PAAR Profile

Pharmacogenetics of Anticancer Agents Research Group

Abstract (March, 2008 Update)

Goals

Improve the efficacy of anticancer drugs by elucidating the impact and mechanisms of germline polymorphisms affecting the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anticancer agents.

1. To enhance pharmacogenetic knowledge and deposition in PharmGKB through
   1. identification of new polymorphisms in drug metabolizing enzymes, transporters, or targets relevant to anticancer agents,
   2. detailed analysis of the haplotypic structure and population diversity of important candidate genes,
   3. determination of the association between newly discovered and previously identified polymorphisms and haplotypes (genotype) and variability in toxicity and/or response to anticancer agents (phenotype), and
   4. collaboration and interaction with other PGRN investigators and the NCI-funded Cooperative Groups;
2. To create shared resources of value for other PGRN investigators and users of PharmGKB; and
3. To demonstrate the clinical utility of pharmacogenetic knowledge.

Progress

To date, the group has demonstrated substantial productivity as evidenced by > 133 publications and over 402 publicly-available PharmGKB deposits.

Experimental Plans

Our scientific plans include a consistent phenotype-to-genotype approach and are organized around four Projects (childhood leukemia, colorectal cancer, CYP3A and related genes, cellular susceptibility), two Platforms (Whole Genome and Deep Resequencing), and five Cores (Administrative, Study Design and Data Analysis, Molecular Genetics, Liver Tissue, Cell Line). Our objective is to define how genetic variability impacts phenotypic variability in anticancer drug response, with the long-term aspiration that individualization of therapy, based on genomics, will improve efficacy and decrease adverse effects of anticancer agents.

PAAR Team

Secretary or Assistant, for contact purposes: