Program Co-Leaders: 
Janice Krieger, Ph.D.
Diana Wilkie, Ph.D., R.N.

Mission:
The mission of the Cancer Population Sciences (CPS) program is to reduce the cancer-related burden within the UFHCC catchment area by conducting person-centered, family-focused, clinician-engaged and population-based research to improve cancer prevention, treatment, symptom management and palliative care — with particular emphasis on those who face unique disadvantages due to race/ethnicity, poverty, rurality, older age and poor health literacy.

Aims:

• Advance symptom science and palliative care research
• Support the development and implementation of multilevel interventions across the – cancer care continuum
• Leverage diverse methodological approaches and tools via inter- and – intraprogrammatic interactions
• Advance cancer communication and shared decision-making

Program Co-Leaders:
Duane A. Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D.
Christian Jobin, Ph.D.

Mission: 
The mission of the Cancer Therapeutics and Host Response (CTHR) program is to define mechanisms regulating host responses to tumor progression and advance novel therapeutic treatments for patients with cancer.

Aims: 

• Interrogate the interplay between microorganisms and host immune cells in tumor response and resistance to standard and experimental therapies
• Conduct first-in-human therapeutic clinical trials for refractory malignancies
• Advance novel therapeutics targeting host or microbiota activities through a preclinical to clinical development pathway
• Promote interactive research

Program Leader:
Robert Hromas, M.D., FACP

Mission:
The mission of the Mechanisms of Oncogenesis (MOO) program is to define the molecular pathways by which normal cells transform to neoplasia in order to identify new methods of cancer prevention and treatment.

Aims:

• Elucidate the origins of neoplastic genomic and epigenomic instability
• Define the role of regulatory RNAs in oncogenesis
• Illuminate the aberrant cell signaling pathways leading to neoplastic transformation