also has a Survivor Website, developed and initially implemented with the support of a CPRIT grant, which allows the survivor direct access to their information from the Clinician Website translated into lay language in English or Spanish. They or, in the case of minors, their parents can view their individualized treatment history, health risks, recommendations for follow up care and health information specific to their risks and share the information with their physicians. The Survivor Website will provide survivors who are no longer followed by an oncology-based survivor clinic with the information they need for their care. We intend to use social media to encourage survivors everywhere to sign up to have their treatment information entered in the Survivor Website by their oncology clinic or with the help of the Passport for Care patient navigator.

According to Dr. Marc Horowitz, professor, Hematology-Oncology Section, Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Cancer Center, “the Passport for Care has been extremely successful in providing survivors of childhood cancer and their clinicians with detailed, tailored guidelines necessary to navigate what has come to be a very complex aspect of pediatric cancer care. Additionally, the Passport for Care has significant research potential which we have just begun to explore.” •

PEDIATRIC CANCER PROGRAM

LEADER David G. Poplack, M.D.

CO-LEADERSharon Plon, M.D., Ph.D.


THEMESBiologic and Therapeutic Studies of Pediatric Solid Tumors, Pediatric Neuro-oncology Research, Pediatric Cancer Genetics and Genomics, Pediatric Cancer Developmental Therapeutics, Leukemia and Lymphoma, and Cancer Survivorship


TEXAS CHILDREN’S CANCER CENTER

The Texas Children’s Cancer Center is a joint program of Baylor and Texas Children’s Hospital, and is the Pediatric Cancer Program of the DLDCCC. As the largest pediatric cancer center in the country, and the #1 in Texas, the nationally acclaimed children’s clinic, along with the research and drug development program, is considered by U.S. News and World Report as the #2 best children’s hospital for cancer. The Center provides medical treatment for patients with childhood cancer and childhood blood disorders. The world-renowned staff and faculty have pioneered many of the now standard protocols for treating and curing pediatric cancer and blood disorders.

“The Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center is grateful for the tremendous investments from Lester and Sue Smith. Their gifts in support of urologic, breast, and children’s cancers have helped dedicated researchers in their quest to end cancer and supported clinicians on the front lines taking care of patients.”

Cancer survivor Jake learns about the Passport For Care program�

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NU CLEAR RECEPTORS ARE A FAMILY OF PROTEINS that regulate the expression of genes critical for normal cell growth and function. The nuclear receptor gene family encodes nearly 50 structurally-related transcription factors, many of which play a key role in reproduction, development and the initiation and progression of certain cancers, including liver, lung, blood, prostate, breast and reproductive cancers. The majority of nuclear receptors are activated by binding to small ligands including steroid and thyroid hormones. Because of this mechanism of activation, the activity of nuclear receptors can be manipulated to inhibit cancer development and progression by small molecule drugs that bind nuclear receptors in a manner similar to their cognate ligands.

A primary goal of the Nuclear Receptor Program is to promote rapid translation of basic discoveries on the role of nuclear receptors in cancer development to the clinic to develop novel nuclear receptor targeted therapies for cancer prevention and therapeutic intervention.

Drs. Sophia and Ming-Jer Tsai, professors of molecular and cellular biology at Baylor College of Medicine, have dedicated much of their research to COUP-TFII, an orphan, yet potentially drug-targetable, nuclear receptor that promotes the metastasis of prostate cancer, the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men worldwide.

“Prior research showed that COUP-TFII is overexpressed in prostate cancer, which prompted us to look into its role on a deeper level,” said Tsai. “Understanding COUP- TFII function will be highly valuable in finding ways to block or prevent metastasis in prostate cancer, and potentially others.”

In a study published in Nature Communications, Ming-Jer and Sophia identify mirco-RNAs that were downregulated in prostate cancer patients, particularly in cases of metastatic prostate cancer, and that these micro-RNAs, which have been shown to be involved in different stages of prostate cancer progression, can partially suppress prostate cancer

Nuclear Receptor Program

Sophia and Ming-Jer Tsai, Ph�D�s, in their lab�

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metastasis by inhibiting the expression of COUP-TFII, which thereby also directly regulates the expression of other genes that play critical roles in prostate cancer metastasis.

“When we knocked COUPTFII out of the regulation cascade, tumor growth slowed,” explained Sophia.

This research revealed important results for the understanding of the proliferation of prostate cancer, including finding that the loss of upstream micro-RNA results in induction of the overexpression of COUP-TFII, and the key finding that COUP-TFII is a master regulator of the metastatic network and the regulation chain of events promotes drug resistance.

“The research and findings from the Tsai team are important in future research to identify inhibitor drugs that will target COUPTFII,” said Dr. Orla Conneely, leader of the Nuclear Receptor Program. “Through their work, they are engineering a drug compound to slow this tumor progression and growth, which is currently in preclinical development.”

The Tsai lab relied on collaboration across the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center to accomplish this research, including the prostate cancer working group, and looked to other departments, such as pathology, for expert consideration and input.

“We are very encouraged by the discoveries we’ve made studying COUP-TFII and prostate cancer,” said Sophia. “This is team effort throughout Baylor, and we look forward to learning more about how COUP-TFII applies to other types of cancers.” •

“Understanding COUP- TFII function will be highly valuable in finding ways to block or prevent metastasis in prostate cancer, and potentially others.”

– Dr. Tsai

NUCLEAR RECEPTOR PROGRAM

LEADER Orla Conneely, Ph.D.

CO-LEADERSuzanne Fuqua, Ph.D.


THEMESThe identification of NRs which contribute to cancer pathogenesis and progression, disclosure of their molecular mechanism of action, and evaluation of their potential as novel targets for therapeutic intervention in cancer. The characterization of NR coregulator-dependent epigenetic mechanisms of cancer development.


