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Postdoctoral
Fellowships
in Basic Research
Message from
the Director of
the Training
Program
The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer
Center – an integral part of the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill and its School of
Medicine – is an exciting basic research center.
It is also an excellent place for learning and
training. Here, postdoctoral fellows and faculty
interact and collaborate to perform competitive
research in a dynamic environment.
For those who come to Chapel Hill to be a part of our training program,
I can tell you we are committed to providing you with the best possible training
experience in a research center, university and part of the country which
together provide opportunities to equal your aspirations. We are happy to answer
any of your questions or offer guidance in matching you with the appropriate
members of our faculty and generally assist you in making the important decision
of where to take a first-rate fellowship.
Specifically, what can you expect of this training program? You are assured
of working with a well-funded preceptor in an institution committed to first-class
basic research approached in an open, collaborative fashion. You will find well
organized core facilities and resources that facilitate research interactions and
give an added dimension to your training. Finally, you will emerge from a program
with an outstanding track record of placement in universities, industry and
research institutions.
Joseph S. Pagano
Virology
Lineberger Professor of Cancer
Research, Professor of Medicine
and Microbiology and
Immunology, Director Emeritus,
Lineberger Comprehensive
Cancer Center
We invite you to consider Chapel Hill. We are proud of the interactive science
taking place at the Lineberger Center. We are growing and so is the area.
To you, our future researchers, the faculty and the Center aim to fashion a serious
commitment.
We welcome your inquiries and your application. We also encourage visits and
will arrange a time for you to talk with Center faculty members.
Joseph S. Pagano
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We invite you to consider a fellowship
at UNC Lineberger. The Lineberger Center
is growing. Our new building is a hub of
activity for the medical school. Laboratory
space at UNC continues to grow, allowing
us to recruit more faculty and enhance interactions among scientist and preceptors
housed both in the Lineberger building and nearby departmental space.
Message from
the Center Director
H. Shelton Earp
Cancer Cell Biology
Lineberger Professor of Cancer
An outstanding group of core facilities provides our faculty and trainees access
to developing technology today. UNC Lineberger is an emerging national leader
in laboratory science. Our current and past fellows appreciate the friendly,
collaborative climate and access to energetic preceptors. Their track record of
success is enviable, and they have gone on to a variety of scientific positions.
If we can answer questions or help you in your decision making process, please
let us know. We welcome all excellent applicants to UNC.
Research, Professor of Medicine
and Pharmacology, Director,
Lineberger Comprehensive
Cancer Center
H. Shelton Earp
Table of
Contents
2
The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
4
Collaborative Research
5
Basic Research Opportunities
6
Research Symposia and Seminars
8
Additional Training Opportunities
10
State-of-the-Art Facilities
13
Understanding Cancer
17
Clinical Cancer at UNC
22
Faculty
23
The Southern Part of Heaven
73
Small-Town Life in the Triangle Metropolitan Area
75
The Nation’s Largest R&D Park
77
How to Apply for a Basic Research Fellowship
78
Application
79
Main level of building atrium
(from second level).
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The UNC
Lineberger
Comprehensive
Cancer Center
The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer
Center, part of the UNC School of Medicine,
is dedicated to an interdisciplinary approach
to cancer research, treatment, control and
prevention.
The center’s strength lies in its basic research
which is the foundation for all other programs.
Founded in 1975, the center is one of a small
number of research institutions designated as a comprehensive cancer center by
the National Cancer Institute. UNC currently ranks 12th in the nation in funding from the National Cancer Institute.
The Lineberger Center is situated on the campus of the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, often cited as one of the nation’s most beautiful.
The center is housed in an 80,000 net-square-foot building opened in 1984 and
expanded in 1997. It is one of the nation’s largest free-standing cancer research
facilities on a university
campus. UNC-Chapel Hill
is located in North Carolina’s dynamic Research
Triangle — home to many
world-class pharmaceutical
and biotechnology
companies, the NIEHS,
the EPA and other research
institutes and companies.
The North Carolina
Biotechnology Center, the
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
and the National
Humanities Center are also
located in the Triangle
(see page 77).
Dr. Richard Klauser, NCI
director, visited the Lineberger
Center for the new building
dedication.
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The center provides a collaborative research
setting for established and emerging scientists
to expedite the search for new knowledge
about cancer: its pathogenesis, treatment and
prevention. Research ranges from investigations
of regulatory genes based on understanding the molecular biology of the cell
to reasons for different rates of usage of mammography in communities and
popultions.
Collaborative
Research Focus
Working together are over 200 faculty members from more than 25 departments
across campus. In addition, the center includes adjunct faculty members who
conduct research in industry and government laboratories in nearby Research
Triangle Park (see page 77). Postdoctoral fellowships for promising young
scientists contribute significantly to the center’s strength.
