PROVIDE CANCER CENTER SUPPORT

This renewal application of a Cancer Center Support Grant that was first
awarded in 1981 to support eh Cancer Center of the La Jolla Cancer
Research Foundation. The Center, which encompasses the entire Foundation,
conducts research on the related fields of tumor biology and
developmental biology, collectively termed "oncodevelopmental biology". The rapid progress of the Center has continued during the current grant
period. The staff now numbers 29 (vs. 21 five years ago), peer reviewed
grand support has grown by 28%, and the construction of new 65,000 sq.ft.
research building is underway. The new shared services established with
the partial support of this grant include facilities for crystallography,
cell imaging and gene targeting. Funds for an NMR facility have been
acquired from a private Foundation. Moreover, surveys have ranked the
Foundation among the leading research institutions for the impact of its
more than 1,000 research papers published in the 1980's. The Center has over the years been recognized for its work on
extracellular matrix and carbohydrate adhesion molecules. During the past
grant period Center investigators have also made major contributions in
the field of oncogenes and retinoids. The latter field is not only
important for cancer treatment, but will spearhead the planned greater
commitment of the Center to research on premalignant changes and their
elimination and reversal. Future plans follow a 10-year master plan first developed in 1988 and
updated recently. The immediate priority is to complete the new research
building, relocate the staff who now work in rented facilities to the new
building, and recruit the additional staff the facility makes possible
to accommodate. This includes the recruitment of an accomplished
molecular biologist to head a new program and completion of an NMR
facility. The longer term development will take two directions: the
existing strength of Foundation research in cell adhesion will be made
use of in continued efforts to develop new anit-metastatic therapies, and
the emerging strength in retinoid and stem cell research will be the
basis of a new research focus on reversal and elimination of premalignant
lesions. This grant plays a vital role in supporting the development and
maintenance of the infrastructure for these research efforts.