Taking aim at cancer
“Our Cancer Center is committed to performing impactful translational multi-disciplinary research that addresses unmet clinical needs relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.”
– Ze'ev Ronai, Ph.D., Center Director
Achieving our goals through collaboration
Our scientists are always looking for novel ideas, partners and new ways of doing groundbreaking research to target cancer.
Programs
Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program
Understanding the cells that give rise to tumors and the signals allowing them to expand uncontrollably will help us learn how to defeat cancer.
Cell and Molecular Biology of Cancer Program
Insights into the complex system of networks and mechanisms that tumors use to survive and proliferate will lead us to tumor-specific, less toxic therapies.
Aging, Cancer and Immuno-oncology Program
We are studying the interplay among cancer cells, immune cells and their environment to put the brakes on cancer.
Technology supporting the three programs
Cancer Center Shared Resources
The 10 shared resources of our Cancer Center are specialized service facilities that support the cancer research efforts of our members, as well as other nonprofit and for-profit investigators in cancer research.
Latest news
-
Conrad Prebys Foundation provides $3 million for pediatric brain cancer research
The Conrad Prebys Foundation provides $3 million to Robert Wechsler-Reya, Ph.D., and his team of researchers to advance a potential drug to treat medulloblastoma—the most common malignant brain tumor in children. -
Alumni adventures: Catching up with student intern Daniel Million
Million reflects on how a summer internship at Sanford Burnham Prebys accelerated his scientific career. -
Scientists design potential drug for triple-negative breast cancer
Drug candidate blocks autophagy, a cellular recycling process that cancer cells hijack as a way to resist treatment. -
Mining “junk DNA” reveals a new way to kill cancer cells
Scientists unearth a previously unknown vulnerability for cancer and a promising drug candidate that leverages the approach. -
Meet immunologist Jennifer Hope
Hope’s research aims to help cancer immunotherapy work for more people. -
Scientists “turn back time” on cancer using new stem cell reprogramming technique
Discovery opens new research avenues that may help catch cancer early and identify potential preventive treatments. -
Sanford Burnham Prebys researchers awarded 2020 Padres Pedal the Cause grants
Funding for the research comes from the record setting $3.1 million raised in the 2019 event and brings the lifetime raise for PPTC to over $13 million. -
Padres Pedal the Cause donates $3.1 million to cancer research
Garth Powis, who heads our NCI-designated Cancer Center, joined representatives from the beneficiary institutes onstage for the check presentation ceremony. -
Prestigious Forbeck Scholar Award granted to Sanford Burnham Prebys cancer researcher
This prestigious award recognizes early-career cancer researchers for their achievements, research and dedication to the field. -
How to help children survive—and thrive—after a brain cancer diagnosis
Pediatric brain tumor experts gather at the Fleet Science Center to discuss paths to better treatments. -
Starving the “world’s toughest cancer”
Pancreatic cancer experts gather at the Fleet Science Center and discuss how to conquer the deadly disease. -
On the path to personalized breast cancer treatments
Expert insights from the latest “Cornering Cancer” lecture series.
Publications
BI1071, a Novel Nur77 Modulator, Induces Apoptosis of Cancer Cells by Activating the Nur77-Bcl-2 Apoptotic Pathway.
Chen X, Cao X, Tu X, Alitongbieke G, Xia Z, Li X, Chen Z, Yin M, Xu D, Guo S, Li Z, Chen L, Zhang X, Xu D, Gao M, Liu J, Zeng Z, Zhou H, Su Y, Zhang XK
Mol Cancer Ther 2019 May ;18(5):886-899
The histone chaperone HIRA promotes the induction of host innate immune defences in response to HSV-1 infection.
McFarlane S, Orr A, Roberts APE, Conn KL, Iliev V, Loney C, da Silva Filipe A, Smollett K, Gu Q, Robertson N, Adams PD, Rai TS, Boutell C
PLoS Pathog 2019 Mar ;15(3):e1007667
Ubiquitin Ligases in Cancer Immunotherapy - Balancing Antitumor and Autoimmunity.
Fujita Y, Tinoco R, Li Y, Senft D, Ronai ZA
Trends Mol Med 2019 May ;25(5):428-443
The role of the PZP domain of AF10 in acute leukemia driven by AF10 translocations.
Klein BJ, Deshpande A, Cox KL, Xuan F, Zandian M, Barbosa K, Khanal S, Tong Q, Zhang Y, Zhang P, Sinha A, Bohlander SK, Shi X, Wen H, Poirier MG, Deshpande AJ, Kutateladze TG
Nat Commun 2021 Jul 5 ;12(1):4130
iRGD-liposomes enhance tumor delivery and therapeutic efficacy of antisense oligonucleotide drugs against primary prostate cancer and bone metastasis.
Guan J, Guo H, Tang T, Wang Y, Wei Y, Seth P, Li Y, Dehm SM, Ruoslahti E, Pang HB
Adv Funct Mater 2021 Jun 9 ;31(24)
GSAP regulates lipid homeostasis and mitochondrial function associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Xu P, Chang JC, Zhou X, Wang W, Bamkole M, Wong E, Bettayeb K, Jiang LL, Huang T, Luo W, Xu H, Nairn AC, Flajolet M, Ip NY, Li YM, Greengard P
J Exp Med 2021 Aug 2 ;218(8)
IL-6 contributes to metastatic switch via the differentiation of monocytic-dendritic progenitors into prometastatic immune cells.
Magidey-Klein K, Cooper TJ, Kveler K, Normand R, Zhang T, Timaner M, Raviv Z, James BP, Gazit R, Ronai ZA, Shen-Orr S, Shaked Y
J Immunother Cancer 2021 Jun ;9(6)
A cancer mutation promotes EphA4 oligomerization and signaling by altering the conformation of the SAM domain.
Light TP, Gomez-Soler M, Wang Z, Karl K, Zapata-Mercado E, Gehring MP, Lechtenberg BC, Pogorelov TV, Hristova K, Pasquale EB
J Biol Chem 2021 Jun 15 ;297(1):100876
P32-specific CAR T cells with dual antitumor and antiangiogenic therapeutic potential in gliomas.
Rousso-Noori L, Mastandrea I, Talmor S, Waks T, Globerson Levin A, Haugas M, Teesalu T, Alvarez-Vallina L, Eshhar Z, Friedmann-Morvinski D
Nat Commun 2021 Jun 14 ;12(1):3615