# Translational Therapy Shared Resource

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2020 · $143,359

## Abstract

Translational Therapy Shared Resource Summary
The mission of the Translational Therapy Shared Resource (TTSR) is to provide state-of-the-art translational
research support services to Masonic Cancer Center (MCC) members to facilitate the monitoring of clinical
trials and the development of novel GMP-grade cellular and immune-based therapies.
These services are essential to the mission of the MCC because transitioning sophisticated laboratory assays
and the manufacturing of biotherapeutic products to the clinic can be difficult and often represents a significant
hurdle in translating laboratory studies to patient care. TTSR works directly with members of the scientific
programs at the preclinical, clinical, and laboratory levels, with the goal of developing clinical trials to test novel
therapies.
The TTSR is led by Dr. Martin Felices, PhD, and Dr. John Wagner, MD, with support from Drs. Julie
Curtsinger, PhD; David McKenna, MD; and their personnel. It has 2 major components, the Translational
Therapy Laboratory (TTL) and Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics (MCT). The TTL provides immune
monitoring and biorepository management; it is the central laboratory that receives and processes research
blood samples from patients enrolled in clinical trials. MCT is a cGMP-compliant production facility capable of
generating GMP-grade cellular and molecular products. The 2 components synergize to help translate
promising new therapies into the clinic and to assess biologic outcomes once in patients.
 The resource has undergone the following changes since the 2013 renewal:
 • David McKenna was awarded an NHLBI grant to assist with Production Assistance for Cellular
 Therapies (PACT). This assists with MCT operational funding.
 • Our clinical partner, Fairview, increased its investment in TTSR, highlighting their continued
 commitment to the Resource. This investment is critical for maintaining TTSR personnel and operations
 going forward.
 • The number of TTL-supported studies has gone up 40% since the last CCSG competing renewal
 application, resulting in an uptick in the number of clinical samples being processed and managed by
 this component of the core.
 • TTL expanded its biorepository capabilities and now supports a number of solid-tumor studies with
 processing and storage.
 • With the departure of Michael Verneris, Martin Felices assumed the role of Co-Director in 2016. Dr.
 Felices is an Assistant Professor of Medicine who is well versed in basic and translational immunology
 and has worked extensively with TTL, first as a researcher and later as part of the core leadership.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9859364
- **Project number:** 5P30CA077598-22
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Martin Felices
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $143,359
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9859364

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9859364, Translational Therapy Shared Resource (5P30CA077598-22). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9859364. Licensed CC0.

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