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THE OFFICE OF OUTREACH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES was established to ensure that the large, diverse, and underserved population of Houston and Harris County has access to the latest information and resources about cancer prevention and treatment. Its primary goal is to increase awareness of cancer and cancer screenings at the community level.

In order to reach and connect with at-risk communities, the Office has developed a series of events, programs, and education materials that relate to a wide range of audiences and demographics through its Community Network for Cancer Prevention (CNCP), which includes the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine, Harris Health System, Texas Children’s Hospital, HOPE Clinic, San Jose Clinic, TOMAGWA Health Care Ministries, Neighborhood Centers, Inc., and American Cancer Society.

Created with the support of three CPRIT-funded prevention grants, the CNCP is an organization of academic, institutional and community partners that has improved screening and follow-up diagnostic treatment among the medically underserved in Harris County for cervical, colorectal and breast cancer. Within the Harris Health System, Baylor’s primary clinical partner and the largest public, safety net health system in Texas, the Office has accomplished a number of community-based initiatives to educate the underserved in the Houston community.

Among the Office’s accomplishments include introducing integrated multilingual cervical, colorectal, and breast cancer screening education videos into the clinical workflow at 28 ambulatory care centers and developing integrated patient navigation into the cervical, colorectal, and breast cancer service lines to ensure that all patients with an abnormal screening test receive prompt diagnosis, and patients due for an annual breast cancer screening are identified and recalled. The Office has also expanded the capacity for breast cancer screenings by creating a dedicated breast screening clinic to expedite mammography referrals, and developed an original community theater program that has educated 5,106 residents in the African American, Hispanic, and Vietnamese communities about cancer screening.

Volunteers from the Office of Outreach and Health Disparities engaging with the community through theater and monologue performances�

Office of Outreach and Health Disparities

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Collectively, these efforts have dramatically impacted cervical, colorectal and breast cancer screenings in Harris County.

Individually, cervical cancer Pap tests increased 130 percent, translating to an additional 20,800 women screened over the project period, despite newly issued regulations to be screened less frequently. For colorectal cancer, the Office increased the annual number of Fecal Immunochemical Tests (FIT) by 250 percent, resulting in an additional 81,000 patients screened over the project period. This also resulted in the navigation of 17,132 abnormal FITs. In breast cancer screenings, the Office saw an increase of 30 percent in the annual number of screening mammograms, meaning that an additional 36,000 patients were screened over the project period. During the project period, the time for mammography referral was reduced from 121 days down to one.

“We are thrilled with the results we’ve seen through our outreach efforts,” said Dr. Maria Jibaja-Weiss, director of the Office of Outreach and Health Disparities. “All of us here in the Office are so passionate about educating the community about these crucial issues, and I think our work really shows that. We look forward to continuing to develop our programming to reach an increasingly large portion of the community.”

To continue its efforts in the Houston community, the Office has been awarded an additional CPRIT Prevention Award grant to leverage the CNCP structure and relationships to increase vaccinations for the human papilloma virus (HPV).

The new CPRIT grant will span a three-year period and will allow the Office to focus on improving the initiation and completion of the HPV vaccine series in the Harris Health System’s 19 pediatric clinics.

Related to the uptake of the HPV vaccine, additional funding from a P30 Supplement to the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Office has hired a Community Health Educator who belongs to the National Outreach Network of the National Cancer Institute. The Community Health Educator’s research and outreach project’s goal is to develop a new HPV vaccine monologue targeted to Spanish-speaking parents to promote the uptake of the vaccine, which will be pilot-tested in the community in the coming months. •

“All of us here in the Office are so passionate about educating the community about these crucial issues, and I think our work really shows that. We look forward to continuing to develop our programming to reach an increasingly large portion of the community.”

– Dr. Maria Jibaja-Weiss

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PRECISION MEDICINE, AN APPROACH TO DISEASE TREATMENT and prevention that takes into account a patient’s environment, lifestyle, and genes, is quickly becoming the ideal standard in medical care, and it can be particularly crucial in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

A key driver in the advancement of precision medicine is proteogenomics, integrating proteomic and genomic data into the study of cancer to improve overall cancer care.“Proteogenomics will soon lead the discussion in cancer care, allowing us to analyze the genetic and proteomic data from individual tumors to determine what and how to target within the tumor, leading to highly specialized care,” said Dr. Matthew Ellis, McNair scholar and director of the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center.

Analyzing the proteogenomic data helps to understand what exactly within the tumor needs to be targeted in order to see the most impactful results from treatment. This analysis eventually will be utilized to help solve clinically relevant cancer questions, such as drug response and drug sensitivity.

Also essential in the study of cancer and its formation is metabolomics. The CPRIT-funded Metabolomics Core at Baylor, housed within the Alkek Center for Molecular Discovery, is an analytical facility specializing in liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry platforms. The main goal is to support researchers in the identification and understanding of changes in the metabolism that contribute to cancer biology, which will ideally lead to novel detection and treatment options.

“Metabolomics is essentially the read out of genes in a patient’s tumor,” said Dr. Kent Osborne, Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center director. •

Genomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics

Dean Edwards, Ph�D�, executive director of the Advanced

Technology Cores, in his lab�

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Matthew Ellis , M�B�, BChir, BSc�, Ph�D, FRCP, McNair Scholar and director of the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center�

Baylor College of Medicine and the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center are profoundly grateful to Bob and Janice McNair for their commitment to finding a cure and their vision to bring together exceptional scientists to further innovation, discovery, and enhanced patient care. Since founding the McNair Medical Institute in 2007, the McNairs have supported the recruitment of seven world-class physician-scientists in the area of cancer to the DLDCCC. The McNair family’s support has been transformational for Baylor College of Medicine and the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Robert C� and Janice McNair

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DR. CHERYL WALKER – CENTER FOR PRECISION ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

All of the pieces for the Center for Precision Environmental Health were there – the Human Genome Sequencing Center, cancer research through the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, computational biology and microbiome research – but there was a lack of an environmentally-focused entity to tie them all together to accomplish something greater.

