We are requesting funds to develop a cancer research core facility which will enable the conduct of clinical studies related to cancer treatment early diagnosis, and prevention at TTUHSC, Paul Foster School of Medicine and University Medical Center (UMC) in El Paso. The core facility will hire 8 research staff members, in addition to a laboratory technician and an information technologist. It will provide the appropriate research infrastructure, instrumentation, and technical expertise necessary to activate and enroll patients with any type of cancer into numerous cancer clinical trials, targeting both adult and pediatric patients. This will provide access to new cancer therapies to patients...

Read More

We are requesting funds to develop a cancer research core facility which will enable the conduct of clinical studies related to cancer treatment early diagnosis, and prevention at TTUHSC, Paul Foster School of Medicine and University Medical Center (UMC) in El Paso. The core facility will hire 8 research staff members, in addition to a laboratory technician and an information technologist. It will provide the appropriate research infrastructure, instrumentation, and technical expertise necessary to activate and enroll patients with any type of cancer into numerous cancer clinical trials, targeting both adult and pediatric patients. This will provide access to new cancer therapies to patients in El Paso (70% Hispanics) and will also serve the cancer care needs of the large active duty U.S service men and women and their families based in El Paso (close to fifty thousand members). It will also help develop a research database focusing on Hispanic oncology patients, a largely understudied group and will carry out information sharing with other cancer groups in Texas. If funded, the core facility will allow the immediate activation of multiple funded research projects 1) A project to develop a multilevel intervention to improve colorectal cancer screening rates; 2) Two protocols using a new immunotherapy approach for the treatment of breast cancer ( by using and fortifying patients own white blood cells known as T cells) ; 3) A national protocol in breast cancer currently accruing patients at more than 170 institutions in the U.S using chemotherapy and a drug that starves the tumor by cutting the blood supply to the cancer (bevacizumab) ; and 4) a protocol funded by industry and monitored by the FDA targeting patients with advanced breast cancer using a new biologic agent that can attack cancer proteins vital to the growth and survival of cancer . This core facility will have the commitment and full support of the TTTUHSC at El Paso and the UMC.

Read Less