Welcome message from the Population Sciences and Health Disparities (PSHD) Program Co-Leaders

Welcome to the September 2024 issue of the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center Shared Resources monthly newsletter. As co-leads of the Population Sciences and Health Disparities (PSHD) Program, we would like to tell you a little about us.

The overarching goal of the PSHD program is to conduct impactful research to reduce the cancer burden in the Cancer Center catchment area and beyond. The Program brings together basic scientists, biostatisticians, epidemiologists, health disparities researchers, and clinicians from the UC Davis School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and College of Biological Sciences along with key cancer initiatives and databases to advance population-based cancer research.

Members bring expertise in many diverse research areas, including:

• Biostatistics, bioinformatics, and epidemiologic methods
• Cancer prevention, screening, and surveillance
• Health disparities
• Communication interventions
• Cancer and population genetics

• Implementation science
• Environmental exposures
• Tobacco control
• Minority patient-derived models
• Metabolomics
• Microbiota-based therapeutics

Program research focuses on common cancers that affect our catchment area and preventable cancers and disparities within the catchment area. This research spans the cancer control continuum, from cancer etiology, primary prevention, screening, and diagnosis to treatment, surveillance, and outcomes research, leveraging the unique strengths of UC Davis and the diversity within the catchment area. PSHD members’ impactful projects include:

• Developing new tools for breast and gastric cancer prevention and risk assessment among Hispanics/Latinos
• Implementing regional and state-wide infrastructure efforts in tobacco control that have influenced health policy
• Informing national screening guidelines
• Quantifying cancer risk caused by radiation exposure from medical imaging
• Implementing interventions that increase HPV vaccination and lung, cervical, colon, and breast screening rates within the catchment area

PSHD members have been furthering research into environmental risks and cancer through continued collaborations with the NIEHS-funded Environmental Health Sciences Center, Air Quality Research Center (AQRC), and the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. Several exciting studies are planned or underway to address the high exposure of wildfire exposures in our catchment area, including:

• A CCSG IRG funded pilot study entitled “Wildfire Exposures Through Air and Water” to conduct well water testing and link results with cancer registry-PM2.5 data (MPI: Hussain, Hertz-Picciotto, Penais).
• A UCOP funded Cancer Prevention and Early Detection in Firefighters identifying areas (e.g., protocols, technology, programs, policy) that may reduce exposures to carcinogens, mitigate cancer risks, and improve early detection of cancer in California’s firefighters (PI: Hussain)
• A recently submitted P20 to the NIEHS Health and Equity in the New Climate Era (HENCE) focusing on impacts of wildfire smoke in cancer patients (PI: Hussain)
• A recently resubmitted T32 UC Davis Epidemiology of Environmental Risks and Cancer Training Program proposing to educate and train pre- and postdoctoral scholars to conduct interdisciplinary research within the framework of environmental and cancer epidemiology, leveraging the unique resources of UC Davis, such as the Environmental Health Sciences Center, Air Quality Research Center, and the California Cancer Registry (MPI: Hussain, Hertz-Picciotto, and Pollock)

Much of the PSHD research wouldn’t be possible without the Shared Resources, which provide essential infrastructure and technical expertise needed to conduct these studies. During the 2023-2024 reporting year, Shared Resources were used by 19 PSHD members and contributed to 20 PSHD publications.

If you are interested in learning more about the PSHD program, please visit our webpage for more details and a list of members. You are also welcome to join us at upcoming PSHD program meetings.

The 2024 Shared Resources Workshop resumed on September 12 with an engaging presentation by Dr. Paramita M. Ghosh (Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine). She was joined by Dr. Christopher Lucchesi (Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Urologic Surgery).

A total of 26 attendees joined the session (10 in person and 16 via Zoom).

Dr. Ghosh and Dr. Lucchesi spoke about their recent project Tyrosine kinases and inhibitors in prostate and bladder cancer where they used various services (including equipment and specimen) from the following three Shared Resources (SRs):

• Biorepository Shared Resource (BSR)
• Combinatorial Chemistry and Chemical Biology Shared Resource (CCCBSR)
• Genomics Shared Resource (GSR)

Dr. Ghosh also talked briefly about the four papers that were published in the last six months where she used SRs services. There was a lot of discussion around the rates and turnaround time of the services used from the three SRs vs commercial retailers. It was noted that that the quality and the personalized service provided by the SRs was excellent. The additional options provided by the SRs staff enabled Dr. Ghosh to get better results from the data analysis.

