2006 Competitive Awards Program Recipients

The extraordinary efforts of 63 research investigators at 36 institutions were recognized through our 2006 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.

Click on the institution name to learn more about the funded investigators.

Baylor College of Medicine	University of California, Los Angeles
BC Cancer Agency (Canada)	University of California, San Diego
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center	University of California, San Francisco
Cleveland Clinic Foundation	University of Connecticut Health Center
Columbia University Medical Center	University of Illinois
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	University of Louisville
Earle A. Chiles Research Institute	University of Michigan
Hebrew University (Israel)	University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Henry M. Jackson Foundation	University of Regensburg (Germany)
Indiana University	University of Southern California
Jewish General Hospital, (Canada)	Univ. of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Ctr.
Johns Hopkins University	University of Virginia
Massachusetts General Hospital	University of Washington
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Ctr.	University of Wisconsin
Mount Sinai School of Medicine	Vancouver General Hospital (Canada)
Ohio State University	Vanderbilt University
Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center	Weill Medical College
University of California, Davis	Yale University

Baylor College of Medicine

Name:		Naijie Jing, PhD
Title:		Associate Professor of Medicine
Project:		GQ-ODN T40214: A Novel and Potent Anti-Cancer Agent for Prostate Cancer Therapy
Summary:		The Stat signaling pathway plays an important role in prostate cancer cell growth. Dr. Jing is laying the initial groundwork to develop GQ-ODN T40214, a novel anti-cancer drug that interferes with Stat signaling and suppresses prostate tumor growth.

BC Cancer Agency (Canada)

Name:		Yuzhuo Wang, PhD
Title:		Senior Scientist, Cancer Epidemiology
Project:		Metastasis Associated Prostate Cancer Genes
Summary:		The identification of genes that are specific to aggressive prostate cancer is a crucial step in the development of new therapies for metastatic disease. Dr. Wang is comparing gene expression profiles in two different cell lines in an attempt to identify specific genetic changes that might serve as targets for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Name:		Mark A. Exley, MSc, PhD
Title:		Assistant Professor of Medicine
Project:		Optimizing Anti-Tumor Immunity: Potential of Dendritic cells (DC), GM-CSF, and iNKT Cells for the Induction of Prostate Cancer Tumor Immunity
Summary:		Harnessing the immune system is increasingly being seen as an important way to fight against prostate cancer. Dr. Exley is focusing on the interactions between unique types of immune cells with a goal of collecting information that can be used in prostate cancer clinical trials.

Name:		Xuesong Gu, PhD
Title:		Instructor in Medicine
Project:		Deciphering the PDEF Role in Prostate Gland Development and Prostate Carcinogenesis
Summary:		The development of prostate cancer metastases is regulated by a host of genes and transcription factors. Dr. Gu is using a newly developed animal model to evaluate the precise role of the transcription factor PDEF in prostate cancer growth and to determine whether PDEF might be an effective target for new therapeutics.

Name:		Towia A. Libermann, PhD
Title:		Associate Professor of Medicine
Project:		TMPRSS2/ERG Translocations as Targets for Therapy in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Recent studies have shown that the fusion of specific genes is highly correlated with the development of aggressive prostate cancer. Dr. Libermann is using a novel in silico high-throughput screening approach to identify drugs that can target the gene fusion, with a focus on identifying novel therapeutic strategies for patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

Cleveland Clinic

Name:		Robert H. Silverman, PhD
Title:		Professor of Cancer Biology
Project:		Role of XMRV in Prostate Cancer Pathogenesis
Summary:		Recent studies have shown that a novel retrovirus, XMRV, might be implicated in the development of prostate cancer. Dr. Silverman is studying the virus’ effects of the growth of cancer cells to better understand its role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.

Columbia University Medical Center

Name:		Edward P. Gelmann, MD
Title:		Clyde Wu Professor of Oncology
Project:		Origins of Prostate Cancer Heterogeneity
Summary:		Investigators have long studied differences in gene expression to better understand the heterogeneity in prostate cancer prognosis. Dr. Gelmann is studying the initiating events that result in variable gene expression in an attempt to determine whether modulation of these events can influence prostate cancer virulence.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Name:		Ronald A. DePinho, MD
Title:		Director, Center for Applied Cancer Science
Project:		Identifying and Validating New Targets of FoxO Tumor Suppressors in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		FoxO transcription factors play a significant role in controlling expression of genes linked to cancer cell growth and death. Dr. DePinho is using a specialized tumor model that lacks FoxO to better delineate its precise mechanisms and to identify new targets for therapeutic intervention.

Name:		Levi A. Garraway, MD, PhD
Title:		Assistant Professor of Medicine
Project:		High-Throughput Cancer Gene Mutation Profiling in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Large databanks of tissue from men with prostate cancer offer valuable insight into how small genetic mutations can affect the development of the disease over time. Dr. Garraway is using high-throughput, mass spectrometry-based genotyping on hundreds of tissue samples to better characterize the prostate cancer genome and facilitate targeting of new therapeutic agents.

Name:		William C. Hahn, MD, PhD
Title:		Assistant Professor of Medicine
Project:		Molecular Determinants of Hormone-Manipulation Refractory Prostate Cancer
Summary:		The decreasing sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to hormone therapy is a hallmark of advanced disease. Dr. Hahn is conducting a series of experiments to identify molecules that promote hormone resistance and allow for the development of metastatic prostate cancer.

Earle A. Chiles Research Institute

Name:		Bernard A. Fox, PhD
Title:		Chief, Laboratory of Molecular & Tumor Immunology
Project:		Regulating T-Regs to Augment Effective Immunotherapy
Summary:		Regulatory T (T-reg) cells play an important role in preventing the body’s immune system from fighting off cancer cells. Dr. Fox has developed an innovative approach to reduce T-reg cells in prostate tumors and is incorporating this approach into a pilot clinical trial of men with advanced prostate cancer.

Hebrew University (Israel)

Name:		Alexander Levitzki, PhD
Title:		Professor of Biochemistry
Project:		PKB and IGF1R Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Enhanced activity of two different growth factor pathways plays an important role in the progression to metastatic prostate cancer. Dr. Levitzki has demonstrated that interrupting these two pathways simultaneously is effective at slowing cancer cell growth and is developing a therapeutic agent to be used in the clinic in men with prostate cancer.

Henry M. Jackson Foundation

Name:		Albert Dobi, MD
Title:		Chief, Section for Gene Regulation and Bioinformatics, Center for Prostate Disease Research
Project:		Androgen Regulation of the TMPRSS2 Promoter in Prostate Cancer Cells
Summary:		Expression of the ERG gene has been shown to correlate with functioning of the androgen receptor, a key player in the development of hormone resistant prostate cancer. Dr. Dobi is seeking to define factors that influence ERG expression in an attempt to identify new targets for therapeutic intervention.

Indiana University

Name:		Jian-Ting Zhang, PhD
Title:		Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Project:		Targeting Survivin for Better Treatment of Prostate Cancers Using Computation-Based Drug Design
Summary:		The loss of apoptosis, or programmed cell death, allows cancer cells to grow and multiply unchecked. Dr. Zhang is exploring ways to target survivin, a molecule that has been shown to inhibit apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.

Jewish General Hospital, a McGill University Teaching Hospital (Canada)

Name:		Michael N. Pollak, MD
Title:		Professor of Oncology
Project:		Mediators of the Adverse Impact of Obesity on Risk for High-Grade Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Multiple studies have demonstrated that obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer. Dr. Pollak is examining data from men with and without prostate cancer to identify metabolic factors that might influence the risk of developing more aggressive cancers.

Johns Hopkins University

Name:		Michael A. Carducci, MD
Title:		Associate Professor of Oncology and Urology
Project:		Determining the Efficacy of Upregulating NDRG1 in Inhibiting Metastasis of Prostate Cancer Cells
Summary:		A key factor in the development of metastatic prostate cancer is the disabling of tumor suppressor genes. Dr. Carducci is studying whether enhancing the activity of the tumor suppressor NDRG1 can slow prostate cancer metastasis.

Name:		Robert H. Getzenberg, PhD
Title:		Professor and Director of Urology Research
Project:		Serum EPCA-2 as a Progression Marker of Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Proteins in the blood or urine that predict the likelihood of prostate cancer progression can play an important role in deciding when to initiate aggressive treatment. Dr. Getzenberg is evaluating whether EPCA-2, a protein known to distinguish between localized and more advanced disease, can predict the likelihood of developing metastatic prostate cancer at the time of diagnosis.

Name:		John T. Isaacs, PhD
Title:		Professor of Oncology and Urology
Project:		PSA-Activated Functional Imaging of Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Noninvasive imaging techniques that can identify sites of metastatic disease are critical in the management of advanced prostate cancer. Dr. Isaacs is using PSA (prostate-specific antigen) to activate radioactive substances within tumor sites, enabling the detection of metastatic disease and the evaluation of clinical response to new therapeutic agents early in the disease process.

Name:		Jun O. Liu, PhD
Title:		Professor of Pharmacology and Oncology
Project:		Identification of New Therapeutic Agents for Prostate Cancer From a Clinical Drug Library
Summary:		The processes underlying the development and progression of prostate cancer are mechanistically similar to those in other diseases and disorders, making it likely that drugs used in other diseases might be useful in prostate cancer as well. Dr. Liu is examining the pharmacologic properties of compounds in a large database to determine which agents might be used to inhibit prostate cancer cell growth and slow the progression to metastatic disease.

