The Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Prostate Cancer is a key center for paradigm-shifting translational research. We aim to establish new approaches to treating PCa, which will result in improved patient outcomes and quality of life. WCM SPORE endeavors to develop translational research projects with precision medicine approaches to patient care across the Prostate Cancer (PCa) Spectrum.
The three SPORE projects focus on the detection and treatment of aggressive and treatment-resistant Prostate Cancer. The Developmental Research Program (DPR) will aim to attract investigators across a rich, multi-disciplinary landscape to focus on PCa translational research. The Career Enhancement Program (CEP) is committed to the development of junior faculty and future leaders in the field.
Research Projects:
The Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) SPORE consists of three Projects focused on highly translational areas relevant to the detection and treatment of aggressive prostate cancer (PCa).
- Project 1 Targeting the synergistic role of DNA methylation and EZH2 activity in castration resistant prostate cancer
- Project 2 Targeting de novo lipogenesis in advanced prostate cancer
- Project 3 Identifying and overcoming resistance to 177Lu-PSMA
Cores
To understand the spectrum of PCa in the United States, the patient populations we study must reflect the population of the United States. This is not currently the case – populations enrolled in clinical trials and translational research are overwhelming Caucasian, from higher socioeconomic and educational backgrounds.
Increasing diversity among clinical trials and translational research is a key goal for this WCM SPORE, one that will be executed by leveraging the WCM network and our NYP partner hospitals, extending our clinical and translational research infrastructure to additional sites across New York City, including Brooklyn and Queens. These efforts will reach new patient populations, expand the footprint of the SPORE PCa community into underserved and underrepresented population, and improve access and representation for all patients.
The Cores developed as part of this SPORE application represent the organizational effort to deliver this infrastructure and execute this vision:
- Core A: Administrative Core
- Core B: Biospecimen and Pathology Core
- Core C: Computational Biology and Biostatistics Core
Programs
Investment in human capital and facilitating interactions of diverse teams of investigators
represents the best way to ensure the future prosperity of the field. This is another major focus of the WCM SPORE in PCa.
- Career Enhancement Program aims to bring investigators from across a rich, multi-institutional landscape to focus on PCA translational research
- Developmental Research Program aims to develop junior faculty who will be the leaders in the field for years to come