Taking aim at cancer
“There have been so many advances in genomics, immunology, genetic engineering and information science—now is the time to use these advances to speed the progress against cancer.”
- Garth Powis, D.Phil., 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.
Cancer Metabolism and Signaling Networks 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.
Tumor Microenvironment and Cancer Immunology 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
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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. -
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. -
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. -
Scientists discover new survival strategy for oxygen-starved pancreatic cancer cells
Discovery could lead to a treatment that overcomes drug resistance. -
Sanford Burnham Prebys scientists win two American Cancer Society awards
Institute honored for advances in understanding deadly pediatric brain tumors and colorectal cancer. -
5 things to know about immunotherapy and breast cancer
Dr. Svasti Haricharan shares insights on how immunotherapy is working—and not working—for breast cancer. -
“We are desperate for new therapies”
Experts discuss acute myeloid leukemia (AML) during the Sanford Burnham Prebys community lecture series. -
Sanford Burnham Prebys awarded Padres Pedal the Cause grants to advance cancer research
The collaborative projects aim to find new therapies for colorectal, lung, breast and prostate cancers. -
Cancer’s final frontier: the tumor microenvironment
Experts explain why targeting the tumor’s surrounding environment could be the last piece of the cancer puzzle. -
Fleet Science Center cancer series kicks off with lung cancer discussion
The panelists discussed newly available medicines—and the research advances that are on the horizon. -
West Coast meets East Coast: Dr. Wechsler-Reya makes special trip to thank students
Students learned firsthand how their fundraising directly impacts medical research.
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 eIF2α Kinase GCN2 Modulates Period and Rhythmicity of the Circadian Clock by Translational Control of Atf4.
Pathak SS, Liu D, Li T, de Zavalia N, Zhu L, Li J, Karthikeyan R, Alain T, Liu AC, Storch KF, Kaufman RJ, Jin VX, Amir S, Sonenberg N, Cao R
Neuron 2019 Aug 26 ;
Transcription Factor-Directed Re-wiring of Chromatin Architecture for Somatic Cell Nuclear Reprogramming toward trans-Differentiation.
Dall'Agnese A, Caputo L, Nicoletti C, di Iulio J, Schmitt A, Gatto S, Diao Y, Ye Z, Forcato M, Perera R, Bicciato S, Telenti A, Ren B, Puri PL
Mol Cell 2019 Aug 20 ;
Driving Neuronal Differentiation through Reversal of an ERK1/2-miR-124-SOX9 Axis Abrogates Glioblastoma Aggressiveness.
Sabelström H, Petri R, Shchors K, Jandial R, Schmidt C, Sacheva R, Masic S, Yuan E, Fenster T, Martinez M, Saxena S, Nicolaides TP, Ilkhanizadeh S, Berger MS, Snyder EY, Weiss WA, Jakobsson J, Persson AI
Cell Rep 2019 Aug 20 ;28(8):2064-2079.e11
Targeting tumor phenotypic plasticity and metabolic remodeling in adaptive cross-drug tolerance.
Goldman A, Khiste S, Freinkman E, Dhawan A, Majumder B, Mondal J, Pinkerton AB, Eton E, Medhi R, Chandrasekar V, Rahman MM, Ichimura T, Gopinath KS, Majumder P, Kohandel M, Sengupta S
Sci Signal 2019 Aug 20 ;12(595)
Mutations in topoisomerase IIβ result in a B cell immunodeficiency.
Broderick L, Yost S, Li D, McGeough MD, Booshehri LM, Guaderrama M, Brydges SD, Kucharova K, Patel NC, Harr M, Hakonarson H, Zackai E, Cowell IG, Austin CA, Hügle B, Gebauer C, Zhang J, Xu X, Wang J, Croker BA, Frazer KA, Putnam CD, Hoffman HM
Nat Commun 2019 Aug 13 ;10(1):3644
PAK4 suppresses RELB to prevent senescence-like growth arrest in breast cancer.
Costa TDF, Zhuang T, Lorent J, Turco E, Olofsson H, Masia-Balague M, Zhao M, Rabieifar P, Robertson N, Kuiper R, Sjölund J, Spiess M, Hernández-Varas P, Rabenhorst U, Roswall P, Ma R, Gong X, Hartman J, Pietras K, Adams PD, Defilippi P, Strömblad S
Nat Commun 2019 Aug 9 ;10(1):3589