CCR’s top scientific advances are selected each year by CCR senior staff. These may be promoted in one or more of the following ways:
The advances selected for 2009 are shown below.
Advances in p53
Cooperativity dominates the genomic organization of p53-response elements – submission by Ruth Nussinov, PhD
Reference(s): PLoS Comput Biol. 2009 Jul; 5(7): e1000448
p53 isoforms are endogenous regulators of replicative cellular senescence and an imbalance of two isoforms is associated with the transition from premalignant tumors to cancer – submission by Curt Harris, MD
Reference(s): Nat Cell Biol. 2009 Sep; 11(9): 1135-42
Advances in Signaling Pathways and Cancer Biology
The tensin-3 protein, including its SH2 domain, is phosphorylated by Src and contributes to tumorigenesis and metastasis – submission by Doug Lowy, MD
Reference(s): Cancer Cell. 2009 Sep 8; 16(3): 246-58
Discovery of the essential contributors of CLIC4 to TGF beta signaling – submission by Stuart Yuspa, MD
Reference(s): Nat Cell Biol. 2009 Jun; 11(6): 777-84
Advances in Chromosome Biology
Identification of a novel mechanism whereby chromatin structure modulates the cellular response to DNA damage – submission by Michael Bustin, PhD
Reference(s): Nat Cell Biol. 2009 11: 92-96
Development and use of global approaches for assessing sRNA regulation – submission by Susan Gottesman, PhD
Reference(s): Mol Microbiol. 2009 72: 551-565
Unexpected role for RNAi/ heterochromatin and a variant histone H2AZ in suppression of antisense RNAs across the genome – submission by Shiv Grewal, PhD
Reference(s): Nature. 2009 Sep 17; 461(7262): 419-22
Ultradian release of glucocorticoid hormone causes gene pulsing in target tissues – submission by Gordon Hager, PhD
Reference(s): Nat Cell Biol. 2009 11: 1093-1102
Redundant role of DNA-PK and ATM in DNA damage response – submission by Andre Nussenzweig, PhD
Reference(s): Mol Cell. 2009 May 15; 34(3): 285-97
Advances in Understanding Metastasis
Identification and characterization of novel binding sites for ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes: discovery of allosteric activation of RING finger ubiquitin ligase activity – submission by Allan Weissman, MD, and Andrew Byrd, PhD
Reference(s): Mol Cell. 2009 Jun 26; 34(6): 674-85 and J Cell Sci. 2009 May 1; 122(Pt 9):1374-81
Advances in Kidney Cancer
MYH9 gene is a major kidney disease susceptibility factor for the three leading causes of end stage renal disease: type 2 diabetic ESRD, hypertension-associated ESRD, and glomerulopathies, including HIV-associated nephropathy – submission by Cheryl Winkler, PhD
Reference(s): Nat Genet. 2008 Oct; 40(10): 1175-84, Nat Genet. 2008 Oct; 40(10): 1185-92, Kidney Int. 2009 Apr; 75(7): 736-45, and Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2009 Nov; 24(11): 3366-71
Fumarate hydratase deficiency in renal cancer induces glycolytic addiction and HIF1-alpha stabilization by glucose-dependent generation of reactive oxygen species – submission by Leonard Neckers, PhD
Reference(s): Mol Cell Biol. 2009 29: 4080-4090
Advances in T Cells
IL-7 signaling on dendritic cells regulates CD4+ T cell homeostasis – submission by Crystal Mackall, MD
Reference(s): Nature Immunol. 2009 10: 149-157
Increased T-bet+ cytotoxic effectors and type I interferon mediate chronic graft-versus-host disease of the oral mucosa – submission by Frances Hakim, PhD, and Steven Pavletic, MD
Reference(s): Blood. 2009 113: 3620-3630
Wnt signaling arrests effector T cell differentiation and generates CD8+ memory stem cells – submission by Nicholas Restifo, MD
