[DMP Roster] 

The Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology [DMP] Study Section encompasses (1) discovery, design, identification, isolation, development and synthesis of novel agents that are potentially useful in cancer therapy, (2) identification of molecular targets of antineoplastic agents and (3) design, development, and validation of novel preclinical models for anticancer drug evaluation.

Specific areas covered by DMP include:

• Identification of molecular targets of antineoplastic agents that modulate signal transduction, cell cycle, differentiation, apoptosis, and hormone signaling.
  
  
• Development of high throughput in vitro screens and cell-based assays for cancer therapeutics.
  
  
• Synthesis and isolation of new antineoplastic compounds for evaluation in both in vitro and in vivo tumor model systems.
  
  
• Identification of novel drugs and modification of existing compounds for study at molecular, cellular, and target-tissue levels using combinatorial and parallel approaches.
  
  
• Development and application of new technologies for the drug discovery process, including microarray analysis, proteomics, genomics, and bioinformatics.
  
  
• Development, validation, and use of novel mammalian and non-mammalian models for anticancer therapeutic experimentation.

DMP has the following shared interests within the ONC IRG:

• With Chemo/Dietary Prevention [CDP]: When the emphasis is on cancer prevention, the application could be assigned to CDP. When the emphasis is on drug design or development of anticancer drugs, it could be assigned to DMP.
  
  
• With Cancer Biomarkers [CBSS]:  Studies where the emphasis is on the identification of cancer biomarkers could be assigned to CBSS.  Studies focused on therapeutic effects involving molecular targets could be assigned to DMP.
  
  
• With Cancer Immunopathology and Immunotherapy [CII]: Studies using drug conjugates that involve and emphasize the immune response could be assigned to CII.  When the emphasis is on the targeting or pharmacology of the drug or drug conjugate, the application could be assigned to DMP.
  
  
• With Developmental Therapeutics [DT]: Translational studies in animals and patients could be assigned to DT. Studies that emphasize early stage development of drugs (e.g., identification, modification, and synthesis, SAR) could be assigned to DMP.  Identification, synthesis and early screening of new anti-angiogenic agents could be assigned to DMP.
  
  
• With Basic Mechanisms of Cancer Therapeutics [BMCT]: Studies where the primary emphasis is on the mechanism of action of anti-neoplastic agents could be assigned to BMCT.  Studies focusing on early-stage drug discovery and identification of molecular targets could be assigned to DMP.

DMP has the following shared interests outside the ONC IRG:

• With the Biological Chemistry and Macromolecular Biophysics [BCMB] IRG: Studies involving approaches for the synthesis of new agents, natural product drug discovery, and drug screening could be assigned to BCMB; when the central focus of these studies is on cancer, it could be assigned to DMP.
  
  
• With the Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies [BST] IRG: In general, when the major goal is the development of computational methods, bioinformatics approaches, mathematical models, or gene therapies, the application could be assigned to BST. If these new approaches are being applied to improve cancer therapy, the application could be assigned to DMP.
  
  
• With the Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences [EMNR] IRG: EMNR and DMP share an interest in studies of hormones and growth factors that are important in molecular and cell biology.  When the major focus is on the hormone and growth factor/ligand interactions, the application could be assigned to EMNR; when the major focus of the application is on cancer drug discovery it could be assigned to DMP.
  
  
• With the Brain Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience [BDCN] IRG: In general, studies of neural disease and injury could be assigned to BDCN. Studies of early stage drug discovery for treating brain tumors could be assigned to DMP.