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Directors' Statements

 

 

 

 The Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) NCI-designated Cancer Center.
Director:  Garth Powis D.Phil.
The SBP Cancer Center is a basic research cancer center of 77 faculty organized into 3 programs of tumor initiation and maintenance, cell death and survival networks, and tumor microenvironment and metastasis.  The SBP Cancer Center’s mission is to be national leader in the battle to overcome cancer as a cause of human suffering and death. To do this its members are dedicated to the conduct of paradigm shifting, multidisciplinary  basic research into the causes, prevention and treatment of cancer; being able to rapidly translate their discoveries into the clinic for the benefit of cancer patients everywhere; and to the training the next generation of cancer scientists.  In order to achieve our vision of a world where cancer is no longer a cause of suffering and death, it is essential that we make use of all the resources available to us, none more important  than collaborations with the cadre of outstanding scientists and clinicians at the other two NCI- designated Cancer Centers in San Diego, UCSD Moores Cancer Center, a comprehensive clinical and basic research cancer center, and the Salk Institute Cancer Center, also a basic research cancer center, both with 3 miles of us on the La Jolla mesa. We look forward to the sharing of unique key resources and interactions with members of the these cancer centers, and as the C3  group reaching out to the other research organizations,  public, not-for-profit and commercial in the area to unite in the battle to conquer cancer.
 
The Salk Institute NCI-designated Cancer Center.
Director:  Tony Hunter Ph.D.
The Salk Institute Cancer Center is a basic research cancer center with 30 faculty members organized into three programs: Cancer and Metabolism,  Mouse Models and Cancer Stem Cells, and Growth Control and Genomic Stability. The Salk Cancer Center’s mission is to understand the molecular basis of cancer through a multipronged approach, making use of model systems, primary tumor samples and cancer cell lines with the goal of identifying new therapeutic targets. The environment of the Cancer Center fosters intellectual freedom, creativity and a willingness to engage in high-risk research. The members of the Cancer Center are highly interactive and their combined expertise enables rapid advances in our understanding of this complex disease.  We are now on the threshold of a new era in cancer research, and the Cancer Center is poised to lead the way in deepening our understanding of cancer with the goal of making and translating breakthrough discoveries that will lead to successful therapies to treat or eradicate cancer. To achieve our vision of a world where cancer is a curable disease, our ability to collaborate and share resources with the outstanding scientists and clinicians at the other two NCI-designated Cancer Centers in San Diego, the UCSD Moores Cancer Center, a comprehensive clinical and basic research cancer center, and the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute Cancer Center, also a basic research cancer center, both within a square mile on the La Jolla mesa, will be vital. This goal is greatly facilitated by the San Diego Cancer Center Council (C3) initiative, and we are excited to be able to make use of the unique core services available through the other cancer centers, and to interact with their members.  As part of Cancer Center Council we want to take advantage of the great strength in cancer research in San Diego and establish interactions with the rest of the academic research community on the mesa and with local biotech and pharma companies to accelerate our efforts to find cures for cancer.
 
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center
Director: Scott M. Lippman, MD
The Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego was granted NCI designation as a Clinical Cancer Center in 1978 and Comprehensive Cancer Center status in 2001. It is composed of over 400 participating, associate and general members drawn from 19 departments of the University. The Center has six Research Programs, which reflect its scientific strengths and evolving interests: Cancer Biology & Signaling, Cancer Genomics & Networks, Hematologic Malignancies, Cancer Prevention, Reducing Cancer Disparities, and Solid Tumor Therapeutics.
Its shared resources and programmatic alignments are designed to facilitate the flow of discoveries from the basic and prevention research groups to the clinical scientists in the Center. The Center is also specifically structured to encourage the counter flow of clinical observations and phenomena to the research laboratory so that collaborative investigation by all research disciplines is stimulated. Translational Medicine embodies the central philosophy of the Moores Cancer Center, which places the highest priority and emphasis on converting the discoveries from high quality research into tangible improvements in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and amelioration of discomfort for the benefit of the community.  It is expected and intended that this highly collaborative environment will engender novel targeted therapies tailored to the cancer patient’s genomic profile and known cancer causing genetic mutations.  
The 270, 000 sf Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Center opened in April 2005. It is a landmark building on the UC San Diego Health System La Jolla Campus--the centerpiece of what is rapidly evolving into a cancer campus with planned clinical and basic science structures focused on cancer. The overarching aim is to create a healing environment for cancer patients where outstanding research constantly improves the high quality multidisciplinary medical care provided.