# Center for Pre-Clinical Cancer Research

> **NIH NIH P20** · LOUISIANA STATE UNIV A&M COL BATON ROUGE · 2022 · $2,105,965

## Abstract

Summary Overall Core.
The Center for Pre-Clinical Cancer Research (Cancer COBRE) aims to identify clinically
relevant mechanisms of human cancer disease using models that closely reflect the disease
state in the context of the tumor microenvironment. Recent advances in 3D tumor culture
techniques have intensified the focus on in vitro human cell culture systems to reveal
insights into human tumorigenesis and thus drive novel therapeutic discovery.
Promising Junior Investigators (PJIs) address devastating human cancer diseases
that exhibit poor outcomes in patients and for which there are unmet therapeutic
needs. The four PJI projects feature osteosarcoma, breast cancer, liver cancer, and
prostate cancer as diseases that would benefit from pre-clinical models that are more
predictive of mechanistic efficacy in humans. All of the PJI projects will use specialized in
vivo mouse models and/or in vitro 3D tumor spheroids to identify relevant mechanisms
of tumorigenesis or for evaluation of novel therapeutic strategies. The Center will promote
a unified and coordinated approach by establishing a new specialized core facility, Pre-
Clinical Evaluation Core (PCEC), to provide scientific expertise and technical support for the
pre-clinical evaluation of the PJI projects. The unique PCEC will provide a centralized
approach that will support exploratory and translational assessment of cancer disease
mechanisms and therapeutic strategies in humans. To accomplish this approach, advanced
3D cell culture systems will provide critical translational information. and bridge the gap
between animal models and human therapeutic outcomes. The new Molecular Biology and
Immunopatholgy Core (MBIPC) will provide access to state-of-the-art equipment and
expertise in Molecular Biology and Immunopathology while leveraging extensive resources at
LSU SVM. Human and animal diseases are a major focus at the LSU SVM and on the LSU
campus. The Center has three Aims: Aim 1. To create a Center for Pre-Clinical Cancer
Research to promote and support centralized management and coordination of
pre-clinical evaluation of tumorigenesis mechanisms and translational therapeutic
approaches. Aim 2. To provide the COBRE PJIs and other investigators with a core
infrastructure for resources and support for advanced pre-clinical cancer disease
research that will enhance PJI individual competitiveness for extramural funding. Aim
3. To provide training and mentorship on pre-clinical evaluation using state-of-the-art in
vitro 3D tumor spheroids to complement in vivo cance disease modeling.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10360591
- **Project number:** 5P20GM135000-02
- **Recipient organization:** LOUISIANA STATE UNIV A&M COL BATON ROUGE
- **Principal Investigator:** JOSEPH FRANCIS
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $2,105,965
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-03-01 → 2026-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10360591

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10360591, Center for Pre-Clinical Cancer Research (5P20GM135000-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10360591. Licensed CC0.

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