GI Spore Goals

What is GI Spore? | GI Spore Goals | Project Descriptions | Core Descriptions | Pilot Projects
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Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers account for nearly 20 percent of cancer deaths, and colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be the second leading cause of such deaths, in the USA in 2006. The long-term objective of our SPORE in GI Cancers is to decrease mortality due to GI cancers by developing novel approaches for risk assessment, screening, chemoprevention and therapeutics. The GI SPORE includes four projects, three cores and developmental research and career development programs are proposed.

Project 1 is entitled Genetic Variability as Prognostic or Predictive Factors in Colorectal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (IEN). The translational goal of this project is to demonstrate that tailoring prevention therapy in high-risk individuals, based on host and adenoma characteristics, will reduce the development of clinically significant colonic IEN.

Project 2 is entitled Barrett’s Esophagus and Oxidative Stress: Role of Gastric Acid and Bile Acids. The translational goal of this project is to determine if ursodeoxycholic acid can modify markers of oxidative stress and/or cancer risk in patients with Barrett’s esophagus.

Project 3 is entitled Mechanistic Translational Studies of the Stress Response in Gastrointestinal Cancer. The translational goal of this project is to exploit processes associated with altered blood perfusion in tumors for therapeutic benefit.

Project 4 is entitled Drug Targeting of G-Quadraplex-NM23-H2 Complex in the c-MYC Promoter, and targets an important oncogene in GI cancer development.

The goals of both Projects 3 and 4 are to conduct translation studies with novel target-directed drugs for treatment of GI cancers. 

The projects are supported by an extensive Human GI Tissue Resource, which includes access to existing normal and neoplastic tissue specimens, which have been gathered from approximately 6000 participants in colon polyp prevention trials, over 600 patients with Barrett’s esophagus, and over 500 surgical patients who were treated for various GI malignancies. A Statistics and Informatics Core provides state-of-the-art statistical, computational and informatics support for all projects in our efforts to discover new prognostic markers and drug targets. The Evaluation and Administration Core is the critical feedback loop necessary for a productive SPORE. The Developmental Research Program ensures that the most promising translational ideas are nurtured and funded. The complementary Career Development Program will support and mentor physicians and scientists in translational research.

 

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