2005 Competitive Awards Program Recipients

The extraordinary efforts of 46 researchers at 29 institutions were recognized through our 2005 Competitive Awards Program. This unique program supports innovative prostate cancer research projects directed by leading scientists around the world and enables them to forge ahead with their crucial work.

Baylor College of Medicine

Name:		Ming Zhang, PhD
Title:		Role of PSE in Prostate Tumorigenesis
Summary:		Transcription factors play a pivotal role in gene regulation and the control of cancer progression. Dr. Zhang is studying the activity of the transcription factor PSE in both cell cultures and mice to better understand its role in prostate cancer tumor growth and to determine whether it might prove an effective target for anti-cancer therapies.

Brigham & Women's Hospital

Name:		Francesca Demichelis, MSc, PhD
Title:		Fusion of TMPRSS2 and ETS Family of Transcription Factors in Prostate Cancer: A Bioinformatics Approach to Understand the Molecular Diversity of Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Earlier studies demonstrated that the fusion and rearrangement of a number of genes is related to the progression of prostate cancer. Dr. Demichelis is investigating the clinical significance of these rearrangements using computerized gene array bioinformatics analyses.

Name:		Jing Ma, MD, PhD
Title:		Obesity, Adiponectin, Angiogenesis, and Prostate Cancer Survival
Summary:		Obese men with prostate cancer tend to fare more poorly than do non-obese men, but the mechanisms behind this difference are not well understood. Dr. Ma is investigating whether blood levels of adiponectin, a protein produced by fat cells that is known to help regulate cell growth, can predict survival in men with prostate cancer.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Name:		Ronald A. DePinho, MD
Title:		Telomere Dynamics in Driving the Genomics and Biology of Prostate Cancer Initiation and Progression
Summary:		The shortening of telomeres seems to be an early indicator of genetic changes that lead to prostate cancer development and progression. Dr. DePinho is using animal models to better understand the role of telomere dysfunction in prostate cancer.

Name:		Levi A. Garraway, MD, PhD
Title:		Pathway-Based Determinants of Rapamycin Sensitivity in Human Cancer Cells
Summary:		Inactivation of tumor-suppressing genes is a known crucial step in cancer development and progression, but clinical attempts to block this process with existing agents are often unsuccessful. Dr. Garraway is studying the sensitivity of prostate cancers to one such agent in an attempt to identify tumors more likely to respond to the therapy.

Fred C. Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Name:		Peter S. Nelson, MD
Title:		In vivo Assessment of Maximal Inhibition of Androgen Signaling for Prostate Cancer Therapy
Summary:		The benefits of eradicating all circulating testosterone and the optimal methods to achieve complete androgen blockade in men with prostate cancer remain undefined. Dr. Nelson is investigating the most effective strategy for androgen blockade, and will assess how achieving this state affects tumor cell growth and death.

Georgetown University

Name:		Edward P. Gelmann, MD
Title:		NKX3.1 Polymorphism and Serum IGF-1 Interact to Confer Prostate Cancer Risk
Summary:		Research has shown that high levels of IGF-1 in the blood present an increased risk of prostate cancer. Dr. Gelmann is exploring the effects of a specific mutation on the NKX3.1 gene and its potential role in enabling IGF-1 to promote prostate cancer growth in patients with the mutation.

Hebrew University (Israel)

Name:		Alexander Levitzki, PhD
Title:		Substrate Competitive Inhibitors of PKB for the Treatment of Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Early studies have shown that blocking a cellular growth pathway known as PKB can be an effective method of combating hormone-resistant prostate cancer cells. Dr. Levitzki is investigating whether anti-PKB agents can destroy cancer cells and whether their efficacy might improve when combined with existing chemotherapy agents.

Johns Hopkins University

Name:		Philip A. Beachy, PhD
Title:		FDA-Approved Drugs for Hedgehog Pathway Inhibition in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Previous studies have shown that continual stimulation of a cell-signaling pathway, referred to as the Hedgehog pathway, is a key factor in the development of metastatic prostate cancer. Dr. Beachy is testing the ability of current agents to inhibit this pathway in men with prostate cancer.

