Contact:
Linda Nebeling, PH.D., M.P.H., R.D., FADA
Chief Health Promotion Research Branch
BRP, DCCPS, NCI
6130 Executive Blvd, EPN 4080, MSC 7335
Bethesda, MD 20892-7335
Fax: (301) 480-2087
Phone: (301) 451-9530
Email: nebelinl@mail.nih.gov

Objective of Project:

The intent of this initiative is to provide support for the creation of Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) Centers. Such centers will foster interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary studies that will enable the integration of social, behavioral and biological science into more comprehensive study designs.

Centers should have at least the three following characteristics:

1. Focus on the major goals of: 1) Enhancing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the association between nutrition, physical activity, energy balance and carcinogenesis across the cancer continuum from causation and prevention through survival, and 2) Developing effective innovative approaches with broad population impacts at the social-environmental and policy levels for prevention of obesity, focusing on children and critical time periods among adults wherein weight gain is likely to occur, such as with smoking cessation, cancer treatment, and major life transitions involving work or family.

2. Bring together diverse disciplines in creative new ways by facilitating collaborative endeavors between researchers from cancer centers, schools of public health and academic departments from diverse disciplines such as molecular biology, genetics, psychology, behavioral science, nutrition, anthropology, urban planning, informatics, social sciences, and communications.

3. Create significant new opportunities for interdisciplinary training of scientists at every stage in their careers in the areas of energy balance and cancer.

Despite an enormous body of research that already exists on energy balance at the molecular, cellular, organism, and population levels, much of the past work has been focused on the particular concerns of the individual disciplines. Research generated by this P50 mechanism could facilitate the bridging of these scientific disciplines.

Description of Project:
This concept is to support the establishment of a centers grant mechanism in nutrition, energetics, and physical activity, referred to as the Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) Centers, using the P50/P20 grant mechanism. The TREC Centers will work with a Coordinating Center, funded under a U01 cooperative agreement mechanism.