VA REAP
(Research Enhancement Award Program)
in Prostate Cancer
The REAP, awarded in 2000, is focused on "Cellular
Activation in Prostate Cancer." The core investigators have appointments
at the Iowa City VA Medical Center as well as the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver
College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. The award supports research
projects aimed at understanding and treating prostate cancer. The central
theme is tumor immunology and the development of new immunotherapeutic therapies
and/or therapies that are based on the mechanisms of prostate tumor cell activation.
The four research projects are:
1. Mechanisms of CpG Augmentation in Anti-Tumor Immunity - David M. Lubaroff,
Ph.D.
2. Mechanisms and Consequences of TNF-R Family Members Signaling in Prostate
Cancer Cells - Gail A. Bishop, Ph.D.
3. Regulation of TLR 9-Mediated Signal Transduction in Macrophages - John
S. Cowdery, M.D.
4. Regulation of T Cell Function by a CD25+CD4+ Suppressor Hybridoma - Elizabeth
H. field, M.D.
In addition to the four research projects listed above there are multiple collaborative research projects between the four core VA investigators and between the VA investigators and other faculty at the Univeristy of Iowa.
Investigators meet monthly to present new research data and form new collaborations as well as plan for the future of the REAP and prostate cancer research at the two participating institutions.
The next meeting time - to be announced.
The training of new young scientists is another goal of the REAP in prostate cancer. Currently Dr. Mohamed Al Nasr and Dr. Dev Karan are working as Postdoctoral Fellows in the laboratories of two REAP investigators.
The Iowa City REAP utilizes both an Internal Advisory Committee
and an External Advisory Committee to aid in the function and insure the success
of the research and training program supported by this award. The members
of the committees are:
Internal Advisory Committee
Zuhair Ballas, M.D., VA Medical Center and the Department of Internal Medicine,
University of Iowa
Timothy Ratliff, Ph.D., Department of Urology, University of Iowa
Nicholas Zavazava, M.D., VA Medical Center and the Department of Internal
Medicine
External Advisory Committee
Robert Getzenberg, Ph.D., Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA
Dolores Lamb, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Edmund Lattime, Ph.D., Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
The following is information about the four core VA inestigators:
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David Lubaroff, Principal Investigator Director, Urology Research, Professor of Urology and Microbiology, specializing in tumor immunology and immunotherapy |
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Gail Bishop College of Medicine Distinguished Professor of Microbiology, specializing in B lymphocyte activation |
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John Cowdery Professor of Rheumatology, specializing in diagnosis and management of vasculitis and rheumatoid arthritis
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Liz Field Professor of Rheumatology, specializing in immunologic tolerance in transplantation and autoimmunity |