Faculty members at the Lineberger Center are based in three main research
areas: basic laboratory science, clinical science and public health science. Members
pursue their research through numerous intramural and extramural interactions
which provide synergy to the scientific process. The Lineberger Center has
10 research programs:
Karen Duus
HIV pathogenesis
in the human thymus
“I was impressed by the cooperative nature of the group.
There are a lot of interesting
state-of-the-art projects going
Basic Laboratory Science embraces the regulation of cell growth, DNA replication and gene expression and includes:
Cancer Cell Biology (including Genetics)
Immunology
Molecular Carcinogenesis
Molecular Therapeutics
Virology
on and people are willing to
share information and reagents.
You can learn a lot here.”
Clinical Science emphasizes translational research. Oncologists participate
who may be searching for predisposition genes or conducting trials of biologic
response modifiers and the newest drugs. It includes:
Clinical Research
Radiobiology and Imaging
Breast Cancer
Public Health Science
centers on the etiology,
early detection and prevention of cancer through
community-based programs
in North Carolina, and on
emerging approaches based
on molecular epidemiology
of cancer predisposition
genes. It includes:
Cancer Prevention and
Control
Cancer Epidemiology
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The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer
Center’s basic research fellowship program is one
of the oldest and largest postdoctoral programs in
the United States. It has been continuously funded
by the National Cancer Institute since 1975.
Each year, the program fills 18 competitive slots.
Basic Research
Opportunities
Postdoctoral fellows come to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
from some of the country’s leading graduate schools. After completing a Lineberger
fellowship, fellows have taken positions at universities, colleges, companies and
agencies across the country.
Mark Peifer
Cancer Cell Biology
Associate Professor of Biology
“I wish I had been part of a
program like the Lineberger
Postdoctoral Training Program
when I was a postdoc. The
combination of terrific scientific
mentors, the monthly postdoc
seminars, the in-house session
on job skills and the yearly
Former Lineberger fellows can be found at the Universities of Alabama, Chicago,
Iowa, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Texas, and Virginia, Vanderbilt
University, Wake Forest University, Case Western Reserve University, Kansas
State University, Morehouse College, Yale University, UCLA, the National Cancer
Institute, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Federal
Drug Administration, Organon-Teknika, Glaxo Wellcome and Merck Research
Laboratories, among other places.
While at the Lineberger Center, fellows have won grants and fellowships
from many prestigious foundations, companies and organizations, including
the Arthritis Foundation, the Cancer Research Fund of the Damon RunyonWalter Winchell Foundation, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the American
Cancer Society, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Leukemia Society
and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
post-doc faculty symposium
provide postdocs a terrific
opportunity to hone the skills
that are essential for success in
the fast-paced scientific world
In the Lab
Currently, Lineberger faculty oversee more than $72.9 million in outside research
grant funding. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill stands 15th
in the nation among all institutions in grant support from the National Institutes
of Health, ranking it among the top in the Southeast.
in which we live.”
Fellowships in basic research are available in the following areas:
Cancer Cell Biology
Immunology
Molecular Carcinogenesis
Molecular Therapeutics
Virology
Clinical Research
These areas also include cancer genetics and gene therapy, among others.
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Support Structure
The Lineberger Center is dedicated to assisting postdoctoral fellows in meeting
their research goals. Within three months of appointment, postdoctoral fellows at
the Lineberger Center are asked to seek their own funding for their research.
Help with the submission of grants comes from preceptors as well as other postdoctoral fellows and from the program coordinator.
Fellows are eligible for nomination to the Postdoctoral Fellowship Committee,
a four-member group that addresses issues of interest such as recruitment,
orientation, health insurance and grant sources, among others, and advises the
program directors. The committee selects a guest scientist to visit and evaluate
the program annually.
The Lineberger Center provides social opportunities for postdoctoral fellows and
faculty members to get to know each other. These activities include the center’s
annual picnic, its holiday parties, sports and a variety of receptions.
The center’s director emeritus, Dr. Joseph Pagano, directs the basic research
fellowship program. The associate director is Dr. Bernard Weissman.
Maureen Caldwell, program coordinator, assists prospective and current fellows
with program activities, including grant information and submissions, health
insurance, travel expenses and fellowship renewals. To contact:
Maureen Caldwell
Program Coordinator
UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7295
P: 919.966.8644
F: 919.966.9673
E: [email protected]
Web address: http://cancer.med.unc.edu
Minnie Holmes-McNary
Diet and Disease
“The Lineberger Cancer Center
is a positive environment
for me to incorporate both
nutritional science and
molecular biology into my
postdoctoral experience.
Collaborations are strongly
encouraged and everyone
is available to discuss scientific
questions and provide
assistance in solving research
problems. We also have a
forum that supports excellent
cancer research and provides
experience in giving seminars
and grant writing.”