Name:		Robert H. Getzenberg, PhD
Title:		Utilization of Serum EPCA-2 Levels to Identify Men with Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Markers that can help distinguish between more and less aggressive disease are essential to helping physicians determine the best therapeutic approach. Dr. Getzenberg is evaluating the utility of one such marker by assessing how well it correlates with and can predict known clinical features and outcomes of prostate cancer.

Name:		John T. Isaacs, PhD
Title:		New Approach to Neutralize Androgen Receptor Function in Androgen Ablation Failing Prostate Cancer Patients
Summary:		Mutation of the androgen receptor disrupts the efficacy of hormone therapy and thereby promotes prostate cancer cell growth in men with advanced disease. Dr. Isaacs is designing a mechanism to prevent one of the most common forms of mutation, thereby neutralizing the ability of the receptor to promote cancer growth.

Name:		Dan Stoianovici, PhD
Title:		Robotic MRI-Guided Prostate Interventions
Summary:		Precise localization of tumors in the prostate gland is crucial for multiple diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Dr. Stoianovici is studying the use of an MRI-guided robot designed to assist in the placement of imaging instruments, and is testing the ability of the robot to accurately insert brachytherapy seeds in animal and cadaveric prostates.

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Name:		Renata Pasqualini, PhD
Title:		Targeted Imaging of Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis
Summary:		The lack of precise imaging capabilities has contributed to the difficulty in following the progression and monitoring treatment effects in prostate cancer. Dr. Pasqualini is studying whether specialized proteins can bind to cell surface receptors and whether they can, in turn, be used to guide molecular imaging of prostate cancer cells.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Name:		James P. Allison, PhD
Title:		Inhibitory B7 Molecules as Targets for Checkpoint Blockade in Immunotherapy of Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Agents that stimulate activity of specific cells in the immune system are currently being studied in clinical trials. Dr. Allison is investigating cells from a similar pathway to determine whether they can also induce the immune system into fighting prostate cancer cells.

Name:		Neal Rosen, MD, PhD
Title:		Development of Therapeutic Strategies for the Inhibition of PI3/AKT Kinase-Mediated Signaling Pathways in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Disruption of cell-signaling pathways known to induce prostate cancer cell proliferation has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for prostate cancer. Dr. Rosen is investigating the mechanisms behind novel PI3/AKT inhibitors with an eye toward better understanding the biologic and clinical consequences of inhibiting this growth pathway.

Name:		Howard I. Scher, MD
Title:		Preclinical and Clinical Studies of HDAC Inhibition in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Persistent activity of the androgen receptor despite hormone therapy is a hallmark of hormone-resistant prostate cancer. Dr. Scher is studying whether HDAC inhibitors, which are known to downregulate activity of the androgen receptor, can affect prostate cancer cell growth alone or in combination with other anti-cancer agents.

Ohio State University

Name:		Ching-Shih Chen, MD, PhD
Title:		Development of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Clinically Relevant Targets for Prostate Cancer Progression
Summary:		Multiple cell signaling pathways contribute to the function of the androgen receptor, whose actions play an important role in the progression of prostate cancer. Dr. Chen is studying a set of agents that can potentially interfere with these pathways and therefore slow the progression of the disease.

Roger Williams Medical Center

Name:		Richard P. Junghans, MD, PhD
Title:		Advanced Generation Therapies of Anti-PSMA Designer T Cells for Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Research has shown that T cells in the immune system can be re-engineered to identify and destroy specific proteins found on the surface of cancer cells. Dr. Junghans is refining the mechanisms by which this process occurs in prostate cancer cells, translating earlier laboratory and animal work into a clinically useful therapeutic product.

