The Hasan Program Project

Molecular Response and Imaging-based Combination Strategies for Optimal PDT

Core B

Biological Models, Molecular Pathology, and Biostatistics

Core Director: Gary Tearney, M.D.
Core Co-Director: Zhiming Mai, Ph.D.

The Biological Models, Molecular Pathology and Biostatistics Core will provide services and perform research to achieve the goals of the Program. The aims of the Biological Models arm are to develop and then provide to investigators novel biological models for the study of pancreatic cancer and non-melanoma skin cancers in in vivo and in vitro 3D culture.

The aims of the Molecular Pathology & Microscopy arm are to

  1. provide histology services
  2. provide the molecular profiling of cancer cells
  3. provide the quantification of biomarkers for translational research

A research component of this arm involves the identification of novel cancer biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and for the monitoring of treatment response. Once the biomarkers are characterized the Core will provide their quantification, as a service, to investigators. The Statistics arm has 2 functions:

  1. to facilitate data sharing between projects
  2. to provide statistical design and analysis to the projects
To facilitate data sharing between investigators from different sites, the Core will maintain databases, and in collaboration with Core A, post them on the Program website. Finally, the Core will offer the resources of a statistician to advise Projects at every stage (on experimental design, collection, and interpretation of results).

The Program, through pre-clinical and clinical studies, will develop novel treatment options for pancreatic and skin cancers. The Core will benefit public health in two major ways:

  1. to provide the basis for future patient selection for treatment with PDT
  2. the identification of relevant biomarkers with diagnostic or prognostic values for optimized molecular based combination therapy strategies

All Projects of Program will be using services provided by Core B (table), which are essential for their successful completion.

If you are a patient or family member of a patient, please visit the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.

Please send questions or comments on this web site to Yupeng Tu.