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The Lineberger Center provides many professional
and educational opportunities for fellows and
faculty members to advance their understanding
of current developments in cancer research.
Seminars and symposia provide opportunities for
postdoctoral fellows to present their own work,
learn about the work of others, and interact with
some of the scientific community’s leading professionals. Few programs rival
the Lineberger Center’s commitment to group activities designed specifically for
postdoctoral fellows.
Research
Symposia and
Seminars
Sarita Sastry
Cell adhesion & signaling
“It’s easy to be a postdoc here.
The faculty and program
directors do a lot to make this
a good training experience.
We have many resources for
advice on things like grant
writing or career development.
The people here are motivated
to training postdocs, not
just have them do research
for the lab.”
8
A weekly research seminar features invited scientists from across the country.
Some of these seminars are cosponsored by Research Triangle Park companies,
research firms or the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
Scientists visiting the Lineberger Center usually meet privately with postdoctoral
fellows. Recent seminar speakers have included Nobel Laureate Michael Bishop,
Lorraine Gudas, Roger Kornberg, David Livingston, Joan Massague, Frank
McCormick, George Miller, Arthur Nienhuis, Patricia Spear and George Vande
Woude among many others.
Postdoctoral fellows are expected to attend the in-house seminar series which
features two fellows presenting their data in focused 30-minute talks. The series
provides an opportunity for fellows to represent their laboratory’s research, learn
about each other’s work, and gain experience with presentations. Each fellow
is expected to present within 18 months of his or her appointment. The in-house
seminar series also includes an ethics in science discussion and a job information
session led by Lineberger Center faculty and guests.
Every fall, the fellows gather with Lineberger faculty for a day-long symposium
to discuss their research and receive broad feedback. This annual postdoctoral
fellow/faculty day, which was begun in 1975, is scheduled early in the academic
year to help preceptors and new fellows become better acquainted. It provides
a unique opportunity
for postdoctoral fellows
to present their work and
enjoy an informal social
occasion.
Each spring, the Lineberger
Center also holds a major
scientific symposium
of internationally known
speakers which also spotlights top UNC faculty.
The event is the UNC
School of Medicine’s largest
and most successful annual
scientific conference. In
planning the event, symposium leaders place special
emphasis on involving
postdoctoral fellows and
graduate students. Recent
symposia, for example,
featured nationally known
speakers, including Nobel
Laureates David Baltimore
and Phillip Sharp, Michael Oldstone, Peter Howley, Elliott Kieff, David Beach,
Francis Collins, Mary-Claire King, Richard Kolodner and Savio Woo, among others.
In addition, Lineberger fellows are encouraged to attend academic seminars
and symposia sponsored by other UNC-Chapel Hill schools, departments and
programs and other Triangle-area universities, including Duke University
and North Carolina State University. Locally based companies such as Glaxo
Wellcome and groups such as Triangle Virology and the RNA Society of North
Carolina also sponsor events of interest to fellows. Several of the Center’s
programs including immunology, virology and carcinogenesis have weekly or
monthly meetings at which fellows as well as students present.
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The Lineberger Center and its members
offer a number of additional research training
programs for fellows. These fellows come
from many different countries, including
Russia, China, Japan, France, Belgium, Israel
and Germany, among others. Other departments in the UNC Schools of Medicine,
Pharmacy and Public Health also offer research training programs. Cancer center
faculty are preceptors in all of these programs.
Additional
Training Programs
UNC School of Medicine
Buddy Weissman
Training Program Associate
Director
“I believe that the strength of
the training program lies in
its breadth. Our trainees
participate in many areas of
the Cancer Center including
seminars, hosting of speakers,
and journal clubs. The program
also assists in the process of
writing and searching for future
employment opportunities.”
Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Training Programs
The Environmental Pathology Program offers pre- and postdoctoral programs
which provide a basic knowledge of diseases and their effects at different levels of
molecular and cellular organization, including molecular mechanisms responsible
for disease processes (pathobiology). For information, please call 919.966.1396.
The Laboratories for Reproductive Biology sponsor a postdoctoral training
program in the molecular mechanisms of reproductive function. For information,
please call 919.966.6l59.
The Department of Microbiology and Immunology offers pre-and-postdoctoral
training in four research programs: immunology, microbial genetics, cell biology
and virology. Research forms a continuum of studies ranging from cellular
immunology to the organization of both simple and complex genomes.
For information, please call 919.966.1191.
The Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine sponsors
postdoctoral training programs in basic research, epidemiology and public health,
clinical research or clinical microbiology. For information, please call 919.966.2536.
The Curriculum in Toxicology offers interdisciplinary pre- and postdoctoral
research training programs with faculty drawn from the UNC Schools of Medicine,
Pharmacy and Public Health. Research interests are directed primarily at the
biochemical and physiological mechanisms of action in mammalian systems,
including cultured cells and include most areas of toxicology. Major emphases are
directed toward molecular and cellular toxicology, carcinogenesis and mutagenesis,
neurotoxicology and pulmonary toxicology. For information, please call
919.966.4685.
