Lydia Finley 
Cell Biology 
Project: Mitochondrial metabolism in cancer, immunity, and regeneration 
Project Abstract: Cellular metabolic pathways play a profound role in cancer progression. Cancer cells alter the uptake and catabolism of nutrients to fuel their growth; likewise, immune cells require nutrients to mount anti-tumor responses. We will use the extracellular flux analyzer to quantify metabolic changes of cancer cells and immune cells to better understand how to target metabolic pathways to impair tumor progression.

Minkui Luo 
Project: ITC as a Shared Instrument 
Project Abstract: The characterization of interactions between ligands and macromolecules has become a daily routine for many research laboratories at MSKCC. One specialized instrument with general applicability to quantify ligand-macromolecule interactions is Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC). ITC meets the broad needs of MSKCC laboratories for cancer research. The award allows purchasing a top-end ITC as a shared instrument of >20 laboratories.

Zhirong Bao 
Project: High-Resolution Living Imaging to Study Cell-Cell Interactions and Complex Tissue Formation

Dana Tsui 
Project: Cancer Genomic Profiling for Precision Medicine

Rajmohan Murali 
Department of Pathology 
Project: Automated high-throughput DNA extraction facility dedicated to research studies

Elisa DeStanchina 
Antitumor Assessment Core Facility 
Project: A Validated Laboratory Information System for Integrated Management of Preclinical Projects

Elisa DeStanchina 
Antitumor Assessment Core Facility

Project Abstract: To initiate first-in-human clinical trials, the FDA requires that animal safety studies be conducted in accordance with federal regulations for Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). In the past five years alone, Memorial Sloan Kettering investigators have developed more than 20 investigational new drugs (INDs), including biologics, radiopharmaceuticals, and small molecule drugs, which have been cleared by the FDA for clinical trials at Memorial Sloan Kettering The Antitumor Assessment Facility conducted IND-enabling safety studies for more than half of these studies in a GLP-like manner. However, similar future studies will have to be conducted under strict GLP conditions. Currently, no facility exists for conducting GLP-compliant studies at Memorial Sloan Kettering; therefore, the only option available for investigators developing novel agents is to contract GLP safety studies to an outside vendor (CRO). Drug development efforts with CROs are extremely costly, frequently delayed, and often suffer difficulties in method development, technology transfer, and initial characterization of novel agents. Thus, to maintain a competitive translational research program, Memorial Sloan Kettering needs to develop internal resources to conduct GLP studies in a more cost- and time-effective way. The proposed resource will enable investigators to conduct GLP-compliant animal safety studies onsite at Memorial Sloan Kettering, thereby streamlining preclinical development and reducing costs.

Gunnar Ratsch 
Computational Biology

Project Abstract: The rapid increase in speed and decrease in cost of DNA sequencing have started a revolution in genomics. While data generation is now quick and cost-effective, data transfer and storage issues currently prevent the effective use of many new data-sequencing resources . At present, researchers may lose precious time, bandwidth, and disk space by downloading and storing large-scale and commonly utilized data resources. The establishment of a one-petabyte (1,000,000-gigabytes) local data storage server will solve these issues for many Memorial Sloan Kettering investigators across departments by providing fast and convenient access to insight-enabling data. The resources we have targeted include The Cancer Genome Atlas, ENCODE, The 1000 Genomes Project, The Human Microbiome Project, and others.

Adriana Heguy 
Geoffrey Beene Translational Oncology Core Facility 
Project: Beckman Coulter SPRIworks HT Fragment Library System

Project Abstract: Next-generation deep sequencing of human tumors is revolutionizing the cancer genomics field by facilitating the correlation of genomics data with clinical data, which aims to inform diagnosis and risk stratification, and ultimately result in individualized treatment. Regardless of the platform used, libraries of template genomic DNA, cDNA, or amplicons have to be prepared prior to sequencing. The manual preparation and quality control of libraries is labor intensive and is the main bottleneck in the efficient production of sequence data. The use of automation will reduce the time burden for technicians, eliminate human error, and increase the volume and efficiency of library construction. We have received a Shared Equipment Grant to purchase the Beckman Coulter SPRIworks HT Fragment Library System. This instrument comes with a validated suite of methods, for the various library construction steps, and its software is flexible, permitting, for example, the creation of new methods for target enrichment. The purchase of this equipment will benefit many departments and investigators across Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Moritz Kircher, MD, PhD 
Department of Radiology 
Shared Resource: Raman Microscope for Label-Free Tissue Characterization and High-Sensitivity Detection of Raman Contrast Agents

Project Abstract 
The instrument purchased with this grant is a Renishaw InVia Raman microscope with Streamline upgrade. It allows rapid acquisition of Raman spectra and Raman imaging maps of materials, cells, and tissue sections as well as of small animals in vivo.

Jason T. Huse, MD, PhD 
Department of Pathology 
Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program 
Shared Resource: High-Throughput Immunohistochemistry

Project Abstract 
We have recently acquired a state-of-the-art immunostainer that will considerably improve our ability to detect proteins of interest directly on tissue slides obtained from patient tumors. The device can hold 30 slides at any one time, is fully automated, and can complete staining runs in six hours. Our lab, along with Ingo Mellinghoff’s and Timothy Chan’s labs, are already using it extensively.

Gabriela Chiosis, MA, PhD 
Breast Cancer Medicine Service, Department of Medicine 
Molecular Pharmacy and Chemistry Program, Sloan Kettering Institute 
Shared Resource: LC/MS/MS instrument for use in translational research and drug discovery and development research at MSK

Marcel van den Brink, MD, PhD 
Head, Division of Hematologic Oncology, Department of Medicine 
Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute 
Shared Resource: Human Tissue Procurement, Tissue Bank, Clinical Database for Hematologic Oncology Division

Hakim Djaballah, PhD 
Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, Sloan Kettering Institute 
Shared Resource: Expansion of the Functional Genomics Platform at the High-Throughput Screening Core Facility

Peter Kijewski, PhD 
Department of Radiology 
Imaging and Spectroscopic Physics Service, Department of Medical Physics 
Shared Resource: System for Research Image Management, Storage, and Processing

Paul Tempst, PhD 
Molecular Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute 
Shared Resource: Capillary LC-MS/MS System for High-complexity, High-sensitivity, Quantitative Proteomics