Name:		Qiangzhong Ma, PhD
Title:		PSMA-Fc Fusion Protein for Activation of Anti-PSMA Designer T Cells for Improved Therapy of Prostate Cancer
Summary:		The re-engineering of T cells to recognize and destroy prostate cancer cells is a promising immune-based strategy, but translating the laboratory results into a clinically effective therapy is challenging. Dr. Ma is developing a protein that will directly activate infused T cells, extending and enhancing the potency of the T cells in men with prostate cancer.

Stanford University

Name:		Calvin J. Kuo, MD, PhD
Title:		Novel Hedgehog Antagonists for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Interference with the Hedgehog cell-signaling pathway has been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells. Dr. Kuo has engineered a novel anti-Hedgehog protein and is investigating whether this protein can effectively be used in both prostate cancer cell lines and mouse models.

University of Alabama, Birmingham

Name:		Richard D. Lopez, MD
Title:		Clinical-Scale Expansion and Purification of Human gd-T cells for the Adoptive Cellular Therapy of Advanced or Recurrent Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Certain cells in the immune system have an innate ability to recognize cancer cells, but these cells are few in number and tend to have short lifespans. Dr. Lopez is studying methods to isolate these cells, to grow them in the laboratory, to inject them back into prostate tumors, and to monitor their effectiveness at destroying cancer cells.

University of California, Davis

Name:		Ralph W. de Vere White, MD
Title:		Functional Validation of H2 Relaxin as a Facilitator of Androgen Independent Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Research with prostate cancer cell lines has shown that the progression to hormone-resistant disease can be slowed by inhibiting expression of a protein known as H2 relaxin. Dr. de Vere White is exploring whether similar results can be seen in animal models of prostate cancer and whether these results will translate into clinical significance in men with prostate cancer.

University of California, Los Angeles

Name:		Owen N. Witte, MD
Title:		Identification of Genes Regulating Prostate Cancer Metastasis by a Functional Genetic Screen
Summary:		Genetic changes in prostate cancer cells enable them to break free of the prostate and migrate to other tissues, resulting in prostate cancer metastases. Dr. Witte is using an RNA-based gene screening tool to identify genes that might be implicated in the progression from normal prostate tissue to prostate cancer metastases.

Name:		Lily Wu, MD, PhD
Title:		Deciphering the Role of Tumor-associated Macrophages in Prostate Cancer Metastasis
Summary:		The spread of prostate cancer cells to the lymph nodes is characteristic of advanced disease. Dr. Wu is investigating how the cancer cells are recruited to the lymph nodes, and whether a better understanding of the interactions between the immune system and the tumor could lead to the development of novel therapies for metastatic disease.

University of California, Riverside

Name:		Ameae M. Walker, PhD
Title:		S179D Prolactin Sensitizes Late-Stage Human Prostate Cancer Cells to Physiological Levels of 1,25 Dihydroxy Vitamin D3: Collaborators in Cell Death
Summary:		1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D3 (1,25D) affects prostate cancer cell growth in laboratory tests, but the high levels required to achieve similar results in humans cause unacceptable toxicities. Dr. Walker is studying whether S179D prolactin can be used to sensitize cells to 1,25D so that lower and less toxic levels of 1,25D could be used to induce cancer cell death.

University of California, San Francisco

Name:		Robert A. Bok, MD, PhD
Title:		Carbon-13 and Nanoparticle Enhanced MRSI of Prostate Tumors
Summary:		The ability to image prostate cancers is an important step in the management of the disease. Dr. Bok is combining some of the newest imaging strategies to identify improved methods to detect and monitor growing tumors.

Name:		Marc I. Diamond, MD
Title:		Identification of Novel Anti-Androgens via Conformation and Transcription-Based Screens of FDA-Approved Compounds
Summary:		Development of new compounds to target the androgen receptor and slow the progression of prostate cancer is a high priority. Dr. Diamond is screening currently available agents to determine whether they can inhibit androgen-receptor activity and whether they can be used in men with prostate cancer.