The Curriculum in Neurobiology sponsors an interdepartmental predoctoral
training program leading to a Ph.D. in neurobiology. Curriculum faculty have
appointments in the UNC Schools of Medicine and Public Health and in the
College of Arts and Sciences. For information, please call 919.966.1223.
The Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology offers an interdepartmental
predoctoral training program leading to a Ph.D. in genetics and molecular
biology. For information, please call 919.966.2681.
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The Cancer Cell Biology predoctoral training program combines formal training
in molecular/cellular oncogenesis and pathology of cancer. For more information,
please call 919.966.5634 or visit their website at:
http://www.med.unc.edu/wrkunits/3ctrpgm/lccc/cancere/.
The Protein Engineering and Molecular Genetics Training Program, associated
with UNC’s Program in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, is a predoctoral,
non-degree program that combines structural biology and molecular genetics.
Fellows can earn a Ph.D. in a number of different fields. For information, please
call 919.962.8920.
The Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program, affiliated with UNC’s
Divisions of Hematology and Oncology, is a three-year clinical and research
training program for both M.D. and Ph.D. fellows. For information, please call
919.962.3311.
In addition to these programs, several clinical training programs also are
available, including NCI-funded surgical oncology and hematology-oncology
fellowship programs. The center also participates in fellowship programs in
gynecologic oncology and radiation oncology, two family medicine training
programs which stress research as well as clinical experience, and the Robert
Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars program.
In public health science, the Center offers an NCI-funded postdoctoral training
program in Cancer Epidemiology and a program in Gastrointestinal Epidemiology. The Department of Nutrition, part of the UNC Schools of Medicine
and Public Health,
offers a doctoral training program focusing
on a range of objectives spanning clinical
medicine, epidemiology and nutritionrelated health behavior.
For information, please
call 919.966.7212.
The Lineberger Center
has an NCI-funded Cancer
Control Education
Program, a pre- and postdoctoral training program
in cancer prevention
and control research.
For information about this
program, please call Center
Assistant Director Dr.
Michael O’Malley at
9l9.966.3036 or via email
at [email protected].
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The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, in partnership
with several departments of the UNC School of Public Health, sponsors a preand postdoctoral training program in applying research methods to the
systematic analysis and evaluation of health-care services and health-policy issues.
The program is open to physicians, dentists and other pre- and postdoctoral
trainees interested in one of four public health areas: health policy and administration, epidemiology, maternal and child health and health behavior and health
education. For information, please call 919.966.7100.
Yue Xiong
Cancer Cell Biology, Assistant
Professor of Biochemistry
“I simply cannot imagine where
my research would be without
the Lineberger postdoc training
program. One of the best
things we have here at UNC.”
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The Lineberger Center is located in the UNC
School of Medicine, near the center of Chapel
Hill, within walking distance of the town and
all parts of the university campus. The center
serves as the focus for collaborative research
efforts into cancer’s causes, development, treatment and prevention.
State-of-the-Art
Facilities
Preceptors can be found not only in the center’s main building but also in the
adjacent Mary Ellen Jones Building, Fordham Hall (Biology/Biotechnology),
Taylor Building and Thurston-Bowles Building.
The Lineberger Center has an in-house library with a staff librarian and computer
services, including MEDLINE, GENBANK and access to on-line grant information.
To support researchers’ efforts, the Lineberger Center offers a selection of core
facilities which provide support services to its members. Many of these facilities
are located in the center’s main building, although some are located nearby.
Basic Science core facilities
include:
The Biomarkers for DNA
Damage Facility provides
facilities and expertise
to generate highly specific
and ultrasensitive measures
of DNA damage for funded
and proposed new research.
The Electron Microscopy
Facility offers services in
EM, photography and image
processing. Consultations
in research problems regarding the use of electron
microscopy for individual
or group training in sample
preparation are provided
by facility personnel. In addition, EM facility personnel provide consultations
in general scientific photography and image processing and computer-based slidemaking procedures.
The Light Microscopy Facility, part of the Department of Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine, provides microscopy services to UNC researchers and access
to state-of-the-art microscopy, expert assistance in its utilization and interpretation,
and consultation in immuno methods, image interpretation and measurement.
The Biosafety Facility consists of two containment rooms. One is maintained
at the BSL2 containment level, while the other is maintained at a BSL3 level and
used primarily for work with HIV.
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The Flow Cytometry Facility provides state-of-the-art analytic and sorting
technologies and services to Cancer Center members. The facility supports analyses
for various applications and different cell types, including cell cycle and ploidy
analysis, S-phase analysis and apoptosis monitoring. The Facility offers data analysis using a variety of flow cytometric data analysis software packages.
