Under the overall direction of Dr. Douglas Hixson, the mission of the CCRD has been and will continue to be the development of a strong basic cancer research enterprise centered around the overarching theme of GI Cancer. The focus on gastrointestinal cancer as an overarching theme was a choice based on 1) the rising incidence of liver cancer in the US; 2) the higher than average incidence of colorectal cancer in Rhode Island; and 3) the strength of faculty within Lifespan/Brown University in liver research and/or treatment of liver disease and GI cancer. This is best exemplified by the Lifespan Liver Research Center where over 40 faculty members under the direction of Dr. Jack Wands are involved in treatment of liver disease or basic research centered on growth regulation of hepatocytes and the molecular pathogenesis of HCV/HBV.

Over the past 6 years, CCRD has provided mentoring, state-of-the-art technology and funding to promising junior investigators, many of whom have transitioned into independent, self-supporting scientists. The grant renewal will continue to provide support for Proteomics and Molecular Pathology Cores, shared resources that provide investigators with access and technical support on advanced technologies ranging from mass spectrometry to laser capture microdissection. The CCRD Proteomics Core will also be the home to an imaging mass spectrometer, an exciting new technology obtained with a $500,000 grant awarded from ARRA NIH Stimulus funds to Dr. Djuro Josic, the Director of the Proteomics Core. An important goal of the CCRD during the next five years will be the development of a highly interactive research environment that will lead to multi investigator RO1 and PO1 grants. To this end, the five investigators receiving support from CCRD were chosen not only for their potential for success but also because of the opportunities for collaboration created by the overlapping aspects of their research. Dr. Y. Eugene Chin, the first CCRD full project investigator from the Department of Surgery, will examine the role of acetylation dependent STAT3 signaling pathways in self-renewal and metastasis of cancer stem cells isolated from human and rat hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Dr. Devasis Chatterjee, a full project investigator who joined CCRD in year 5, will focus on raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP), a potential biomarker for susceptibility to chemotherapy and an inhibitor of STAT3 mediated metastasis of human colon cancer. Dr. Jennifer Sanders, a new full project investigator from Brown University, will investigate the mitogenic signaling phenotype of bipotent hepatic progenitors isolated from fetal and adult liver and how these pathways are influenced by the adult liver microenvironment. Dr. Rachel Altura, a pilot project investigator who recently joined the Department of Pediatrics will examine the role that acetylation plays in the localization, dimerization and activity of survivin as a regulator of cell division and an inhibitor of apoptosis. Dr. Steven Moss, a former full project investigator recently awarded his first RO1, will remain with CCRD as a pilot project investigator and continue to develop a new line of research centered on the role of gastrokine-1 and 2 in gastric cancer, two novel genes shown in his first cycle of COBRE funding to be altered following H. pylori eradication.

Although basic research will always be the primary emphasis of CCRD, outreach activities aimed at increasing public awareness of the benefits derived from cancer research will remain a vital part of the CCRD mission.

Working closely with Dr. Peter Quesenberry, the Chief of the Division of Hematology Oncology, the CCRD will place a high priority on fostering interactions between basic scientists and clinical oncologists through innovative multidisciplinary research initiatives. During the next 5 years, CCRD will continue to take a leadership role in promoting interactions with other RI COBREs and sustaining a dialogue between State and Federal legislators and policy makers in the academic, biotechnology and medical communities. Armed with a critical mass of independent investigators together with strong institutional commitment, CCRD will provide the basic research framework needed for transitioning into an NCI designated clinical cancer center.

The project described above is supported by Award Number P20RR017695 from the National Center for Research Resources.