Dr. Ghosh gave a special mention to the following SRs staff who provided valuable support for her research:

• Genella Cipar, BSR
• Dr. Ruiwu Liu, CCCBSR

• Stephenie Liu, GSR
• Ryan Davis, GSR
• Dr. John D. McPherson, GSR
• Dr. Cliff Tepper (retired), GSR

Dr. Luchessi and Dr. Ghosh talking about visium spatial analysis

Dr. Ghosh explaining the benefits of using the SRs

If you have any questions regarding these workshops or require any SR-related information, please contact the SR Administrator.

The Molecular Pharmacology Shared Resource (MPSR) provides a mechanism for high-quality collection, processing and analysis of clinical specimens from clinical trial patients for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies. Additionally, the MPSR conducts preclinical modeling studies on novel anticancer agents or therapeutic combinations and implements molecular pharmacological research with clinical impact.  

The MPSR facility is managed by Dr. Aiming Yu (Director), Anthony Martinez (Technical Director), Dr. Meijuan Tu (Assistant Project Scientist), Dr. Neelu Batra (Specialist) and Dr. Su Guan (Specialist).

Dr. Aiming Yu with the AB SCIEX 4000 Qtrap MS coupled to UPLC in the Oak Park Research Building

The most popular equipment used at MPSR - Seahorse XFe24 Live-Cell analyzer

Specimens from clinical trial patients being packed in the specimen processing lab

The MPSR provides essential services for the assessment of new therapeutics, including:

• 24/7, timely, quality clinical specimen collection, processing, and management
• Expertise in DM/PK/PD, mathematical modeling, anticancer pharmacology and experimental therapeutics
• State-of-the-art LC-MS/MS-based bioanalysis and Seahorse live cell metabolic analysis technologies

Key technologies and instrumentation include:

Clinical specimen management capability

• Four ultra-low freezers, four centrifuges, three non-defrosting freezers/refrigerators
• HIPAA compliant 
• Storing up to 72,000 aliquots per freezer

AB SCIEX 4000 Qtrap MS coupled to UPLC

• Accurate, selective, and sensitive quantification of drugs, metabolites, and biomarkers
• Assay development and sample analysis
• Clinical/preclinical DM/PK/PD and DDI studies
• PK/PD mathematical modeling and prediction

Seahorse XFe24 and Incucyte S3 Live-Cell analyzers

• Real-time, live cell imaging and analyses
• Cancer cell metabolism, morphology, health, function, etc.
• Metabolic/phenotypic modulators
• Anticancer pharmacology
• New regulatory pathways

RNA biotechnology and BioRNA molecules

• One-of-a-kind RNA molecular bioengineering platform technology
• Unparalleled, true biologic RNAi agents (BioRNA) made in vivo for basic and translational research, distinguished from RNA analogs synthesized in vitro

MPSR primary research lab and office spaces are located in the Oak Park Research Building, Room 2130, 2700 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817. A centralized specimen processing lab is located in the Comprehensive Cancer Center South Building. But soon they will be moving to new space at Aggie Square!

MPSR hours of operation are 24/7. They are always available outside normal business hours which is essential for timely specimen collection, processing and management.

MPSR services and recharge rates can be found in PPMS. Please note that rates charged to Cancer Center members are subsidized for cancer-related research. For assistance, request Molecular Pharmacology Service by clicking the button below (PPMS Access Required):

Please contact MPSR for more information. Additional details can be found in the MPSR website.

Example statements are provided below:

CCSG Acknowledgement:

“Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award number NCI P30CA093373. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”

Shared Resources Acknowledgement:

“The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center Shared Resource, supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award number NCI P30CA093373. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”

Public Access

The National Cancer Institute requires all manuscripts accepted for publication that receive direct cost support from the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) to be submitted to PubMed Central and be assigned a PubMed Central ID (PMCID). This includes publications that used CCSG-supported Shared Resources, and pilot projects supported by CCSG Developmental Funds. Once obtained, the PMCID must be included at the end of the full citation in applications and reports.