The Animal Experimentation Facility makes available a central facility staffed
by one skilled individual to promote reproducible experimentation in laboratory
animals for drug screening, tumorigenicity testing and reagent production. Services
range from tumor passage to production of ascites fluid for monoclonal antibody
production.
Drew Cressman
Molecular biology and gene
regulation
“What attracted me to this
program was the great opportunity for interacting with
high-quality faculty researchers.
There are a lot of symposia
and seminars and the faculty
is very accessible. I think
a successful postdoctoral
experience depends on who
you’re working with and here
you’re working with some
of the best.”
The Animal Models Facility makes animal models of human disease for medical
researchers by creating genetically modified mice. Transgenic and gene-targeted animals are generated from DNA constructs provided by clients. The Facility provides
guidance and all the technical services needed to create genetically modified mice.
Jointly supported by the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, the
Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine and the Center for Gastrointestinal
Biology and Disease, the Histopathology Facility offers high-quality processing
of fixed tissues into hematoxylin and eosin-stained paraffin slides, as well as the
preparation of frozen tissue sections.
Co-sponsored with the Program of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, the
Sequencing Facility generates DNA sequence data on automated DNA sequencing
machines from DNA templates and primers provided by the user. The Sequencing
Facility provides long read lengths (700-800 nucleotides) that are stored directly
to computer files accessible via the Web, facilitating further analysis.
The Molecular Epidemiology Facility provides laboratory and analytical support
to selected, ongoing, funded
epidemiologic research
projects so that investigators
can pursue genetic/molecular
epidemiologic questions.
The Nucleic Acids Core
Facility provides investigators with low-cost, highquality oligonucleotides
for use in a wide range of
applications, including DNA
sequencing, PCR, cDNA/
RNA synthesis, hybridization,
in vitro mutagenesis and
anti-sense inhibition of gene
expression.
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Transgenic mice expressing cell cycle inhibitor show stunted
growth due to cell cycle inhibition in liver (Wa et al. Genes &
Dev. 10:245). The UNC Animal Models Core Facility provides
cutting-edge technologies to all Lineberger investigators.
Brain tumor progression (b) is associated with diminished
p53-dependent cell death (c vs. a) in a transgenic brain
tumor model (Symonds et al. Cell 78:703).
The Digital Imaging Facility provides equipment and support required to
print color figures, scan film or produce large, banner-size prints. Training sessions
are offered to familiarize faculty and fellows with equipment and software available in the facility.
The Tissue Culture and Molecular Biology Support Facility is a full-service
cell culture shared resource and provides center members and UNC colleagues
with a wide variety of services and products at substantial discounts. Services
and products include: media, reagents, and supplies: The TCF stocks media,
media supplements, serum,
salt solutions, antibiotics,
plasticware, photographic
supplies and other items.
The Facility operates a
centralized molecular biology materials program
in the cancer center providing enzymes, reagents,
or kits.
Other facilities are:
The Protein Chemistry
Facility, partially supported by UNC’s Program
in Molecular Biology
and Biotechnology, allows
researchers to sequence
proteins and synthesize
peptides.
The Vector Design Facility, operated by UNC’s Gene Therapy Center, is dedicated
to the production of hybrid viruses. The facility is equipped with six BioGard safety hoods, 16 incubator chambers, a 37-degree warm room, walk-in cold room, eight
liquid nitrogen storage tanks, a P3 facility and other essential accessories required
for virus manipulation and production.
Core facilities for clinical and public health science are:
The Biostatistics Facility provides expert consultation in biostatistics and
collaboration with UNC Lineberger investigators during all phases of their research
projects: assistance and collaboration in study and protocol design; biostatistical
and analytical services for ongoing projects; and supervision of management and
processing of computer databases.
The Cancer Control and Prevention Facility provides consultation and
expertise in health communications on a range of issues related to the evaluation
of materials and media planned for use in interventions.
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The Clinical Protocol Office supports the design and conduct of oncology
clinical trials. Protocol Office staff are responsible for patient and study coordination and related activities, including protocol development, approval and monitoring; subject entry; study coordination; data collection and follow-up; data
management and quality control; the clinical cancer database; and information
exchange.
The Tissue Procurement Facility
procures fresh and frozen tissue,
both tumor and non-tumor, from
the surgical and pathology suites.
The TPF also offers analytical services
including extraction of DNA from
bloodsamples, immunohistochemical
characterization and optimization
of antibodies and antisera, Western
blotting and immunoprecipitation
assays and Northern analyses. The
Facility also maintains surveillance,
tracking and distribution of specimens with a customized Windowsbased database system.
The High-Throughput Genotyping
Laboratory conducts genotyping
assays to support ongoing, population-based epidemiologic studies; conducts genotyping assays to support pilot studies incorporating novel genetic markers with
clinical and/or etiologic relevance; and provides a platform for exploring new technologies for high-throughput genotyping.