Reference(s): Nat Med. 2009 Jul; 15(7): 808-13
Advances in HIV Prevention
Human domain antibodies to conserved sterically restricted regions on gp120 as exceptionally potent cross-reactive HIV-1 neutralizers – submission by Dimiter Dimitrov, PhD
Reference(s): Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Nov 4; 105(44): 17121-17126
Advances in Biomarkers
A short RNA strand biomarker for liver cancer – submission by Xin Wei Wang, PhD
Reference(s): N Engl J Med. 2009 Oct 8; 361(15): 1437-47
Large-scale methylation analysis of archival tissues – submission by Paul Meltzer, MD, PhD
Reference(s): Cancer Res. 2009 Feb 1; 69(3): 758-64
Advances in Blood Cancers
Precursor stages consistently precede myeloma and CLL – submission by C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD
Reference(s): Blood. 2009 May 28; 113(22): 5412-7, Blood. 2009 Jul 23; 114(4): 791-5 and N Engl J Med. 2009 Feb 12; 360(7): 659-67
A monoclonal gammopathy precedes multiple myeloma in most patients – submission by Michael Kuehl, MD
Reference(s): Blood. 2009 May 28; 113(22): 5418-22
Mndal, a new interferon-inducible family member, is highly polymorphic, suppresses cell growth and may modify plasmacytoma susceptibility – submission by Beverly Mock, PhD
Reference(s): Blood. 2009 Oct 1; 114(14): 2952-60
Discovery and characterization of a new poor-prognosis variant of HCL expressing the VH4-34 immunoglobulin rearrangement, which is also common in autoimmune disorders – submission by Robert Kreitman, MD
Reference(s): Blood. 2009 Nov 19; 114(21): 4687-95
Stromal gene expression signatures predict survival in diffuse large B cell lymphoma – submission by Lou Staudt, MD, PhD
Reference(s): N Engl J Med. 2008 Nov 27; 359(22): 2313-23
Advances in Brain Cancer
Setting the stage for personalized treatment of glioma – submission by Howard Fine, MD
Reference(s): Cancer Res. 2009 Mar 1; 69(5): 2091-9, Cancer Res. 2009 Feb 15; 69(4): 1596-603 and J Clin Oncol. 2009 Feb 10; 27(5): 740-5
Advances in Pediatric Cancers
Identification of mutations of FGFR4 in rhabdomyosarcoma – submission by Javed Khan MD
Reference(s): J Clin Invest. 2009 Nov; 119(11): 3395-407
Advances in Prostate Cancer
A double-blind randomized crossover study of oral thalidomide versus placebo for androgen-dependent prostate cancer treated with intermittent androgen ablation – submission by William Dahut, MD, and Doug Figg Sr., PharmD
Reference(s): J Urol. 2009 Mar; 181(3): 1104-13
Advances in Virology
Serological investigation of merkel cell polyomavirus infection – submission by Chris Buck, PhD
Reference(s): PLOS Pathog. 2009 Sep; 5(9): e1000578 and Int J Cancer. 2009 Sep 15; 125(6): 1250-6
An HIV/AIDS vaccine based on replication-competent Ad-recombinant priming/envelope boosting elicits potent neutralizing antibody associated with sterilizing immunity and non-neutralizing antibodies significantly correlated with reduced viral burdens – submission by Marjorie Robert-Guroff, PhD
Reference(s): Virology. 2008 382:2 17, J. Virol. 2009 83: 791, and J. Immunol. 2009 182: 3718
Detection of a retrovirus, XMRV, in blood products of patients with neurological diseases and cancer – submission by Francis Ruscetti, PhD
Reference(s): Science. 2009 Oct 23; 326(5952): 585-9
Advances in Clinical Trials
First phase 0 clinical trial in oncology – submission by James Doroshow, MD
Reference(s): J Clin Oncol. 2009 Jun 1; 27(16): 2705-11 and Clin Cancer Res. 2008 Nov 1; 14(21): 6877-85
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