Name:		Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian, MD, PhD
Title:		Instructor in Oncology
Project:		Somatic DNA Methylation Changes as Biomarkers of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Risk Stratification
Summary:		Epigenetic mutations that affect a cell’s behavior without altering its DNA typically appear well before the actual genetic mutations are seen. Dr. Yegnasubramanian is evaluating some of the key epigenetic mutations seen in the development and progression of prostate cancer to determine whether they can be used as markers for risk stratification, prognosis, and treatment monitoring.

Massachusettes General Hospital

Name:		Matthew R. Smith, MD, PhD
Title:		Associate Professor of Medicine
Project:		Treatment-Related Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in Prostate Cancer Survivors
Summary:		Preliminary studies suggest that hormone therapy causes insulin resistance, the key metabolic abnormality in type 2 diabetes and an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Dr. Smith is studying the long-term effects of hormone therapy in men with prostate cancer to determine whether these and other metabolic changes are reversible after discontinuation of treatment.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Name:		James P. Allison, PhD
Title:		David H. Koch Chair in Immunologic Studies
Project:		Inhibitory B7 Molecules in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Activation and regulation of the immune system has emerged in the past few years as an attractive strategy for therapeutic intervention in men with prostate cancer. Dr. Allison is exploring whether inhibitory B7 molecules might serve as additional checkpoints for regulating an immune response and whether they might make attractive therapeutic targets.

Name:		Neal Rosen, MD, PhD
Title:		Member, Program in Molecular Pharmacology
Project:		Development of Strategies for the Therapeutic Inhibition of PI3Kinase Mediated Signaling Pathways in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Summary:		The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the growth and continued viability of prostate cancer cells. Dr. Rosen is using data from preclinical studies of two AKT inhibitors to determine whether these agents can sensitize tumors to hormonal, targeted, and chemotherapeutic approaches in prostate cancer.

Name:		Howard I. Scher, MD
Title:		Chief, Genitourinary Oncology Service
Project:		Preclinical and Clinical Studies of HDAC Inhibition in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have been shown to disrupt androgen receptor signaling, making them key players in the progression to hormone-resistant prostate cancer. Dr. Scher is studying the use of two HDAC inhibitors in prostate cancer models, with a goal of determining whether the combination of HDAC inhibitors and hormone therapy can improve outcomes in men with advanced prostate cancer.

Name:		Sven Wenske, MD
Title:		Research Fellow
Project:		Evaluation of Whether Catalytic Forms of Prostate-Specific Antigen or Human Kallikrein 2 Influence the Development, Progression, or Metastasis of Prostate Cancer
Summary:		There is evidence that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and kallikrein 2 (hK2) are not merely markers of prostate cancer, but may promote development or progression of the cancer. Dr. Wenske will use genetic engineering to induce abundant production of PSA or hK2 and evaluate whether either protein affects cell growth and metastatic potential in laboratory cell lines and animal models.

Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Name:		John A. Martignetti, MD, PhD
Title:		Associate Professor of Human Genetics, Pediatrics and Oncological Sciences
Project:		Preclinical Studies of KLF6-SV1 Inhibition in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Targeted inhibition of the tumor suppressor gene KLF6-SV1 decreases tumor cell growth and invasion and increases cancer cell death. Dr. Martignetti is examining the effects of a novel KLF6-SV1 inhibitor on tumor growth in an attempt to identify a new approach to the treatment of prostate cancer.

Ohio State University

Name:		Ching-Shih Chen, PhD
Title:		Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
Project:		Development of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Clinically Relevant Targets for Prostate Cancer Progression
Summary:		Multiple cellular and genetic alterations contribute to the development of hormone resistance in men with advancing prostate cancer. Dr. Chen is evaluating the use of two new agents that inhibit Bcl-2/Bcl-xL and androgen receptor expression in laboratory cell lines as well as their efficacy as a dual therapeutic intervention in animal models of advanced prostate cancer.

Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center

Name:		Michael A. McClelland, PhD
Title:		Professor and Director of Cancer Genetics
Project:		Identification of DNA Methylation Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		Many tumor suppressor genes are silenced by DNA methylation, a chemical modification of the DNA that frequently occurs early in the development of cancer. Dr. McClelland is using a high-throughput microarray-based assay to profile DNA methylation changes in prostate cancer tissue and to identify key DNA methylation changes that might serve as diagnostic and prognostic prostate cancer biomarkers.

University of California, Davis

Name:		Christopher P. Evans, MD
Title:		Chair and Associate Professor of Urology
Project:		Novel Approaches to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition in Prostate Cancer
Summary:		The tyrosine kinase SRC has been shown to play an important role in the initiation and progression of prostate cancer. Dr. Evans is exploring whether the SRC pathway is also critical to the survival and growth of prostate cancer cells and whether its overexpression results in the progression of hormone-resistant metastatic disease.

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