P&S Journal: Winter 1995, Vol.15, No.1
The Renaissance Reshaping Cancer at CPMC
Cancer Center Basic Research Highlights

• Development of powerful DNA gene transfer methods, making it possible to identify oncogenes in human tumors
• Elucidation of molecular mechanisms of genetic recombination, and other types of gene rearrangements, and their role in cancer cells and the immune system
• Evidence that papilloma virus plays an important role in human cervical cancer causation
• Studies on HIV molecular biology: isolation of the virus receptor (CD4), a potential target for therapy, and elucidation of its structure by X-ray crystallography; and isolation of the viral reverse transcriptase gene
• Elucidation of the molecular details of how specific environmental carcinogens bind to DNA, alter its structure, and induce mutations in cells
• Establishment of highly sensitive immunoassays to measure the binding of environmental carcinogens to cellular DNA
• Isolation of genes that encode protein kinase C and demonstration that the enzyme plays a key role in controlling cell growth, differentiation, and tumor formation
• Studies indicating that specific chemical treatment of leukemia cells or tumor cells arrests their growth and induces differentiation and elucidation of the underlying mechanisms
• Cloning of the receptor for the hormone serotonin and studies demonstrating that its abnormal expression converts normal cells into tumor cells
• Development of a method for introducing DNA into cells so that specific cellular genes can be disrupted or knocked out and development of genetically engineered mice that will reveal the normal function of these genes, including oncogenes and growth factors
• Development of novel procedures for sequencing the human genome
• Fundamental studies on radiation dosimetry, radiation biology, and radiotherapy
• Advances in immunology relating to breast cancer and melanoma antigens, chimeric antibodies, and the molecular genetics of the immune system
• Identification of the oncogene for an important lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Studies on the oncogene associated with Wilms' tumor, revealing a new mechanism for oncogenesis
• Identification of new melanoma genes
• New research about the role that some cellular proteins (cyclophilin) might play in HIV infection