Precision Environmental Health

Richard Gibbs, Ph�D�, director of the Human Genome Sequencing Center, Melissa Bondy, Ph�D�, M�S�, co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program, Cheryl Walker, Ph�D� , director of the Center for Precision Environmental Health, and Kent Osborne, M�D�, director of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center�

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Dr. Cheryl Walker joined the Baylor College of Medicine and Dan L Duncan faculty in the summer of 2016 to spearhead and develop the Center for Precision Environmental Health, which focuses on the relationship among genes, environmental exposures that may lead to disease development, and big data, with an overall objective to pair the right drug with the right patient to treat the right disease.

“There is a lot of information and knowledge to be gained from big data. To find it, you need to use computational biology, and we hope the knowledge hidden within the data will lead us to a greater understanding of disease prevention, such as cancer, by looking at individual risk and appreciating the importance of the gene environment and the role it plays,” said Walker.

The Center for Precision Environmental Health will study the critical exposures people face early on in life, as tissues are developing, to better understand human susceptibility to environmental factors at a young age and how these factors impact the genes associated with causing cancer, before the cancer manifests itself later in life.

“The Center for Precision Environmental Health will tie many of Baylor’s programs and strengths together to leverage them, and I look forward to seeing where its development takes us in cancer research and understanding of how the environment impacts our risk and genetic profile,” said Walker.

Not only does the Center for Precision Environmental Health advance the efforts of the Cancer Center as a whole, but it also works closely with its Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences program.

“Dr. Walker’s work provides us with valuable insight into how the environment affects our cancer risk, and how those factors change by population or demographic. Her research will enable us to dig deeper into how we can begin to prevent cancer at a young age, before any symptoms begin to present themselves,” said Dr. Melissa Bondy, co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences program. •

“The Center for Precision Environmental Health will tie many of Baylor’s programs and strengths together to leverage them, and I look forward to seeing where its development takes us in cancer research and understanding of how the environment impacts our risk and genetic profile.”

– Dr. Cheryl Walker

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New Clinical Home for the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center

OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, A DETAILED PLANNING PROCESS HAS BEEN ONGOING to set the scope, scale and organization of a new patient-centered clinical facility for the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center based at the McNair Campus of the Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, a joint venture of Baylor College of Medicine and Catholic Health Initiatives. This effort, driven by Center leadership in coordination with College and joint venture leaders, has involved dozens of faculty and staff and, when complete, will bring all of our adult private patient care activities in the Texas Medical Center together in one location.

The goal is to create a game-changing outpatient care environment designed to support multidisciplinary teams that focus on particular types of cancer in clinics optimized to meet patient needs. These disease-oriented clinics will be grouped together to create synergies with psycho-social support, patient education, survivorship and other patient services, and to enhance collaboration and communication between multidisciplinary teams. The new facility will serve as a central hub for our regional cancer programs being developed with our joint venture partner.

This collective effort has resulted in a design that has the Cancer Center occupying four floors of a new medical office building being built on the McNair Campus, which will be connected to and just north of the hospital. The facility is planned for completion in 2020. The Cancer Center will have its own ground level entrance and drop-off area with a first-floor welcome center adjacent to outpatient imaging and pharmacy services. Dedicated Cancer Center elevators will convey patients to the rest of the facility, including a four-vault radiation oncology suite on the lower level.

BSLMC MOB Renderings

Sketches as of 1/9/2017

Rendering of the McNair Campus with a view of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center�

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The second and third floors will house several multidisciplinary clinics and a large infusion suite on floor three overlooking downtown Houston. The fourth floor of the medical office building is planned to house the outpatient surgery suites for the whole complex and directly connects to the inpatient operating room suites of the hospital. The fifth floor will hold a cancer genetics clinic and a survivorship and supportive care center. In all, the Cancer Center’s outpatient facilities will encompass roughly 185,000 square feet. In addition, dedicated cancer inpatient facilities are simultaneously being planned in both the phase one 200 bed tower and a new 450 bed tower, which will be constructed on the south end of the complex.

While this development is exciting and the culmination of 12 years of effort in building our comprehensive cancer center, we will continue to deliver the same access to cutting-edge multidisciplinary care and research-driven clinical trials to all patients in our catchment area and Harris Health System. Collectively across all of our sites, including Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Texas Children’s Cancer Center at Texas Children’s Hospital, Ben Taub Hospital, and the Harris Health System, and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center is the second-largest provider of cancer care in the region. •

Aerial Rendering of McNair Campus with pending expansion�

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Education and Training SMART PROGRAM AND NEW FUNDINGFounded in 1989, Baylor College of Medicine’s SMART program has been providing undergraduate students from across the country with firsthand experience in biomedical research, while better acquainting them with Baylor College of Medicine and its renowned research projects. SMART, or Summer Medical And Research Training, is a nine-week program designed for talented, motivated undergraduates who want to spend their summer enriching their education and diving into the world of biomedical research. SMART provides these students with a meaningful job, where they are immersed in Baylor College of Medicine’s programs, learning from its physicians and faculty.

The SMART Program began as a grassroots effort by Baylor College of Medicine faculty to find, educate and inspire young students to pursue careers in research and medicine, thereby becoming stewards of their work and legacies.

“There is no place that, as an undergraduate student, you can see the breadth in the frontier of science as what you can experience through the SMART program,” said Dr. Gayle Slaughter, senior associate dean of graduate education and diversity, and director of the SMART programs. “This program demonstrates the importance of learning about these complicated research projects and medical studies first-hand, as well as the impact they can have on patients.”

Year after year, SMART students express appreciation for the time they spend learning directly from faculty, covering everything from patient care to research, and their professors and counselors see the growth students experience through the program, both academically and socially.

With a growing focus on community education, the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center approached the SMART program staff about partnering to develop a summer undergraduate research program with a focus on cancer research in particular to attract bright, young talent to the field.

