University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI)

Overview

Jill M. Siegfried, PhD, Principal Investigator
Athanassios (Ethan) Argiris, MD, Clinical Associate Director
William L. Bigbee, PhD, Basic Science Associate Director

The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) is conducting a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Lung Cancer. The overall goals of the Lung Cancer SPORE are to improve detection and treatment of lung cancer and to understand the mechanisms of increased susceptibility of women to lung cancer. The SPORE program consists of four major translational research projects in lung cancer, three research cores, an administrative core, a developmental research program, and a career development program. The Lung Cancer SPORE uses interdisciplinary approaches to meet its objectives by carrying out projects with co-investigators in basic, applied, and clinical science. It is also organ-specific in its approach; all projects test hypotheses about lung cancer biology, susceptibility, detection, or treatment. The long-term goal of the UPCI SPORE is to conduct clinical trials, based on research results from its translational research projects, that will serve as the basis for improving the outcome of patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

The main projects are:

• Project 1: Intersection of estrogen receptor signaling and epidermal growth factor receptor signaling in lung cancer
• Project 2: Cyclin b1 immunotherapy
• Project 3: Serum proteomic biomarkers for lung cancer detection and prognosis
• Project 4: Nucleotide excision repair/cell cycle control haplotypes and lung cancer risk and prognosis

The research cores will assist the main research projects, developmental research projects, and career development investigators in carrying out lung cancer translational research. The research cores are Tissue and Blood Bank Core, Clinical Core, and Biostatistics Core. The Administrative Core will provide scientific and fiscal oversight for the program. The Clinical Core interacts with the laboratory investigators and other cores to initiate and implement the clinical activities. UPCI SPORE investigators work together as a team to meet the goals of the program and will also interact with investigators from Lung Cancer SPOREs at other institutions to improve outcome for lung cancer patients.

Scientific questions regarding this program can be addressed to:
Jill Siegfried, PhD
Principal Investigator, Lung Cancer SPORE
Hillman Cancer Center
UPCI Research Pavilion, Suite 2.18
5117 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-1863
Phone: 412-623-7769
Fax: 412-623-7768
Email: siegfriedjm@upmc.edu

Administrative questions regarding this program can be addressed to:
M. Linda Gangewere, MS
Lung Cancer SPORE Administrator
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
The Hillman Cancer Center
Research Pavilion, Suite 2.18
5117 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-1863
Phone: 412-623-7770
Fax: 412-623-7768
Email: gangewerel@upmc.edu