Overview

The use of synthetic peptide methodologies in cancer research has increased markedly during the past decade, as tools for understanding the molecular basis for oncogenesis, for defining the specificity of tumor-specific immune responses, and increasingly, as the foundation for peptide-based therapeutic cancer vaccines. The UPCI Peptide Synthesis Facility (PSF), established in 1990, provides comprehensive state-of-the-art synthetic peptide production services in support of basic and clinical cancer research programs of the UPCI.

The specific aims of the PSF are:

  1. To provide accessible, economical, flexible, and efficient synthetic peptide production services, including design, synthesis, purification, and quality control of standard and Certified peptides for basic and clinical research;
  2. To provide accurate and informative consultations with UPCI investigators for the design and use of peptide reagents to best meet basic or clinical research goals; and
  3. To provide regular training workshops in synthetic peptide methodologies and to sponsor workshops in GLP certification.

In 2006 the PSF produced 197 peptides for 31 different UPCI investigators out of a total of 246 peptides for 50 investigators in basic and clinical research programs, including 4 Certified peptides for human cancer vaccine trials and several highly specialized peptide structures not available from commercial sources.