Name:		Robert J. Fletterick, PhD
Title:		Discovery Strategy for Stable AF-1 Androgen Receptor-Coregulator Complexes
Summary:		The ways in which prostate cancer cellular proteins interact with the androgen receptor is not well understood. Dr. Fletterick is using computerized systems to isolate and determine 3-D structures of protein-receptor complexes in an attempt to identify agents that block their association and therefore potentially affect prostate cancer progression.

Name:		Timothy P. Quinn, MD
Title:		A New Approach to Target Overexpressed VEGF: Conversion of VEGF into a Cell Death Factor
Summary:		Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a protein produced by cancer cells that promotes the growth of new blood vessels, thereby enabling tumors to grow. Dr. Quinn is studying the use of a recombinant protein that, when bound to VEGF, is designed to target and kill prostate cancer cells. More information

University of Iowa

Name:		Michael D. Henry, PhD
Title:		AR Targeted siRNA Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer
Summary:		The use of small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed to the androgen receptor has been shown to modify expression of the receptor and induce the death of prostate cancer cells. Dr. Henry is exploring whether coupling the siRNA to cholesterol might be an effective mechanism for uptake of the siRNA and whether this complex can affect prostate cancer progression in animal models.

University of Maryland

Name:		Yun Qiu, PhD
Title:		The Role of a Novel Pim-1 Kinase Isoform in Chemoresistance of Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Late-stage prostate cancers are often resistant to chemotherapy, limiting the treatment options for men with advanced disease. Dr. Qiu is studying the mechanisms behind the chemoresistance conferred on prostate cancer cells by a protein known as Pim-1L, and whether inhibiting its actions can sensitize cells to chemotherapy.

University of Massachusetts

Name:		Robert E. Carraway, PhD
Title:		Blood Fatty Acids Regulate Prostate Tumor Growth: Animal and Human Studies
Summary:		Earlier studies have demonstrated that the presence of fat stimulates the release of a hormone, which, in turn, promotes the growth of blood vessels that nourish prostate tumors. Dr. Carraway is studying the interactions between fat intake, hormone release, and blood vessel growth to determine whether an interruption of one of these steps can decrease prostate cancer growth. More information

University of Michigan

Name:		Arul M. Chinnaiyan, MD, PhD
Title:		The Role of Gene Fusions in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Genetic alterations can result in the production of proteins that help spur the development of cancer cells. Dr. Chinnaiyan has identified a protein that results from a fusion of two genes known to be overexpressed in prostate cancer cells and is investigating whether the protein might play a role in the development of prostate cancer.

Name:		Russell S. Taichman, DMD, DMSc
Title:		Regulation of Metastatic Prostate Cancer by Annexin II (AX-II) and AXL/GAS6
Summary:		Prostate cancers are known to metastasize to the bone, but the interaction between the tumor and bone environments remains poorly understood. Dr. Taichman is evaluating the role of specific proteins produced by bone tissue and/or prostate cancer cells in regulating tumor cell growth and metastatic spread to the bone.

Name:		Shaomeng Wang, PhD
Title:		Design and Evaluation of High-Affinity, Non-Peptide, Bivalent, Small-Molecule Smac Mimetics as a Novel Therapy for Treating Androgen-Independent, Advanced Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Specialized proteins contained within prostate cancer cells make them impervious to agents that promote cell death. Dr. Wang is investigating the use of novel agents that inhibit the action of these proteins and is examining whether these agents can be used alone or in combination with other anti-cancer agents to induce prostate cancer cell death.

University of Minnesota

Name:		Junxuan Lu, PhD
Title:		Novel Herbal Drug Candidates for Prostate Cancer Therapy
Summary:		Preliminary studies with the Korean herb Angelica gigas Nakai have shown it to have antiandrogenic properties. Dr. Lu is analyzing molecular components of the herbal extract to determine whether it can be used effectively and reliably to slow the growth of prostate cancer in mouse models.

