RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

1- NIH/NCI Grant: P01 CA077664-06
Tissue Core A - High Throughput Genetic Analysis of Bladder Cancer.
Principal Investigator
Annual Direct Cost:  $50,786 @ 25% effort
5/31/05 - 11/30/09
Goal: Establish a comprehensive integrated fresh frozen tissue procurement and histopathology
database for bladder cancer  as a source of tumor DNA/RNA for  the investigation of high throughput genetic analysis of urothelial carcinoma.

2- Biomarker Expression in Prostate Cancer TMAs

Principal Investigator
Budget Number: M630-640-2078
Funding Source: Prostate Cancer Foundation 1250 Fourth Street,
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Annual Direct Cost: $75,000 @ 4% effort
02/01/06 - 010/31/07
Goal: evaluate the role of biomarkers expression in prostate cancer in predicting prognosis and idenifying  potential targets of therapy in a nested case control cohort using Tissue Micro Array analysis.

3-SMO/PAOh1 Expression in Prostatic Carcinoma

Co-Investigator
Funding Source: the Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund.
Annual Direct Cost: $75,000 @ 4% effort
04/01/06 - 03/31/08

 Goal: Determine the relationship of SMO/PAOh1 expression and stage and grade of prostate cancers using tissue microarrays (TMA). Determine the role of TNF-α in the regulation of SMO/PAOh1 expression in human prostate cancer cells.

4-Inter-SPORE Prostate Biomarkers Study Centralized Pathology     
Core (IPBS-CPC)

Co-Investigator
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Annual Direct Cost: $193,327 @ 6% effort
04/01/06 - 03/31/08
Goal:The Inter-SPORE Prostate Biomarkers Study (IPBS) and National Biospecimen Network (NBN) Pilot is a multi-SPORE effort among 11 institutions to rigorously evaluate 5 promising biomarkers for prostate cancer prognosis in men treated by prostatectomy or radiation.  The overall goal is to determine the ability of candidate biomarkers to improve prediction of recurrence beyond that achievable with existing nomograms based on clinico-pathologic factors.

5- Evaluation of TMPRSS2/ETS fusion genes by FISH in Progression Prostate Carcinoma TMA

Principal Investigator
Budget Number: 80017568
Funding Source: the Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer
Annual Direct Cost: $75,000 @ 4% effort Budget Period
04/01/07 - 03/31/08
Assess the prognostic significance of the newly discovered TMPRSS2/ETS fusion genes using interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technology applied to The Johns Hopkins Brady Urological Institute PSA-Era Case-Control Progression Tissue Microarray Set constructed from radical prostatectomy samples as a nested set from patients enrolled in the study of “The Natural History of Prostate Cancer after Radical Prostatectomy”.

6- Role of GPI Complex subunits in human bladder cancer

Co-Investigator
Funding Source: Flight attendant medical research institute (FAMRI)
Project Period: 7/1/07-6/30/08
Budget Period: 7/1/07-6/30/08
Annual Direct Cost: $100,000 @2% effort
The overall objective of the study is to establish a causative link between PIG-U, PIG-T and GPAA1 and progression of bladder cancer which may be induced by cigarette smoking and test the effect of proaerolysin as a therapeutic agent.

7- Identification of Biomarkers for Testicular cancer
R03- CA128060-01A1
Co-Investigator
Funding Source :NCI
Project Period: 9/24/07-9/23/09
Budget Period: 9/24/07-9/23/09
Annual Direct Cost: $50,000 @1% effort
The overall objective of the study is to assess gene methylation status in seminomatous & non-seminomatous GCT and its potential use in guiding prognosis/therapy

8- SPORE in Prostate Cancer
P50 CA58236 (Nelson)                                              
04/01/08-03/31/13       0.36 calendar
NIH-NCI                    $134,001        
Core B – Specimen Core (De Marzo/Netto)
The major goals of this project are to perform a prospective study of tissue and serum biomarkers for prediction of aggressiveness of prostate cancer. The study is also a pilot for the National Biospecimen Network

9- Methylation Markers of Bladder Cancer Recurrence
FAMRI Clinical Innovator Award 2009 (Netto)          
07/ 01/09-06/30/12      1.2 calender
Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute               $108.000
The major goals of this project is to identify gene promotor methylation markers in urine specimens that will help predict and/or detect early bladder cancer recurrence.

10- The Oncogenic miR-21 Gene Locus in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Patrick C Walsh Prostate Cancer Foundation(Lupold)
07/ 01/09-06/30/12                                                     
$75,000       0.6 calender
The goals of this project is the evaluation of miR-21 and TMEM49 expression and miR-21 gene locus copy number in advanced prostate cancer and their potential role in cancer progression