“Diversity within our research labs and teams is vital to thinking creatively and finding new ways to look at research questions,” said Dr. Suzanne Fuqua, professor in the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center at Baylor, co-director of the Cancer Club resarch series in the SMART program. “We hope that, through the SMART program, these diverse, underrepresented students will return to Baylor and enroll in cancer-focused training programs as eligible fellows.”

In an effort to expand the SMART program to include students with an interest in cancer research, the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center applied for, and received, a new P30 grant under its director, Dr. Kent Osborne, to fund an educational program with the goal of increasing the pipeline of underrepresented undergraduate students pursuing cancer research. The grant allowed for an additional eight undergraduates to participate in the program for two consecutive years, with an expanded twelve-week time line. During their time in the program, students will work 40 hours per week in a Duncan Cancer Center research laboratory under the mentorship of a research faculty member.

“Our goal with the expanded SMART program is to increase the reach and access to underrepresented cancer researchers and give these students hands-on exposure to real research,” said Dr. Laurie M. Connor, Director of Instruction for the SMART programs.

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“Having the ability to welcome the same students back for a second year allows them to pick up where they left off and become more skilled in their research area.”

In addition to a longer program time and the existing curriculum of the SMART program, P30 SMART students will have access to career counseling, a GRE preparation course and a weekly Cancer Club research series, where they will hear from physicians and researchers outside of their assigned field.

“Not only are we training this generation, but this program will impact future generations of underrepresented students and influence their interest in pursuing research careers in cancer down the road. These students will become outstanding role models and leaders not only in the program, but for future researchers in their community,” said Dr. Jason Yustein, co-director of the Cancer Club discussion series, and assistant professor in pediatrics in oncology at Baylor and Texas Children’s Hospital. •

“We hope that, through the SMART program, these diverse, underrepresented students will return to Baylor and enroll in cancer-focused training programs as eligible fellows.”

– Dr. Suzanne Fuqua

David Rowley, Ph�D�, instructs a SMART student studying in his lab�

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Disease Oriented Working Groups

“My friend told me my skin was looking a little orange,” said Catherine Jennings, describing the first indication that something wasn’t quite right with her health. Jennings underwent initial evaluation at a local hospital and was found to have an elevated bilirubin, the culprit of her jaundice. Based on this initial evaluation, she was advised to see an oncologist. Having learned about Baylor College of Medicine through her daughter-in-law, she contacted Dr. Benjamin Musher, associate professor of medicine and a gastrointestinal medical oncologist at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Musher made a call to his clinic and scheduled an appointment to see Jennings within a few days.

“In my first appointment, I met with a GI doctor, a surgeon, a research specialist and an oncologist. Among the doctors in that initial meeting was Dr. Ben Musher, whose energy and attitude immediately gave me the sense that no matter what my diagnosis was, I was going to be taken care of,” said Jennings.

After a coordinated effort to uncover the cause of her jaundice, Jennings’ medical team confirmed that she had pancreatic cancer.

“Catherine was diagnosed with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer, meaning we couldn’t perform surgery,” said Musher. “Based on the stage of her disease, Catherine’s expected survival was about one year, but our team wanted to do everything in our power to improve her prognosis.”

Within two weeks, Musher and his pancreatic cancer multidisciplinary team had developed a promising treatment plan for Jennings and were able to offer her enrollment in a clinical trial, which included chemotherapy, radiation and an experimental vaccine targeting pancreatic cancer. This team is just one of many Disease Oriented Working Groups at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center that function to provide coordinated care.

“She had a remarkable response to treatment. It’s been three years since Catherine was diagnosed with unresectable pancreatic cancer, and she is still undergoing low-dose maintenance chemotherapy with excellent control of her disease,” explained Musher.“You learn to expect the unexpected, and adopting that positive attitude is easy when you have such wonderful staff surrounding you,” said Jennings. “The environment at Baylor allowed me to receive the personalized care I was searching for, and I experienced the incredible teamwork system the doctors operate under. I want to keep doing well because I’m rooting for my doctors to succeed.”

“This case exemplifies the multidisciplinary, comprehensive care we strive to provide our patients at Baylor,” said Musher. “Carefully orchestrated collaboration between Baylor physicians, nurses, and research staff has provided Catherine a much better outcome than any of us expected and, importantly, has enabled her to maintain an excellent quality of life.”

The 15 Disease Oriented Working Groups within the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center each focus on a particular adult cancer type and work within or across the Cancer Center’s seven formal research programs. Within the Pediatric Cancer Program, there are dedicated focus groups working on a range of cancer types. These multidisciplinary groups bring clinicians and investigators together to translate scientific findings into coordinated, comprehensive patient care.

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BREASTThe Breast Cancer Program and its associated working group is dedicated to improving the lives of patients with breast cancer through excellence in medical and surgical care, clinical research and fundamental studies into the nature of the disease. The comprehensive clinical care and multidisciplinary research team work together toward finding a cure. The group offers comprehensive care through the disease continuum from assessing a woman’s cancer risk, genetic counseling and testing, screening, diagnosis and treatment, to end of life care for the patient and family.

ENDOCRINEThe Endocrine Cancer Working Group focuses on treating endocrine diseases and disorders, including tumors of the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands. Experts in the endocrine cancer working group specialize in surgery, otolaryngology and radiology to provide a full spectrum of patient care, including progressive bench and clinical research and groundbreaking minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of endocrine cancers.

ESOPHAGUSEsophageal cancer incidence is rising at one of the highest rates of any cancer. To help fight this increasingly prevalent disease, the Esophageal Cancer Working Group provides multispecialty expertise in state-of-the-art cancer care. The program encompasses physicians and researchers from a range of disciplines, including thoracic surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology and gastroenterology, to bring comprehensive care to patients in one convenient location. Together, the group offers risk assessment, up-to-date research, screening and prevention services and supportive care, as well as the ability to execute a high volume of tri-modality treatments and minimally invasive surgeries, a specialty found in the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

GASTROINTESTINALGastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal, liver, stomach, colon and gastric varieties, are approached with a multi-disciplinary focus through the Gastrointestinal Cancer Working Group. Together, experts in screening and prevention, medical oncology, radiation oncology and surgical oncology consult, diagnose and treat gastrointestinal cancers and conditions, ensuring the most up-to-date comprehensive cancer care.