Guidance on submission and reporting methods can be found by clicking the button below:

Shared Resources are funded by the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) awarded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI P30CA093373). Publications that have utilized facility resources, services or scientific data generated using shared resources should acknowledge the shared resource(s) or the assistance provided by their staff and cite the CCSG (NCI P30CA093373). An electronic copy of the publication should also be sent to the directors of the SRs that were used. 

Charles Smith is the Imaging Manager at the Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging (CMGI) within the In Vivo Translational Imaging Shared Resource (IVTISR), leading in vivo imaging projects, protocols, and equipment. CMGI maintains and operates equipment across five locations on the Davis campus.

Charles has worked at UC Davis for 14 years, 11 of those years at CMGI. Over his career, he has worked with over 100 investigators and 200 graduate students, post-doctorates, and residents from six College of Engineering departments, the Cancer Center, Mouse Biology, School of Medicine, and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Charles is excited to showcase the high-end imaging systems at the Center and leads more than 100 laboratory tours annually to students, clubs, campus leadership, and regulatory agencies.

Over his career, Charles has been a member of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science and the World Molecular Imaging Congress. In 2022, he was bestowed the College of Engineering Staff Member of the Year Award. In his free time, he enjoys basketball, running, and showing off pictures of his kids.  

Charles loves discussing nuclear imaging and how it can improve individual research topics.

Please contact Charles if you have any questions about CMGI or any small animal imaging-related research interests.

The Shared Resources provide the UC Davis research community with centralized access to specialized scientific expertise, consultation and assistance, infrastructure, and equipment necessary to conduct cutting-edge scientific research.

Want to know how to incorporate SRs into your research? This year’s workshop series will feature faculty who have used one or more SRs for their cancer research projects. 

Register today to learn from Cancer Center members who will share their unique experiences. 

This series will equip you with ways to take full advantage of SRs services and equipment in your research and publications and how to learn strategies for using SRs. As a Cancer Center member conducting cancer research, you are eligible for prioritized status and subsidized rates when using the SRs! Register now and hear what our SRs “super users” have to say!  

Join us at one or more of the workshops scheduled below and learn how SRs can add value to your research:

• October 17, 1 - 2 p.m.
• November 14, 1 - 2 p.m.
• January 16, 2025, 3 - 4 p.m.
• February 20, 2025, 1 - 2 p.m.

Session 2: Writing R01 Specific Aims

Wednesday, November 6, 2024, 10-11:30 a.m.

Learn how to craft the main objectives of your research, develop hypotheses and outcomes, and the importance of telling a story.

Session 3: R01 from the Reviewer’s Perspective 

Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 10-11:30 a.m.

Understand the review process, what reviewers are looking for, and how to write your proposal for the reviewer to get the best possible score. We will also present the new review criteria and process to be implemented after January 2025.

Contact HS-UCDHS Faculty Development if you have any questions about the seminar.

The Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSR) provides biostatistical support for clinical, population, and basic science researchers.

To better support the study design and data analysis efforts of our members, the BSR offers weekly office hours in collaboration with the Clinical and Translational Science Center:

• 1st and 3rd Monday, 1 - 2 p.m.
• Tuesdays, 12 - 2 p.m.

For more information, contact Dr. Lihong Qi.

Genomics Pop-In Workshop Series

If you need details on the location of the next workshop or want to be added to GSR's email list, please contact them by clicking the button below.

Biorepository

(BRSR)

Biostatistics

(BSR)

Combinatorial Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCCBSR)

Flow Cytometry

(FCSR)

Genomics

(GSR)

In vivo Translational Imaging

(IVTISR)

Mouse Biology

(MBSR)

Molecular Pharmacology

(MPSR)

Immune Modeling, Analysis, and Diagnostics (IMADSR)

Shared Resources are funded by the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) awarded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI P30CA093373). Publications that have utilized facility resources, services or scientific data generated using shared resources should acknowledge the shared resource(s) or the assistance provided by their staff and cite the CCSG (NCI P30CA093373). An electronic copy of the publication should also be sent to the directors of the SRs that were used. 

National Institutes of Health public access policy

Contact Shared Resources