The Rapid Case Ascertainment
Facility supports population-based
epidemiologic research by providing
personnel for the rapid ascertainment
of cancer cases in North Carolina
and coordinates administrative activities for reports, IRB approvals and
facilitate case identification and data
collection.
EM picture/drawing of DNA
undergoing a repair event following induction of DNA damage.
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Understanding
Cancer
Scientists at the Lineberger Center are dedicated
to seeking a broader understanding of cancer
spanning the basic laboratory, clinical and public
health sciences. The Center’s research in these
areas is well known and acclaim for its clinical
oncology programs is growing, as well.
Basic Science
In basic studies, researchers explore numerous aspects of the regulatory biology
of cancer and normal cells. Specifically, they are searching for the molecular
underpinnings of the neoplastic phenotype in order to understand etiology,
progression and potential treatments. Molecular changes caused by viral, hormonal
and environmental carcinogens are of particular interest, as are human immune
responses to the challenges presented by cancerous cells.
Al Baldwin
Cancer Cell Biology, Associate
Professor of Biology and
Clinical Science
The Lineberger Center’s clinical research program allows researchers and physicians
to join forces to find new ways to study, treat and prevent cancer. Currently, center
scientists are conducting several major studies of breast, ovarian, colorectal and
prostate cancers, as well as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lymphoma, lung cancer and
leukemia. Members also are testing new molecular therapies and exploring options
presented by new gene therapies.
Associate Director for Basic
Research
“The strong collaborative
environment, the breadth and
quality of the science, the
commitment of the preceptors
to the program and the
Public Health Science
In the public health sciences, Lineberger researchers lead two major programs:
cancer epidemiology and cancer prevention and control. A cooperative relationship
with UNC’s School of Public Health, one of the nation’s leading schools, adds
significantly to the Lineberger program. Initiatives vary, including:
excellent training record make
the Lineberger Cancer Center
one of the best places to do
postdoctoral research.”
Behavioral interventions targeting communities, particularly underserved communities,
to increase breast cancer screening, improve diets and control tobacco amoung youth and
adolescents as well as interventions targeting practitioners and patients to increase cancer
prevention in medical practices and improve communication.
Epidemiologic research focusing on population-based and molecular studies, environmental and occupational exposures, dietary and nutritional studies, and prevention and
early detection studies.
Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE)
Based largely on its collaborative focus, the Lineberger Center received an initial
$6 million award from the National Cancer Institute to establish a breast cancer
SPORE in 1992. Only four such breast cancer grants were awarded across the
country and the Lineberger Center was the only recipient in the Southeast.
The grant is being used to explore what causes breast cancer and to investigate
how the disease can be prevented. Lineberger scientists want to extend the
advances of molecular biology to the field of public health through molecular
epidemiologic approaches.
The SPORE was renewed in 1995 through the year 2000, with funding totaling
$16.5 million for the eight-year period. The UNC SPORE is now one of six
programs funded in the country. The breast cancer program functions as an
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interdisciplinary research program drawing scientists from the basic sciences,
clinical research areas, molecular epidemiology and the cancer prevention and
control areas.
Specific Program Areas
Specific program areas at the Lineberger Center cover a number of research topics:
Alan Howe
Cell adhesion and signal
transduction
“The people here create a strong
research environment for postdocs by providing grant writing
support and excellent facilities.
I was really impressed with
how friendly and approachable
Cancer Cell Biology
This program’s laboratories seek a better understanding of two fundamental
and reciprocal issues: what are the mechanisms regulating cellular proliferation,
and how are those mechanisms abrogated in the course of tumorigenic progression? An overriding theme is an effort to delineate signal transduction pathways
that control all aspects of cellular behavior. Program laboratories utilize state-ofthe-art molecular and cellular technologies, and are pioneering the development
of animal models. Some of the questions being addressed are:
What are the links between cellular adhesion, cell
signaling and neoplastic transformation?
How is accessibility of growth factors regulated in the extracellular milieu?
How are the activities of numerous signal transduction pathways integrated to yield
specificity of gene expression, and ultimately biological response?
What are the alterations to regulatory molecules and pathways that ultimately lead to
cell transformation?
everyone was, and how willing
they were to help incoming
people and form collaborations.
They understand the wisdom
of making a long-term investment in the welfare and success
of postdocs because it reflects
well on the institution.”