Continued on page 30

Carol Elizondo, M�D�, Ben Musher, M�D�, William Fisher, M�D� and Glenn Wilson discuss a patient case�

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GENETICS AND GENETIC COUNSELINGThe Genetics and Genetic Counseling Working Group focuses on identifying patients who are at risk for given cancers by examining their family trees and analyzing their genetic makeup, which may provide clues as to the possible cause of increased cancer. Physicians, researchers and genetic counselors work together to determine cancer susceptibility and develop a personalized risk-reducing health plan.

GENITOURINARYUrologists in the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center are combining the most recent surgical techniques with the newest advancements in clinical care. The Genitourinary Cancer Working Group provides the most innovative, compassionate care for its patients, distinguished by access to the latest surgical technologies and clinical trials. The genitourinary cancer program treats gynecologic, bladder, kidney, penile, prostate, testicular and urethral cancers with a multidisciplinary approach combining diagnostic radiology, medical oncology, pathology and cytopathology, radiation and surgical oncology and screening and prevention.

HEAD AND NECK AND SALIVARY GLANDSThe Head and Neck Cancer Working Group is dedicated to the multidisciplinary treatment of patients with head and neck cancer and turning cutting-edge basic, translational and clinical research into cancer mechanisms and innovative therapeutic approaches. The Head and Neck Cancer Working Group encompasses a range of cancers, including squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, larynx, oral cavity, oropharynx, salivary gland, sinonasal, skull base and skin. Its membership is varied, with members from pathology, obstetrics and gynecology, the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, pediatrics, otolaryngology, medicine and hematology and oncology coming together to consider the latest research, treatments and patient care.

HEMATOLOGICHematologic malignancies, or cancers affecting the blood, include myeloma, lymphomas, myeloproliferative disorders and acute and chronic leukemias. In the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Hematologic Working Group strives to provide the latest in patient care and research through collaboration among medical oncologists and hematologists who work closely together to identify clinical trials and the most effective treatment pathways.

LIVER/BILE DUCT/GALLBLADDERThe Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center offers patients access to specialists in all areas of care for liver cancer through its Liver Cancer Working Group, including cancers that have spread to the liver from other organs. The group provides individualized care and consultation with an experienced liver surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist and diagnostic specialists, with hepatologists providing insight into hepatocellular cancer cases. Treatment, including surgical tumor removal or ablation, is customized for each patient, and patients receive state-of-the-art care and the opportunity to participate in clinical trials and other novel approaches.

Disease Oriented Working Groups Continued from page 29

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LUNGExperts in thoracic oncologic surgery, medical oncology, and radiation oncology come together to create personalized treatment plans for patients with lung cancer and mesothelioma. The team of surgeons, physicians, and staff care for each patient with a multidisciplinary approach that results in superior outcomes and patient satisfaction with cutting-edge treatment approaches offered nowhere else in the state.

MELANOMA AND SARCOMAThe multidisciplinary team making up the Melanoma and Sarcoma Working Group treats cancers including melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and Kaposi’s sarcoma. Surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, dermatologists, head and neck surgeons, pathologists, and plastic and reconstructive surgeons work together to provide the best personalized treatment and care.

NEURO ONCOLOGYCancers of the brain and nervous system are uniquely and collectively treated by experts in skull base, spinal, brain, peripheral nerve, and pituitary tumors. The Brain and Nervous System Working Group brings together specialists in neurosurgery, neurology, endocrinology, and oncology to determine the highest quality multidisciplinary care for each individual patient case.

PANCREATICThe Pancreatic Cancer Working Group specializes in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and other pancreatic diseases through surgery, including minimally invasive robotic surgery, gene therapy, and clinical trials. The multidisciplinary pancreas clinic provides the best care for pancreatic cancer patients and leads in the discovery of effective new methods to diagnose and treat pancreatic disease. The pancreas team also is dedicated to educating patients, families, caregivers, and other physicians about pancreatic cancer and the options available to patients.

RADIATION ONCOLOGYThe multidisciplinary team in the Radiation Oncology Working Group is at the forefront of developing treatment methods for improved patient outcomes. The expert staff is dedicated to excellence in patient care, teaching, and research, creating an ideal environment for research and technology development.

SURVIVORSHIP AND SUPPORTIVE CARECancer patient care goes beyond the cancer treatment itself. The Survivorship and Supportive Care Working Group is designed to research and recommend various programs or services that provide ongoing support to cancer patients, survivors and their families to help cope with or recover from the disease long after their diagnosis and treatment. •

DISEASE ORIENTED WORKING GROUP LEADERS

� Breast Cancer Mothaffar Rimawi, M.D. Matthew Ellis, M.D., Ph.D.

� Endocrine Tumors James Suliburk, M.D., FACS Jasmine Boparai, M.B.B.S.

� Esophageal Cancer Shawn Groth, M.D. Mohamed Othman, M.D.

� Gastrointestinal Cancer Avo Artinyan, M.D., FACS Benjamin Musher, M.D.

� Genetics and Genetic Counseling Julie Nangia, M.D. Shweta Dhar, M.D., FACMG

� Genitourinary Cancer Seth Lerner, M.D. Edward Yen, M.D.

� Head and Neck Cancer Andrew Sikora, M.D., Ph.D. Anita Sabichi, M.D.

� Heme Malignancy Martha Mims, M.D., Ph.D.

� Liver Cancer Steven Curley, M.D. Yvonne Sada, M.D.

