National Cancer Institute
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FEATURED CENTER OR PROJECT

 
University of Michigan

University of Michigan PS-OP
Emerging evidence suggests that the physical environment of tumors, including mechanical stress and physico-chemical properties of extracellular matrix, combines with genetics and cell signaling to control plasticity of cancer stem cells during metastasis, the cause of death for > 90% of patients with cancer. Metastasis encompasses processes associated with mesenchymal (invasion) and epithelial (proliferation) phenotypes. Epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) and mesenchymal to epithelial (MET) transitions define subsets of cancer stem cells, which are implicated as critical drivers of metastasis. In particular, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and other disseminated tumor cells commonly exhibit both epithelial and mesenchymal features, suggesting that cancer cells transition between these states. Studies of plasticity in cancer stem cells have focused predominantly on primary tumors, in part due to technological challenges of analyzing cell phenotypes and dynamics in other anatomic sites.
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NETWORK

 
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Physical Science-Oncology Network

In 2015 the National Cancer Institute continued the Physical Sciences-Oncology initiative by building a collaborative network of Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OCs) and Physical Sciences Oncology Projects (PS-OPs).

 

PHYSICAL SCIENCES-ONCOLOGY CENTERS

 
Columbia University Cancer Institute Columbia University
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
Columbia University, New York, NY

Principal Investigators:
Raul Rabadan, Ph.D.
Antonio Iavarone, M.D.

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Cornell University Cornell University
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Principal Investigators:
Claudia Fischbach-Teschl
Lewis C. Cantley, Ph.D.

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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA

Principal Investigators:
Franziska Michor, Ph.D.
Eric C. Holland, M.D., Ph.D.

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H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

Principal Investigators:
Robert A. Gatenby, M.D.
Robert J. Gillies, Ph.D.
Alexander R. A. Anderson, Ph.D.

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Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Principal Investigator:
Denis Wirtz, Ph.D.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Principal Investigators:
Forest M. White, Ph.D.
Jann Sarkaria, M.D.

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The Methodist Hospital Research Institute Houston Methodist Research Institute
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX

Principal Investigators:
Haifa Shen, M.D., Ph.D.
Jenny C. Chang, M.D.

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University of Minnesota University of Minnesota
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Principal Investigators:
David Odde, Ph.D.
David Largaespada, Ph.D.
Steven Rosenfeld, M.D., Ph.D.

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Northwestern University Northwestern University
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

Principal Investigators:
Thomas V. O'Halloran, Ph.D.
Jonathan D. Licht, M.D.

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University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania
Physical Sciences-Oncology Center
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Principal Investigator:
Dennis Discher, Ph.D.

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PHYSICAL SCIENCES-ONCOLOGY PROJECTS

 
Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Institute of Technology
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Principal Investigators:
Dr. Cheng Zhu, Ph.D.
Dr. Michelle Krogsgaard, Ph.D.
Dr. Susan Napier Thomas, Ph.D.

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Harvard University Harvard University
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

Principal Investigator:
Jeffrey Fredberg, Ph.D.

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Institute of Systems Biology PS-OP Institute of Systems Biology
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
Institute of Systems Biology, Seattle, WA

Principal Investigators:
Dr. James Heath, PhD.
Dr. Wei Wei, PhD.

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Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Principal Investigators:
Mehmet Toner, Ph.D.
Daniel A. Haber, MD, Ph.D.
Shyamala Maheswaran, PhD

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Principal Investigator:
Roger D. Kamm, Ph.D.

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University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Principal Investigators:
Jay T. Groves, Ph.D.
Valerie M. Weaver, Ph.D.

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University of Michigan University of Michigan
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Principal Investigators:
Dr. Gary Luker, MD
Dr. Joerg Lahann, Ph.D.

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University of Utah University of Utah
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

Principal Investigator:
Orly Alter, Ph.D.

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Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Principal Investigators:
Lisa J. McCawley, Ph.D.
Katarzyna Rejniak, Ph.D.
Dmitry Markov Ph.D.

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Wake Forest University Wake Forest University
Physical Sciences-Oncology Project
Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Principal Investigators:
Pierre Vidi, Ph.D.
Keith Bonin, Ph.D.

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Coordinating Centers

 
Coordinating Center for the Cancer Systems Biology Consortium and the Physical Sciences-Oncology Network Sage Bionetworks
Coordinating Center for the Cancer Systems Biology Consortium and the Physical Sciences-Oncology Network (U24)
Seattle, WA

Principal Investigator:
Justin Guinney, Ph.D.

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