University of Pittsburgh

Name:		Beth R. Pflug, PhD
Title:		Fatty Acid Synthase as a Therapeutic Target for Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is an enzyme known to be elevated in cancerous prostate tissue compared with normal prostate tissue, but the precise relationship between FAS and prostate cancer remains unclear. Dr. Pflug is investigating the potential benefit of an FDA-approved FAS inhibitor in men with prostate cancer by measuring tumor responses to the agent.

Name:		Uzma S. Shah, PhD
Title:		Genetic Implications of Targeting Fatty Acid Synthase as a Potential Therapeutic Agent in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		The interaction between fatty acid synthase (FAS) and prostate cancer growth is mediated by a number of genetic alterations in prostate cancer cells. Dr. Shah is studying the genetic changes seen when FAS activity is inhibited to better understand the role of FAS in regulating the growth of prostate cancer cells.

University of Rochester

Name:		Ganesh S. Palapattu, MD
Title:		Bone Marrow Derived Cells (BMDCs) and Prostate Carcinogenesis
Summary:		Laboratory studies have demonstrated a potential role for chronic inflammation and/or infection in the development of prostate cancer. Dr. Palapattu is exploring whether bone marrow derived cells, which are normally recruited by the body to help regenerate tissue, might contribute to the development of cancer in chronically inflamed prostate tissue.

University of Southern California

Name:		Gerhard A. Coetzee, PhD
Title:		Understanding Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Hormone resistance is a hallmark of advanced prostate cancer and is typically seen as a major turning point in disease progression. Dr. Coetzee is investigating the mechanisms by which a newly discovered protein aids in progression and whether the presence or absence of this protein can predict progression to hormone-resistant disease.

University of Virginia

Name:		John M. Chirgwin, PhD
Title:		PSA Regulates Bone Metastases through PTHrP Proteolysis: Preclinical Assay Development
Summary:		The development of bone metastases is a painful and often debilitating effect of progressive prostate cancer. Dr. Chirgwin is studying the interactions among different proteins produced by prostate cancer cells in an attempt to determine whether bone metastases can be treated and/or prevented.

Name:		Michael J. Weber, PhD
Title:		Preclinical Studies on MEK Inhibition in Advanced and Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Activation of the MEK cell-signaling pathway has been shown to induce growth of hormone-resistant prostate cancer cells. Dr. Weber is studying the mechanisms of an MEK inhibitor to identify markers that might predict response to the agent and to identify the need for complementary agents to optimize inhibition of hormone-resistant cell growth.

University of Wisconsin

Name:		Wade Bushman, MD, PhD
Title:		Characterization of Prostate Stem Cells Cultured as Prostaspheres
Summary:		Previous research has shown that hormone-resistant prostate cancer cells grow from stem cells that can self-renew and multiply infinitely. Dr. Bushman is studying the biology and growth behaviors of these cells to identify targets for therapeutic intervention.

Name:		George Wilding, MD
Title:		Pentamethylchromanol as an Antiandrogenic Antioxidant Therapy for Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Prior studies have demonstrated that the antioxidant pentamethylchromanol has activity against both hormone-sensitive and hormone-resistant prostate cancer cell lines. Dr. Wilding is examining whether the antioxidant can reduce tumor volume in animal models as determined by a high-resolution microCT-microPET hybrid scanner.

Vanderbilt University

Name:		Jay H. Fowke, PhD, MPH
Title:		Glitazones and Prostate Cancer Risk in a Large Cohort of Men with Type II Diabetes
Summary:		Studies of men with diabetes have shown that those on drugs known as glitazones have a significantly lower risk of developing prostate cancer. Dr. Fowke is exploring this phenomenon more closely to determine whether these agents can safely be used in prostate cancer prevention. More information

Wake Forest University

Name:		Purnima Dubey, PhD
Title:		In Vivo Evaluation of PSCA as a T Cell Target for Immunotherapy of Prostate Cancer
Summary:		One of the challenges inherent in an immune-based therapy is teaching the body to distinguish between normal and cancerous tissue. Dr. Dubey is studying whether the immune system can be taught to target a protein found on the surface of prostate cancer cells, while ignoring the same protein when it is found in normal tissues.