� Lung Cancer / Mesothelioma David Sugarbaker, M.D. Jun Zhang, M.D.

� Melanoma / Sarcoma Ida Orengo, M.D.

� Neuro Oncology Jacob Mandel, M.D. Akash Patel, M.D.

� Pancreas Cancer Bill Fisher, M.D. Benjamin Musher, M.D.

� Radiation Oncology Mark Bonnen, M.D.

� Survivorship and Supportive Care Hoda Badr, Ph.D. Brian Mendoza Bruel, M.D., M.B.A.

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New Faces at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center

BRANDON G. SMAGLO, MD, FACP Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine (Oncology)Attending Physician, Internal Medicine (Oncology)Clinical member in the Cancer Biology Program

Dr. Smaglo is a board certified physician in both Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine. His clinical interest and translational research is specialized in gastrointestinal malignancies such as gastroesophageal, colorectal, pancreatic, GIST and NET malignancies. Dr. Smaglo is a founding member of the DLDCCC Esophageal Disease Oriented Working group with a focus on creating individualized treatment plans for each patient.

BRYAN BURT, M.D., FACS Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of General Thoracic SurgeryDirector, General Thoracic Surgery ResearchAssociate Chief, General Thoracic SurgeryClinical member in the Cancer Biology Program

Dr. Burt is a general thoracic surgeon and thoracic surgical oncologist. In the laboratory, his research efforts concentrate on immunologic determinants of pleural mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer, he is currently focusing efforts on novel therapeutic intraoperative treatments of pleural mesothelioma.

HODA BADR, PH.D.Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Health Services Research SectionCo-Leader in the Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences program

Dr. Badr’s work is in behavioral medicine with a specific focus on the role of family factors in cancer treatment and rehabilitation. Her mission is to develop, implement, and disseminate psychosocial interventions to improve patient and caregiver health behaviors and quality of life. She has recently been appointed as Co-Leader in the Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program of the DLDCCC.

STACEY CARTER, M.D.Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Surgical OncologyClinical member in the Breast Cancer Program

Dr. Carter is a surgical oncologist specializing in the surgical care of patients with breast disease. She has a strong interest in oncoplastic surgery and works closely with the plastic surgery and reconstructive team to optimize aesthetic outcomes. An avid proponent of the multidisciplinary care of breast patients, she plays an integral role in the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center.

MORE THAN 40 NEW MEMBERS HAVE JOINED THE DLDCCC IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR EXCEPTIONAL NEW FACES.

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AKASH PATEL, M.D.Assistant Professor, NeurosurgeryClinical member in the Cancer Biology Program

Dr. Patel is a neurosurgeon who specializes in the treatment of both malignant and benign tumors of the brain and skull base. His research focuses on determining the molecular underpinnings of inherited and sporadic forms of various brain tumors in an effort to develop targeted therapies to treat aggressive cases.

ERIC ROHREN, M.D., PH.D. Chair, Department of RadiologyClinical member in the Cancer Biology Program

Dr. Rohren is a national leader in radiology and nuclear medicine. His research interests include cancer imaging, novel radiotracers in oncology and neurology and targeted radioisotope therapies. He has worked extensively on PET/CT reporting and has developed guidelines for report structure and content through his work with the PET Utilization Task Force.

JUAN CARLOS PLANA GOMEZ, M.D.Don W. Chapman, M.D. Endowed Chair of Cardiology, Medicine-Cardiology Associate Professor, Medicine-Cardiology

Dr. Plana is Chief of Clinical Operations of the Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Director of the Cardio-Oncology Center, and co-Director of the Center for Advanced Cardiac Imaging at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and is board certified in Cardiology and Echocardiography. Dr. Plana’s clinical and research interests include Cardio-Oncology, valvular heart disease, diseases of the aorta, and advanced cardiac imaging. The major focus of Dr. Plana’s clinical and scholarly interest is the development and application of novel echocardiographic techniques in the early detection of cardiac dysfunction caused by chemotherapeutic agents.

CHERYL WALKER, PH.DDirector, Center for Precision Environmental HealthProfessor, Molecular and Cell BiologyProfessor of MedicineResearch member in the Cancer Biology Program

Dr. Walker is a renowned molecular biologist. She will be the director for the new academic center called the Center for Precision Environmental Health. The goal of the Center is to increase our understanding of how our environment influences health and risk for disease. It will focus on how early life exposures to certain environmental factors permanently change the body’s physiological processes to increase risk for cancer and metabolic diseases.

BING ZHANG, PH.D.Professor, Lester and Sue Smith Breast CenterResearch member in the Breast Cancer Program

Dr. Zhang is a computational biologist with a focus on cancer bioinformatics. His work focuses on integrating proteomic and genomic data into the study of cancer to improve overall cancer care. Analyzing the proteomic data helps to understand what exactly within the tumor needs to be targeted in order to see the most impactful results from treatment. Dr. Zhang has recently been named a McNair Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine.

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SHARED RESOURCESThe shared resources of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center provide extensive services essential to cancer research. As an NCI-designated center, our Cancer Center Support Grant allows us to fund advanced technologies, equipment, data analysis, and biostatistics and informatics services that would be difficult and expensive for individual investigators or programs to develop and maintain on their own. The Cancer Center fully funds four shared resources, and partially funds seven matrix resources which are resources that also receive support from other grants and are available to all investigators at Baylor College of Medicine.

gene knockout and knock-in services, from target site design to generating KO/KI cell lines, based on the specific needs of individual investigators.

Cell Processing and Vector Production Director: Adrian Gee, Ph.D.

The Cell Processing and Vector Production shared resource provides GMP manufacturing of therapeutic grade cellular products and viral and non-viral vectors for use in early phase clinical trials and to facilitate the preparation of the associated regulatory documentation.

Cytometry and Cell Sorting Director: Christine Beeton, Ph.D. Co-Director: Joel M. Sederstrom, M.B.S.