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Immunology
The immunology program is well recognized for its strength in molecular
immunology and disease-related immunobiology. Ongoing research includes:
Effect of chemotherapeutic agents on the immune system
Functional dissection of major histocompatibility (MHC) molecules
Molecular regulation of MHC, transporter and cytokine genes on various lymphoid subpopulations and diseases
Molecular activation of mononuclear cells
Use of gene therapy to abrogate transplant rejection
Molecular basis for an autoimmune response
Somatic mutations in the immunoglobulin genes
Animal models for inflammatory and autoimmune responses
Role of the immune response in neurodegeneration
Isolation of antigenic epitopes responsible for hypersensitive responses
Vaccine development for neoplastic and autoimmune diseases
Molecular mechanisms for the generation of autoimmune antibodies
Immune response against HIV
HIV pathogenetic
Molecular approaches to resolve transplantation rejection
Molecular Carcinogenesis
Molecular carcinogenesis focuses on the multiple steps in the process of evolution that converts normal cells into malignant cells. The investigators in the
Molecular Carcinogenesis Program consider the various progressive alterations in
cells during this evolutionary process. They also consider the etiologic factors
and cellular responses that cause this progression. This area of research originally
gave primary attention to chemical carcinogens, particularly immediate effects
of chemicals on the body, the important damage that these chemicals cause, and
the body’s protective responses, all of which cause effects in cells and tissues
that eventually yield the malignant behavior of cancers. This type of research
continues as part of the Program, but many research projects have now progressed
to studies of the altered molecular mechanisms that are typical of malignant cells.
Molecular Therapeutics
This program focuses on
developing new and more
selective and effective
treatments for malignant
disorders and is based on
the premise that such therapeutic developments will
arise out of a basic understanding of those events
important in oncogenesis.
An important additional
element lies in the identification of the mechanisms
by which conventional
chemotherapeutic agents
inhibit the growth of cancer
cells.
Ongoing studies include research on cell cycle progression and the interaction of
chemotherapeutic agents with cell cycle events. In addition, program investigators
are working on the role of specific inhibitors of transcription factors on inhibiting
neoplastic cell proliferation in vitro and in animal models. There is active work
on the role of signaling pathways in promoting neoplastic transformation and correlative work on how to interfere selectively with these pathways, with particular
emphasis on ras oncogenic transformation. Finally, there is active investigation
into the effects of modulation of the expression of specific genes important in cell
growth including work on anti-sense oligonucleotides, RNA processing and gene
transfer.
Virology
The Virology Program’s unifying theme is the characterization of the molecular
events and viral mechanisms that alter cellular functions, affect viral replication
and, ultimately, underlie disease process. The program consists of projects that
utilize viral proteins as probes for cellular replication, repair and regulation of
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expression with projects that analyze viral pathogenesis, viral latency and virally
induced oncogenesis. This approach combines basic biochemical studies of
mechanisms of actions with biologic studies of viral infection and mechanisms
of anti-viral drugs. In all cases, the viral mechanisms under study are representative
of fundamental processes that are altered during oncogenesis. Thus, the virology
program’s studies are likely to identify key cellular events to develop gene-specific
targeted therapy.
Clinical Research
These scientists advance interdisciplinary research in clinical
oncology and develop new and
better methods of cancer diagnosis and treatment through the
application of basic science developments to the clinical arena.
Program scientists and clinicians
seek to bring new developments
from the laboratory and from
epidemiologic research to the
stage of clinical trial.
The emphasis is on center-initiated
innovative clinical trials. Novel
studies, leading to NCI-sponsored
cooperative clinical trials, created
and led by cooperative groups,
are strongly encouraged. UNC
holds a major participatory and
leadership role in Cancer and
Leukemia Group B (CALGB), as
well as other cooperative groups such as National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and
Bowel Project (NSABP), the Gynecology Oncology Group (GOG) and Children’s
Cancer Group (CCG). This broad representation insures access to UNC-sponsored
studies and UNC investigators into the NCI-funded cooperative group network
of clinical studies.
Radiobiology and Imaging
This program combines clinical expertise with basic laboratory science, as well
as computer science research. As the result of interdisciplinary efforts, program
scientists have become national leaders in the development of 3-D imaging and
treatment planning for radio-therapy. These scientists work closely with UNC’s
Computer Science Department, which is internationally recognized for its expertise
and leadership in computer imaging and virtual reality. This laboratory effort
emphasizes a number of areas including radiation carcinogenesis, DNA repair,
tumor physiology and the physiological responses of tumors to therapy.
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Cancer Epidemiology
Scientists in this group combine new approaches in molecular epidemiology
with more traditional approaches to investigate the etiology of cancer and
to identify groups at high risk for cancer. In particular, program scientists are
applying new findings in the developing field of molecular epidemiology
in a large population-based study of women in North Carolina to identify early
molecular markers for breast cancer. Much of this work is part of the Lineberger
Center’s breast cancer SPORE. Researchers in this area also are interested in
colon, prostate, ovarian and cervical cancer, as well as the possible environmental
causes of cancers including waste incineration and electromagnetic fields; some
of this research is in collaboration with NIEHS.
