Prostate

The Prostate Translational Working Group (Prostate TWG) has 19 members from the following research programs: Growth Factors and Signaling, Onco-Imaging and Spectroscopy, Chemical and Structural Biology and Carcinogenesis. The Prostate TWG is a component of the Carcinogenesis Research Program.

Current Focus

• Identification of biomarkers (including markers from biospecimens that can be obtained non-invasively) to predict and monitor the clinical behavior of prostate cancer
• Investigation of the role of inflammation in the development of prostate cancer, particularly as it may involve chronic infection with retroviruses, stromal effects or survival signals derived from pro-inflammatory cytokines
• Identification of natural products that may modulate the growth of prostate cancer cells through signaling pathways such as the WNT or the IGFR pathways

Group Co-Leaders

Dan Mercola, MD, PhD
Michael Lilly, MD

Program Leaders

John Krolewski, PhD
Ulrich Bernard, PhD

Summary of Ongoing Clinical Trials and Research Projects

Prostate TWG members are key personnel in clinical trials underway at Chao Family Cancer Center and across the nation and six distinct projects that focus on prostate cancer translational research. They also are involved in three innovative projects in prostate cancer that are being developed as applications for NCI grant funding.