GCC Genomic Characterization Centers

Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick MD

Investigators

Abstract

The Center for Cancer Genomics (CCG) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) was established in 2011 with a mission to lead the NCI efforts in generating critical datasets required to catalog the alterations seen in human tumors, coordinating data unification and sharing efforts, and supporting development of analytical tools and computational approaches aimed at improving our understanding of the large-scale, multidimensional data. CCG also has the goal of developing and applying cutting-edge genomic science to prevent cancer and better treat cancer patients, for example in the context of NCI-supported clinical trials. Currently, several large-scale cancer genome research projects fall under the CCG umbrella including those managed by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Program Office and the Office of Cancer Genomics (OCG). The CCG is initiating a variety of new projects that require the genomic analysis of cancer specimens and cancer models (e.g. human cancer cell lines). Broadly, the goals of these initiatives include the elucidation of pathogenetic mechanisms in cancer and how genomic alterations in cancer influence the response to treatment. One such effort is the recently initiated Cancer Driver Discovery Program (CDDP), which aims to identify genes that acquire ?driver mutations? in 2% or more cases of cancers of a particular histology. The CDDP pilot has been launched with initial focus on three tumor types ? lung adenocarcinoma, colon carcinoma and ovarian carcinomas ? but will consider other tumor types as well. By sequencing biopsies in larger numbers than has occurred in the TCGA program (i.e. >500), the CDDP will have the statistical power to discover new recurrently mutated genes in cancer that may drive the oncogenic process. Another program supported by this Yellow Task would be the Clinical Trial Sequencing Project (CTSP), in which CCG is working with DCTD to conduct comprehensive genomic analysis of cancer biopsy specimens from patients enrolled on NCI-sponsored clinical trials, with the goal of identifying the molecular basis for therapeutic response and resistance. A third CCG initiative, termed the Human Cancer Models Program (HCMP), will include the genomic analysis of newly created human cancer models growing in vitro or in xenografts. This Yellow Task is not limited to support for genomic analyses within CDDP, CTSP and HCMP, but rather will enable CCG to conduct similar analyses in other cohorts of cancer specimens or models that address key questions in cancer pathogenesis and treatment. This Yellow Task supports a range of activities necessary for the conduct of the genomic analyses outlined above. First, the contractor will support the acquisition of tissue samples and cancer models for CCG-sponsored projects. It is expected that accrual of tumors will mainly come from collections existing at the NCI Cooperative Groups or similar entities that have obtained the specimens in the context of large-scale well-annotated clinical trials. However, other sources of tissues are not precluded and are in scope for this task order. The accrual process for samples and associated clinical data will involve reimbursement of a modest amount to the participating institutions in a single payment structure. Second, this Yellow Task supports the Biospecimen Core Repository (BCR), which provides CCG with support for the acquisition of cancer biopsy samples, the derivation of molecular analytes (DNA, RNA and protein), and the curation of clinical data associated with CCG-sponsored genomic studies. Additionally, the BCR will produce documents (Material Transfer Agreements, MTA) that codify the legal relationship between the Tissue Source Site(s) (TSS), the Genomic Characterization Center(s) (GCC) and the BCR. Finally, this Yellow Task supports the establishment of Genomic Characterization Centers (GCCs), which will produce molecular data of various types from the analytes provided by the BCR and deposit said data in a format that is compatible with other large-scale genomics projects sponsored by CCG. Deposition of data will be done at a database to be designated by the Program Office (PO).