[TME Membership Roster] [TME Meeting Rosters]

The Tumor Microenvironment [TME] Study Section reviews grant applications that deal with basic mechanisms of interactions between tumor and host system including stroma cells, extracellular matrix (ECM) and extracellular molecules.  Emphasis is on evaluation of the tumor as an organ-like structure with complex, dynamic cross-talk.  Studies of tumor-stroma interactions including cell-cell interaction, tumor induced alterations of ECM during tumor progression and metastasis, tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, and organ specific metastasis are assigned to this study section.  Specific areas covered by TME:

• Molecular and cellular aspects of bi-directional interaction between tumor and stromal cells (including fibroblasts, glial cells, epithelial cells, adipocytes, immune cells, inflammatory cells, vascular compartments, and bone marrow cells) during neoplastic progression, tumor angiogenesis, growth and metastasis, including studies of cancer stem cell niche and tumor cell dormancy
• Evaluation of tumor induced alterations in extracellular matrix during tumor progression.  Cellular and molecular aspects of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and transactivation as it relates to tumor progression
• Dynamics of cell-cell communication for tumor cell survival, growth and invasion focusing on cell adhesion molecules, cell junctions, as well as intercellular signaling and production of paracrine factors, chemokines, and inflammatory cytokines
• Development and exploration and physiologically responsive in vitro 3D matrix and organotypic models and animal models that allow investigation of tumor cells in the context of a tissue-like and in vivo environment
• Development and investigation of models for studying organ-specific metastases, crucial interactions between metastatic cells and site specific organs including bone/bone marrow microenvironment and other site-specific organs such as lung and brain 

The study sections with most closely related areas of similar science listed in rank order are:

Tumor Progression and Metastasis Study Section [TPM] 
Tumor Cell Biology Study Section [TCB] 
Transplantation, Tolerance and Tumor Immunology Study Section [TTT] 
Hematopoiesis Study Section [HP] 
Cellular Mechanisms in Aging and Development Study Section [CMAD]