Cancer Prevention and Control
Researchers in this group investigate different approaches to prevent cancer or
to detect it early in the general population. Program scientists work with
communities, health care providers, schools, and agencies to encourage appropriate, high-quality cancer screening and to promote adoption of healthy behaviors.
Cancer prevention and control activities in vulnerable populations, including
rural, under-served, and minority populations, are also an emphasis. Breast and
colon cancer screening, dietary assessment and change, tobacco cessation and
avoidance are areas of interest. In addition, program researchers have developed
projects in chemoprevention (including clinical trials), screening test development (particularly in breast imaging), psychosocial issues surrounding cancer
diagnosis and treatment. Faculty in this program work closely with researchers
in the Cancer Epidemiology program, as well as with faculty in the clinical science
programs and with the North Carolina Advisory Committee for Cancer Control.
Channing Der
Molecular Therapeutics,
Professor of Pharmacology
“The Lineberger Center
provides a unique environment
for postdoctoral fellows to
engage in outstanding science
and to enjoy the support and
camaraderie of an excellent
scientific community.
The scientific interactions are
extensive and there are
strong collaborative efforts
Translational Research
The Lineberger Center is dedicated to translating promising laboratory science
as quickly as possible to clinical care, bringing the best of the Center from the lab
to the bedside to offer patients access to leading-edge care.
and scientific exchange among
many groups. Postdoctoral
fellows feel their research
contributions are highly valued
Laboratory results are used to develop new surgical procedures and protocols,
innovative radiological and chemical treatments and gene therapies and novel
preventive screening programs.
The best applied cancer research requires a strong commitment to moving laboratory science into the clinical setting. The Lineberger Center takes pride in linking
the best scientific research to patient care.
and appreciated. They know
that they are a vital component
of the research effort that
maintains the scientific excellence of the Center.”
The Lineberger Center, one of only a small number
of NCI-designated comprehensive centers in the nation,
is located directly across the street from UNC Hospitals,
North Carolina’s major public teaching hospital and
advanced treatment facility. The hospitals admit approximately 23,000 patients each year, record 490,000 outpatient visits in 150 different ambulatory care areas and
serve pediatric and adult oncology patients. The university’s medical center also
houses a bone-marrow transplantation unit, a neuropsychiatric hospital and
a general clinical research center for gene therapy protocols. Construction is
currently underway on the new children’s and women’s hospitals which will
provide expanded services in pediatric and adult oncology.
Clinical
Cancer at
UNC
Jenny Pan-Yun Ting
Immunology, Alumni
Distinguished Professor of
Microbiology and Immunology
“The Cancer Center training
grant has always struck me as
one of the best-run programs
on campus or anywhere else,
with emphasis on excellence.
The program has three important features: collegiality,
breadth and depth, which give
postdoctoral fellows unparal-
Next to the public hospital complex is the North Carolina Clinical Cancer
Center (NCCCC), the outpatient oncology facility of UNC Hospitals and the UNC
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. The NCCCC houses clinics in gynecologic, surgical, medical/hematologic and pediatric oncology as well as a pharmacy,
tumor registry and patient/family resource center.
In addition, the Clinical Cancer Center provides patient support services such
as screening mammography and diagnostic radiology. The center has developed a
genetic risk assessment clinic to research the relation between cancer and genetics
and provide patient testing and counseling services.
It is home to the UNC School of Medicine’s Department of Radiation Oncology
which operates clinics and conducts a research program that includes the latest
in 3D-computer imaging techniques allowing the administration of conformal
radiation therapy, brachytherapy and additional techniques for delivering advanced forms of radiation treatment. and equipment for the treatment of cancer.
leled opportunities to expand
their horizons. Our goal is to
perform the most outstanding
basic scientific research and
move it from the lab to the
clinic.”
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The new children’s and women’s hospitals will consolidate services for
pediatrics, obstetrics, and oncology and have been designed with an emphasis
on including families in the ongoing care of patients. When completed, the
children’s hospital will be the only free-standing children’s hospital in the State
and will provide all forms of specialty surgery. The complex also contains the
Newborn Critical Care Center, caring for over 750 infants a year from across the
Southeast.
Outstanding
Faculty & Research
In a comprehensive study by the National
Academy of Sciences, UNC’s faculty was
ranked foremost in the Southeast and among
the top 20 research universities in the nation.
As for research funding, the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill stands 14th among 455 leading institutions of higher
education in America in funding from the National Institutes of Health. The School
of Medicine is ranked 14th in the nation in funding from NIH among 127 top medical schools.
In recent years, the Carolina campus has become known for its pioneering work in
virtual reality research, which uses sophisticated computer technology to simulate
real problems and experiences. Applying this technique to gene targeting, for example, researchers at UNC’s Cystic Fibrosis Center created the first animal model for the
potentially lethal disease in 1992.
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