NCI GRANT SUPPLEMENT SUPPORTS EARLY CLINICAL TRIALS RESEARCH

Novel drug treatments are being tested at Ohio State with the help of a $2.52 million grant supplement from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that supports the use of new compounds that have shown promise in early testing.

William Carson III, MD, professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology at Ohio State and associate director for clinical research at the OSUCCC – James, received the grant for a project titled “UM1 Supplement for Early Therapeutic Trials With Phase 2 Intent.” 

“This grant allows us to conduct clinical trials in cancer patients using novel drugs provided by the NCI,” Carson says. “We will participate and cooperate with other institutions as we conduct these studies in human volunteers.” 

He notes that the drugs have already been tested for toxicity in animals and healthy volunteers. The best dose for future studies was then tested in phase I trials.

“In phase II studies, we use this dose of drug in a test of whether the new compound can actually shrink tumors in cancer patients,” says Carson, who re-competed for the NCI grant against researchers across the nation and will serve as the grant’s principal investigator for the next five years. 

Carson says one of the ways he has been able to obtain funding of this nature is through his training at Ohio State. He credits his mentors--particularly OSUCCC Director and James CEO Michael A. Caligiuri, MD, and Michael Grever, MD, chair of the Department of Internal Medicine and co-leader of the Leukemia Research Program—for helping him “understand the ins and outs of the grant-writing process.” He advises new investigators to take advantage of mentorship opportunities at the OSUCCC – James.

“That’s how I got started in my research career. Drs. Grever and Caligiuri provided me with invaluable advice,” Carson explains. “I also make a point of mentoring new investigators, because I like to see them succeed.” The implementation of research funded by the UM1 grant will take a large team effort. Carson’s team includes detail-oriented administrative personnel such as Craig Schultz and Jennifer Sexton, and expert grant managers such as Li Zheng.

With $2.51 million in new funding, Carson and his team will take more steps toward personalizing cancer care, one trial and one patient at a time. Carson points out that OSUCCC – James researchers have already made breakthroughs in cancer drug therapies. 

“One avenue of research is the quest to find the best combination of treatments that hit the cancer cell with a one-two punch,” he says. “Also, there are now exciting advances with respect to drugs that boost the human immune system and help the patient’s white blood cells to eradicate the cancer.”