DCTD Programs
DCTD Convenes Workshop on Translational Research in Head & Neck and Thyroid Cancers
DCTD’s Translational Research Program (TRP) convened the 2017 Head & Neck/Thyroid SPORE Workshop at the National Cancer Institute from August 29 – 30, 2017 (agenda). The workshop brought together translational researchers with expertise in head and neck/thyroid cancer and stakeholders from the NCI to exchange ideas in this field of research. In collaboration with members of TRP’s staff, including Leah Hubbard, PhD, Program Director, the following three workshop co-chairs planned the meeting: Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, Jennifer Rubin Grandis, MD, University of California, San Francisco, and Matthew D. Ringel, MD, The Ohio State University.
The workshop was divided into the following sessions:
- Chemoprevention/Premalignancy/Risk Management/Screening
- Novel Tumor Targets/Cell Signaling/Cell Autonomous Targets
- Treatment Resistance
- SPORE HIV Consortium
- Translation Models
- Immunotherapy/Tumor Microenvironment
- Human Papilloma Virus
Robust discussions during each session identified several opportunities for future collaboration among SPORE research teams, applicants, and NCI cooperative group members. Some future goals identified included collaboration among Head & Neck and Cervical SPOREs in the area of HPV-related cancer and HIV-infected patients; combination of novel therapeutic HPV vaccine strategies with current head and neck cancer therapies; and standardization of methods used to characterize, maintain, and share head and neck cancer models across SPORE sites, such as cell lines and patient-derived xenografts.