This is a state-of-the-art facility offering assisted and unassisted flow cytometric services. Instrumentation includes FACSAria cell sorters with up to 13 colors plus forward and side scatter, LSRII Analyzers with high through-put 96 well sample loading plates, VI-Cell counter, AutoMACS magnetic bead cell sorter and workstations with data analysis software. The Core provides training on all instruments, assists with data analysis and design of experiments, and is available 24 hours-a- day, 7 days-a week for all trained users.

Genetically Engineered Mouse

Academic Director: Jianming Xu, Ph.D. Core Director: Lan Liao, Ph.D.

The GEM Core provides investigators with advice and services requiring the manipulation of mouse gametes to facilitate research involving genetically engineered mice. Services include DNA microinjection (traditional transgene DNA constructs, lentivirus constructs or BAC DNA into the one cell mouse embryo), ES cell microinjection into blastocysts, strain rederivation into a pathogen free stratus, colony expansion, in vitro fertilization, embryo cryopreservation and sperm cryopreservation for safe preservation of valuable mouse strains. The Core also provides consultation on approaches and can work with the investigator to facilitate their research needs.

Genomic and RNA Profiling

Director: Lisa White, Ph.D.

The Genomic and RNA Profiling Core provides investigators access to state-of-the art microarray and 2nd generation DNA and RNA sequencing technologies and services for both transcriptional and genomic profiling. This includes platforms for gene expression profiling in single cells. Its purpose is to assist researchers in utilizing these cutting edge technologies, employing good experimental design, and providing data management and data analysis resources.

Human Tissue Acquisition and Pathology (HTAP)Academic Director: Michael Ittmann, M.D., Ph.D.Core Director: Patricia Castro, Ph.D.

The Human Tissue Acquisition and Pathology (HTAP) shared resource offers comprehensive pathology support to Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center members. Services include: Histology and pathology, Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and TUNEL assay, Laser capture, Image analysis, Pathology consultation, Tissue microarray development, and Tissue acquisition and distribution.

Antibody-Based Proteomics Academic Director: Shixia Huang, Ph.D.

The Antibody-Based Proteomics Core provides highly customized services for targeted proteomics platforms that are valuable as tools for both validation and protein biomarker discovery, particularly for low abundance regulatory proteins and activation states of proteins with phosphorylated antibodies. Services provided include reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA) with over 210 antibodies for total and phosphoproteins of major cell signaling pathways, Luminex bead technology for multiplex quantitative analyses of intracellular and extracellular signaling proteins, and antibody arrays.

Biostatistics and Informatics Director: Susan Hilsenbeck, Ph.D.

The Biostatistics and Informatics shared resource supports the research efforts of Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center investigators through collaboration on biostatistical and informatic aspects of design, conduct, analysis, and interpretation of clinical, translational and basic science studies.

Cell-Based Assay Screening Academic Director: Trey Westbrook, Ph.D.Core Director: Dan Liu, Ph.D.

The Cell-Based Assay Screening Services (C-BASS) core is built upon the interconnected and complementary technology platforms of RNAi- based functional genomics and CRISPR/Cas9- mediated genome editing. The core houses whole- genome RNAi libraries that enable expedient investigation of gene function either individually or in large scale. For genome editing, we have available a collection of CRISPR sgRNA and Cas9 vectors for distribution and cloning services, and assist investigators in deciding on the choice of cell line(s), optimal vectors, and types of Cas9. C-BASS is able to customize CRIPSR/Cas9-mediated

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Integrated Microscopy Director: Michael Mancini, Ph.D.Co-Director: Fabio Stossi, Ph.D.

The Integrated Microscopy Core provides state-of- the-art light and transmission electron microscopy imaging support. This fully digital-imaging-based resource provides routine microscopy (Nikon CiL, Biotek Citation 5), fixed and live cell-capable Nikon A1rs multispectral laser scanning confocal with full live cell enclosure (photobleaching and timelapse), Applied Precision deconvolution microscopy, Vala Sciences IC-200 high throughput microscopy, and GE Healthcare OMX BLAZE(SIM) super-resolution microscope. Digital transmission electron microscope (Hitachi) includes specimen processing services.

Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Academic Director: Anna Malovannaya, Ph.D. Co-Directors: Sung Yun Jung, Ph.D.,Hon-Chiu Eastwood Leung, Ph.D.

The Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core features state-of-the-art Thermo Scientific Orbitrap and AB Sciex 5600 instrumentation and offers comprehensive service packages for proteome-wide label free quantitative proteomic profiling of cells and tissues, isolation and identification of protein complexes via immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry, post-translational modification analysis, and routine protein identification from purified samples. The services are provided with the full support that includes project evaluation and design, biochemical purifications, mass spectrometry sequencing, and data analysis performed within the core by experienced core personnel.

In 2013–2014, the NCI-designated Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor welcomed top-notch clinicians and scientists to grow and strengthen new and existing programs.

Metabolomics Director: Arun Sreekumar, Ph.D. Co-Director: Nagireddy Putluri, Ph.D.

This Core provides metabolomics technologies for discovery and validation of biomarkers of various diseases with state-of-the-art high mass spectrometry as the main platform. Core services include quantitative targeted assays (up to 500 metabolites) for many analyte classes, metabolic flux analysis, lipidomics, and drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics.

Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) and Advanced In Vivo Models CorePDX Development Unit:Academic Director: Michael Lewis, Ph.D.Core Director: Lacey Dobrolecki, MT, MS

Advanced In Vivo Models Unit:Academic Director: Andrew Sikora, M.D., Ph.D.Core Director: Ravi Pathak, Ph.D., M.B.A.

The Patient-Derived Xenograft and Advanced In Vivo Models Core of Baylor College of Medicine is divided into two independent but closely interacting functional units, a PDX Development Unit created to facilitate establishment and use of PDX using immunocompromised mice as the host species, and an Advanced In Vivo Models Unit created to facilitate establishment and use of patient material grown on the chorioallantoic membrane of the chicken egg (CAM-PDX). The Advanced In Vivo Models Unit will also provide services to establish 3-D tumors from existing cancer cell lines, and creation and optimization of custom bioassays.

