Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer
The TREC initiative is a 5-year scientific research effort aimed at reducing
cancer linked with obesity, poor diet, and low levels of physical activity.
This $54 million initiative, which began in the fall of 2005, is funded by
the National Cancer Institute
(NCI).
The National Cancer Institute funds four research centers and one coordinating
center as part of the Transdisciplinary
Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) initiative. They include:
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Division of Cancer Control and Population
Sciences
Project Officer: Linda Nebeling, Ph.D., M.P.H.,
R.D., F.A.D.A
TREC Research Centers
- Case Western Reserve University
Comprehensive Cancer Center
Principal Investigator:
Nathan A. Berger, M.D.
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research
Center
Principal Investigator: Anne McTiernan, M.D.,
Ph.D.
- University of Minnesota Cancer Center
Principal Investigator:
Robert Jeffery, Ph.D.
- University of Southern California
Cancer Center
Principal Investigator: Michael Goran,
Ph.D.
TREC COORDINATION CENTER
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research
Center
Principal Investigator: Mark Thornquist, Ph.D.
 The TREC centers foster collaboration among transdisciplinary teams
of scientists with the goal of accelerating progress toward reducing
cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality associated with obesity, low
levels of physical activity, and poor diet. They also provide training
opportunities for new and established scientists who can carry out integrative
research on energetics and energy balance. The TREC initiative complements
NCI’s other energy balance research endeavors and efforts of the
NIH Obesity Task Force. Nathan A. Berger, M.D., principal investigator
of CASE- TREC, states that obesity is increasing at epidemic levels in
the United States and the risk of developing cancer increases with obesity.
New studies suggest that weight gain at all stages of life may increase
the association between obesity and cancer.
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., will focus
on prevention of new or recurrent breast cancer and colon cancer with
a particular focus on physical activity. The University of Minnesota
will focus on population studies on the causes and effective prevention
strategies for obesity in youth and families; and the University of Southern
California will explore the physiologic, metabolic, genetic, behavioral
and environmental influences on obesity and cancer risk in minority children.
The overall goals of the Case Center for Transdisciplinary Research
on Energetics and Cancer are defined organizationally and scientifically. Organizationally,
we seek 1) to establish a productive, durable program
for transdisciplinary research on energetics and cancer at the Case Comprehensive
Cancer Center, 2) to provide pilot project support and training opportunities
for new and established scientists who can conduct integrative research
on energetics, energy balance and their consequences relative to cancer
across the continuum from cancer causation and prevention through survival,
and 3) to establish collaborative relations with investigators throughout
our university and at other TREC Centers and universities to maximally
and synergistically utilize resources to significantly impact problems
associated with obesity and cancer.
Scientifically, we conduct a spectrum
of mechanism-based laboratory, clinical, and population-based
studies to identify targets for prevention and control of obesity and
interruption of the linkage between obesity and cancer. The scientific aims are defined by three
programs and a series of pilot projects which are highly interactive and are
supported by three TREC core facilities and by the 17 Comprehensive Cancer
Center core facilities. Project 1 seeks to determine the intestinal tumor-inducing
effect of molecular signaling pathways associated with high-fat diet versus
obesity in unique strains of mice with chromosomal substitutions rendering
them susceptible or resistant to the obesigenic effects of high-fat diets. Project
2 is examining candidate gene variance and haplotype, associated biomarkers,
and insulin-resistance syndrome related serum markers to understand how insulin-resistance
syndrome, related genes and dietary factors work in concert in the etiology
of human colon neoplasia. Project 3 is investigating determinants of
obesity and metabolic dysfunction during the critical life-transition period
of adolescence. This project capitalizes on a unique population cohort
followed as part of the Cleveland Children’s Sleep and Health Study and
is studying sleep phenotype and sleep disturbances as novel and important determinants
of obesity and its relation to metabolic dysfunction.
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