[BMCT Roster]

The Basic Mechanisms of Cancer Therapeutics [BMCT] Study Section reviews applications addressing the mechanisms of action of anti-neoplastic agents, including drug effects on tumor cell growth, death, and differentiation. Studies analyzing the mechanisms of resistance to anti-neoplastic agents and on the circumvention of resistance to cancer drugs are also included. Anti-neoplastic agents that target the immune system are excluded.

Specific areas covered by BMCT include:

• Mechanism(s) of action of anti-neoplastic agents or combinations of agents at the molecular, cellular, or target tissue level.
  
  
• Effect of anti-neoplastic agents on tumor cell anabolic processes including: macromolecular synthesis, DNA repair, gene regulation, immortalization, differentiation, cell cycle and checkpoint control, RNA translation, and signal transduction.
  
  
• Effect of anti-neoplastic agents on tumor cell catabolic processes including: DNA damage, apoptotic and non-apoptotic cell death, protein degradation and stability, and stress-response pathways.
  
  
• Mechanism(s) of action of anti-neoplastic agents that inhibit angiogenesis.
  
  
• Mechanism(s) of action of chemosensitizing agents and their combination with anti-neoplastic chemotherapeutic agents.
  
  
• Mechanism(s) of resistance to anti-neoplastic agents and strategies for circumvention of resistance towards commonly used therapy forms.

BMCT has the following shared interests within the ONC IRG:

• With Cancer Molecular Pathobiology [CAMP]: Basic studies of the biology of the malignant cell could be assigned to CAMP.  If the study is therapeutically oriented, it could be assigned to BMCT.
  
  
• With Chemo/Dietary Prevention [CDP]: Studies focusing on the mechanisms of chemopreventive agents could be assigned to CDP.  Mechanistic studies focusing on cancer therapy could be assigned to BMCT.
  
  
• With Cancer Biomarkers [CBSS]: Studies focusing on defining predictive molecular markers of the patient’s response to cancer therapy could be assigned to CBSS.  Studies focusing on the molecular mechanism(s) of cancer drug action could be assigned to BMCT.
  
  
• With Radiation Therapeutics and Biology [RTB]: RTB and BMCT share an interest in the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer therapy.  Studies emphasizing radiation therapy could be assigned to RTB; studies focusing on other anti-neoplastic agents could be assigned to BMCT.  Mechanistic studies using radiation and other anti-neoplastic agent(s) could be assigned to either RTB or BMCT depending on the emphasis of the study.
  
  
• With Cancer Immunopathology and Immunotherapy [CII]: Mechanistic studies involving anti-tumor immunotherapies; other anti-neoplastic agents that modulate the immune system; or tumor resistance to immune recognition or killing could be assigned to CII.  Studies of mechanism or resistance where the anti-neoplastic agent does not target the immune system could be assigned to BMCT.
  
  
• With Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology [DMP]: Studies focusing on early-stage drug discovery, identification, modification and screening could be assigned to DMP.  Studies of anti-neoplastic agents where the focus is on mechanism of action could be assigned to BMCT.
  
  
• With Developmental Therapeutics [DT]: Advanced animal experiments, and studies containing a strong translational component could be assigned to DT.  Mechanistic studies of anti-cancer agents could be assigned to BMCT.

BMCT has the following shared interests outside the ONC IRG: 

• With the Biological Chemistry and Macromolecular Biophysics [BCMB] IRG: Basic studies of biochemical processes in non-tumor cells could be assigned to the BCMB IRG.  Studies emphasizing the effect(s) of anti-neoplastic agents on biochemical processes could be assigned to BMCT.
  
  
• With the Cell Biology [CB] IRG: Fundamental studies of cellular processes could be assigned to the CB IRG.  Studies emphasizing the effect(s) of anti-neoplastic agents on anabolic and catabolic processes of tumor cells could be assigned to BMCT.
  
  
• With the Genes, Genomes and Genetics [GGG] IRG:  Basic mechanistic studies of genetic stability, DNA repair, or of cell growth control and differentiation could be assigned to the GGG IRG.  Mechanistic studies emphasizing the effect(s) of anti-neoplastic agents on molecular genetic processes could be assigned to BMCT.
  
  
• With the Biology of Development and Aging [BDA] IRG:  Studies emphasizing cellular processes during development or aging (e.g. cell cycle control, apoptosis, signal transduction) could be assigned to the BDA IRG.  When the emphasis is on the effects of anti-neoplastic agents on tumor cell processes, assignment could be made to BMCT.
  
  
• With the Hematology [HEME] IRG: Studies focusing on the molecular pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies could be assigned to HEME.  When the focus is the molecular mechanisms of the treatment of hematologic malignancies with anti-neoplastic agents, assignment could be made to BMCT.
  
  
• With the Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences [EMNR] IRG: When the primary focus of basic mechanistic studies is on the hormone or endocrine organ, assignment could be made to EMNR; when the focus is on cancer drug mechanisms, the assignment could be made to BMCT.
  
  
• With the Brain Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience [BDCN] IRG: In general, chemotherapy studies that focus on outcome variables associated with CNS functions could be assigned to BDCN.  All other studies focusing on the mechanism of action of anti-neoplastic agents in brain tumor cells could be assigned to BMCT.