H. Lee Moffitt Cancer & Research Institute
Alvaro Monteiro
“Cancer Risk Determination”
Objectives: In order to establish and validate this functional assay we will accomplish the following specific aims: 1) To develop a global assay system based on the ability of transfected full length wild type BRCA1 or mutants to restore radiation sensitivity and cell cycle checkpoint activation in BRCA1 null cells; 2) Analyze a series of 25 unclassified variants using the optimized assay.
University of Florida Women’s Health Research Center
Mary Ann Burg
“Breast Cancer Survivor Plan”
When the clinical care of minority breast cancer survivors in transferred from oncology settings to primary care, quality of care may be compromised if their primary care providers do not have adequate cancer treatment records and follow-up care guidelines. Survivorship care plans (SCPs) given to survivors before they transition to primary care settings are designed to improve the transfer of this information. This study examined these issues in a sample of minority breast cancer survivors.
H.Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
Ping Luo
CAD Assisted Mammography
The objective of the project is to identify the problem-solving model and cognitive components underlying non-cognitively-based and cognitively-based hypermedia learning. The other objective is to find out how the integration of cognition-based activities influences the performance of mammogram readers and if and how cognitively-based hypermedia training can help enhance retention, recognitions, and other performance in mammography interpretation education and decrease errors in detection and diagnosis. Another objective is to design a hypermedia prototype tutoring system on the basis of the identified cognitive model, factors, and empirical evidences. It will build up the residents’ confidence, skills, and experiences in extending their perception with computer-based interactions and knowledge construction. With this training, mammogram interpreters may improve their accuracy, flexibility, and automaticity in their working performance.
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
Alyson Fay
“DNA Damage Response in BC “
The main goal of this project is to determine the functional significance of the interaction between checkpoint kinase CHK2 and protein phosphatase PP2A.CHK2 plays an important role in the DNA damage response pathway, therefore we proposed to define this interation to further characterize the CHK2-mediated response. The CHK2-PP2A interaction was originally found in this lab by performing a yeast two-hybrid screen on human mammary gland cDNA using CHK2 as bait. A subunit of PP2A, namely B56alpha (also called B’alpha), was pulled out of this screen. The holoenzyme form of PP2A consists of an A structural subunit, a C catalytic subunit, and one of many B regulatory subunits. It is the B subunits that are thought to give PP2A its specificity. Since both CHK2 and subunits of PP2A have been found to be mutated in breast cancer tumors and cell lines, we hope that by defining this interaction we will be able to shed some light on its importance in breast cancer so that we may exploit it for therapeutic means.