Population Sciences Biorepository (PSB)Academic Director: Michael Scheurer, Ph.D.

The PSB Core provides risk factor and clinical data collection and a centralized facility for biospecimen processing and storage from epidemiological and clinical studies. Services are available for individual investigators as well as for clinical centers that require prospective banking of patient specimens. Clinical coordinators can assist with consenting, phlebotomy, and data collection. The PSB also provides laboratory services including: full fractionation and aliquoting for blood samples; DNA extraction from whole blood, buffy coat, or saliva; and RNA extraction from whole blood.

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Michael Becich, M�D�, Ph�D�Department of Biomedical InformaticsUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

David P� Carbone, M�D�, Ph�D�Barbara J. Bonner Chair in Lung Cancer ResearchPresident-elect, International Association for the Study of Lung CancerProfessor of MedicineDirector, James Thoracic CenterJames Cancer CenterThe Ohio State University Medical Center

Timothy J� Eberlein, M�D�Bixby Professor and Chairman, Department of SurgerySpencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor and Director, The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer CenterSurgeon-in-Chief, Barnes-Jewish HospitalWashington University School of MedicineDept. of Surgery, Section of Endocine and Oncologic Surgery

S� Gail Eckhardt, M�D�Professor and Division Head, Medical Oncology Stapp Harlow Chair in Cancer ResearchUniversity of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus

Richard Fishel, Ph�D�Professor, Dept. of Molecular Virology, Umunology & Medical GeneticsOhio State University Medical Center

Stan Gerson, M�D�Director, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, CWRUDirector, Seidman Cancer Center University Hospitals Casse Medical CenterDirector, National Center for Regenerative MedicineCase Comprehensive Cancer Center

Bruce G� Haffty, M�D�Professor and ChairRadiation Oncology Dept.Rutgers Cancer Institute of New JerseyRobert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolNew Jersey Medical School

Stephen Hunger, M�D�Chief, Division of Pediatric OncologyDirector, Center for Childhood Cancer Research

EXTERNAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2016 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

C� Kent Osborne, M�D�Director, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center

David Poplack, M�D�Deputy Director

Melissa Bondy, Ph�D�Associate Director, Cancer Prev. & Pop. Sci.

Malcolm Brenner, Ph�D�, M�B�B�Ch�Professor, Cell & Gene Therapy Program

Steven Curley, M�D�Associate Director for Clinical Affairs

Dean Edwards, Ph�D�Associate Director, Research Infrastructure

Matthew J� Ellis, M�D�Associate Director, Translational Research

Suzanne Fuqua, Ph�D�Co-Associate Director for Education

Helen Heslop, M�D�Leader, Cell & Gene Therapy Program

Susan Hilsenbeck, Ph�D�Director, Biostatistics and Data Management Resource

Maria Jibaja-Weiss, Ed�D�Director of Outreach & Health Disparities

Martha Mims, M�D�, Ph�D�Director, Clinical Trial Support Unit

Bert W� O’Malley, M�D�Associate Director, Basic Science

Theodore (Ted) Yank, MHAAssociate Director for Administration

Jason Yustein, M�D�, Ph�D�Co-Associate Director for Education

Scott M� Lippman, M�D�Director, University of California San DiegoMoores Cancer Center

Thomas J� O’Leary, Ph�D�Assistant Director for Research DevelopmentUniversity of Virginia Cancer Center

Timothy R� Rebbeck, Ph�D�Professor, EpidemiologyHarvard TH Chan School of Public Health and Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Stephen J� Russell, M�D�, Ph�D�Director, Molecular MedicineMayo Clinic Department of Molecular Medicine

Andrew Thorburn, Ph�D�Professor, Molecular Biology ProgramUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Douglas Yee, M�D�Professor of Medicine and PharmacologyDirector, Masonic Cancer CenterUniversity of Minnesota

Yu Shyr, Ph�D�Harold L. Moses Chair in Cancer ResearchDirector, Vanderbilt Center for Quantitative SciencesDirector, Vanderbilt Technologies for Advanced Genomics Analysis & Research DesignAssociate Director for Quantitative Sciences Integration, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Ctr.Professor of Biostatistics, Biomedical Informatics, Cancer Biology and Preventive Med.Vanderbilt University Medical Center

NUMBER OF TR IALS IN 2016

PEER-REV IE W ED FUND ING

PROGRAM PU BL ICATIONS

Total trials

308

Interventional

185

Non-Interventional

123

SPECIFIC FUNDING SOURCE PROJECT DIRECT COST

PROJECT TOTAL COSTS

TOTAL NUMBER OF PROJECTS

NCI Peer-Reviewed Research Projects $22,089,915 $32,895,455 118

Other NIH Peer-Reviewed Research Projects

$25,335,081 $36,654,033 99

CPRIT Research Projects $25,496,800 $26,697,679 77

Other Peer-Reviewed Research Projects $38,601,483 $43,068,979 162

Non-Peer-Reviewed Research Projects $29,150,846 $37,896,898 144

Grand Total (All Projects) $115,177,325 $150,515,365 523

PROGRAM TOTAL PUBLICATIONS

INTRA-PROGRAMMATIC

INTER-PROGRAMMATIC

Breast Cancer 220 22% 31%

Cancer Biology 685 15% 19%

Cancer Cell and Gene Therapy 412 49% 26%

Cancer Evolvability 452 13% 28%

Nuclear Receptor 227 27% 36%

Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences 572 38% 15%

Treatment: 163

Prevention: 3

Supportive Care: 12

ScrZeening: 4

Ancillary/Correlative: 64

Observational (OBS): 59

Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center Report 2016 bcm.edu/cancercenter

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