Center of Excellence in Cancer Research
Building a Force Against Cancer
Empowering Convergence
We are building a critical mass of researchers in Texas dedicated to curing cancer. The Regional Center of Excellence in Cancer Research was created to bring together the outstanding cancer research taking place across Texas A&M University to create a powerful collaborative environment that fuels innovation and accelerates breakthroughs that make a difference in the lives of Texas, and beyond.
Collaborative Innovation
To foster a highly interactive environment, we encourage cancer researchers from different disciplines to come together, share their knowledge, and generate new ideas. We incentivize researchers to pursue innovative and transformative cancer research programs to increase precision in cancer prevention and health-care delivery.
Nurturing Excellence
One of our core focuses is mentoring early career investigators who are interested in cancer research. By empowering and supporting these emerging researchers, we aim to foster a culture of innovation and ensure a sustainable pipeline of talent dedicated to curing cancer. In addition to mentoring, we are actively recruiting outstanding cancer researchers to join forces with us.
Upcoming Events
Cores
Four Core Services Support State-of-the-Art Cancer Research.
Single Cell Data Science Core
Overview
Single cell technologies such as single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) are rapidly revolutionizing a wide range of biomedical research. These cutting-edge methods enable researchers to analyze the gene expression of individual cells, offering unprecedented insights into cellular heterogeneity, developmental biology, and disease mechanisms. By providing a more granular view of biological systems, single-cell technologies have become essential in unraveling complex tissue environments, identifying rare cell populations, and understanding the molecular underpinnings of cancer, immune disorders, and other diseases.
Goals
We are developing novel statistical methods that address the challenges in:
- Finding new cell types.
- Characterizing cellular dynamics.
- Discovering gene regulations at the single-cell level.
- Monitoring structural, functional, or phenotypic changes under different experimental conditions.
- Relating rare transitional cells or cell phenotypes to disease progression.
Administrative Core
Overview
The Administrative Core supports all center activities to create a sustainable and successful center of excellence in cancer research.
Goals
- Establish a sustainable center of excellence in cancer research through professional development of the next generation of early career investigators at Texas A&M University who are successful in securing extramural funding to advance cancer research.
- Strengthen multi-disciplinary cancer research teams focusing on gene-environment-lifestyle interactions that foster a rich environment for career development of early career investigators.
- Organize resources around a central goal to support innovative cancer research projects addressing issues of relevance to Texans, the nation, and the world.
- Recruit talented investigators to Texas A&M University, with an emphasis on individuals traditionally underrepresented in cancer research.
- Create a career development and mentoring program that supports center faculty and their ability to climb the academic ladder, establish innovative research programs, and successfully compete at the national level.
- Support established investigators in their efforts to refocus their scholarly activities to address research questions in areas relevant to cancer, especially efforts focused on the central theme of the program.
- Establish core services that support state-of-the art cancer research.
Clinicogenomics Core
Overview
Typical registries and biobanks do not currently serve the needs of Cancer Interception and Precision Prevention programs, thus limiting hypothesis generation and the study of disease trajectories. We posit that a more complete understanding of cancer development, and the validation of strategies that prevent cancer in at-risk populations, would be aided by use of the Framingham approach that takes advantage of digital tools available today to contextualize social and economic disparities.
Goals
- Document the social, environmental, occupational and genetic determinants of cancer risk in the journey of patient’s receiving screening for cancer.
- Provide resources for cancer biomarker validation and hypothesis development.
- Enable implementation science around patient centric digital data governance models to empower longitudinal patient engagement.
Evaluation and Quality Improvement Core
Overview
The Evaluation and Quality Improvement core is tasked with establishing continuous quality improvement processes and outcomes for the Regional Center of Excellence in Cancer Research.
Goals
- The functioning of the center as a whole with all of its component parts.
- The monitoring of the center mentorship program goals and objectives.