PRECLINICAL STUDIES

For additional information on cell signaling pathway research, see Current Projects.

Alterations in signaling pathways involved in DNA repair and apoptosis (the process in which a damaged cell recognizes that it is defective and self-destructs) might not only contribute to the development of cancer, but also affect the ability of tumor cells to be killed by certain chemotherapeutic approaches. With this in mind, members of the Developmental Therapeutics Program are evaluating the possibility that alterations in these pathways might contribute to drug resistance.

Members of the Program are also developing and/or evaluating inhibitors of these pathways. In some cases these inhibitors appear to trigger apoptosis and reverse the cancer phenotype of cells with altered pathways. In other cases, the inhibitors themselves do not directly kill cancer cells but nonetheless sensitize those cells to killing by existing chemotherapeutic agents.

In addition to examining known pathways as potential targets for future therapy, members of the Developmental Therapeutics Program are also investigating the action of a number of agents that exhibit anticancer activity in model systems through mechanisms that are currently unclear. These studies often provide insight into new, previously unsuspected alterations in cancer cells as well as improved understanding of the action of the agents under investigation. For additional information on novel therapeutic trials, see Current Projects.