Institutional Commitment

The home to the SPORE in cervical cancer since 2003, the continuation and advancements of the projects herein remain a high priority at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. The Schools of Medicine, Public Health, and the Johns Hopkins Hospital have made a substantial commitment to the continued development of the cervical cancer research effort. Participation in the SPORE include faculty members from multiple different departments of the School of Medicine and School of Public Health, demonstrating the commitment within the Johns Hopkins University as a whole.

The institutional commitment to interdepartmental collaboration in the SPORE is evident in the joint appointments of several faculty members of the SPORE (T.-C. Wu, MD, PhD, Pathology, Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; Richard Roden, PhD, Pathology, Oncology and Obstetrics and Gynecology; Drew Pardoll, MD, PhD, Pathology, Oncology, Medicine and others). Interdepartmental collaboration is also evident in the sharing of co-investigator roles among departments for most of our Research Projects and in our Cores. The success of this interdepartmental collaboration is evident by the interdepartmental co-authorships on over 200 publications of our SPORE during the past three funding cycles. IN addition, the institutional recognition of the value of SPORE senior leadership is apparent in the promotion of SPORE investigators within the institution, including Dr. T.-C. Wu’s appointment to the Director of the Division of Gynecologic pathology, Dr. Richard Roden’s appointment to Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program in the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Kellie Smith’s appointment to Instructor of Oncology, and Dr. Deyin Xing’s appointment to Associate Director of the Division of the Gynecology Pathology In-House services.

Johns Hopkins has specifically made a range of substantial commitments to the development of the cervical cancer research effort:

Space

The most tangible evidence of institutional support is the approximately 18,000 gross sq.ft. of research space in five major facilities across the institution assigned to SPORE investigators. The laboratories and offices of Drs. Richard Roden and Dr. T.-C. Wu reside in the Cancer Research Building II (CRB II). This building is adjacent and connected to Cancer Research Building I (CRB I), which includes the laboratory of Dr. Drew M. Pardoll. The 550 Building on the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus houses the office of Dr. Chenguang Wang. Space for conducting clinical trials is available within the Weinberg Building and the Cervix Center led by Dr. Stephanie Gaillard. Through the Cancer Center, the SPORE investigators have access to several shared resources including our newly constructed cGMP Cell Processing and Gene Therapy laboratory, Animal Core, Cell Imaging and Cytometry Core, Biostatistics Core, and Clinical Research Core. In addition, the institution provides appropriate space to support the research activities of the Tissue and Pathology Core.

Recruitment and other Financial Support

Since the initial submission of the Cervical Cancer SPORE, the institution has provided start-up funds for the recruitment of several new investigators with a significant focus on cervical cancer including:

  • Dr. Chien-Fu Hung, an Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University, has been studying antigen-specific immunotherapy against cervical cancer targeting HPV encoded oncogenic proteins E6 and E7.
  • Dr. Chenguang Wang is an Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and Johns Hopkins University, who specializes in oncological clinical research.
  • Dr. Deyin Xing, an Assistant Professor of Pathology at Johns Hopkins University, who specializes in cancer biology and elucidation of genetics and epigenetics of high-risk HPV-associated cervical neoplasm
  • Dr. Stephanie Gaillard, an Assistant Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Johns Hopkins University.
  • Dr. Kellie Smith, an Instructor of Cancer Immunology, who specializes in bioinformatics and T-cell receptor sequencing assays including the mutation-associated neoantigen functional expansion of specific T cells (MANAFEST) Assay.
  • Dr. Chuan-Hsiang (Bear) Huang, an Assistant Professor of Pathology, who specializes in tumor cell biology and cancer cell migration and metastasis.
  • Dr. Anne Rositch, an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, who specializes in cancer epidemiology and cervical cancer.

Shared Resources

Through the SKCCC and JHU, the Cervical Cancer SPORE investigators have access to several long-standing shared resources including Analytical Pharmacology, Tissue Microarray (TMAs), Experimental Irradiator, Flow Cytometry and Immune Monitoring, Cell Imaging, Experimental and Computational Genomics, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facilities, Cancer Functional Imaging, GMP Biologics, Cellular Therapy, Oncology Tissue Services, Rapid Autopsy, Biostatistics, Imaging Response Assessment, Research Pharmacy (Oncology Investigational Drug Service), Transgenic Mouse Facility, Clinical Research Center, CORE BioProducts Facility, High Throughput Biology Center, Animal Services, Glassware Washing, and Common Equipment Cores. These Cores provide low cost, priority services to the SKCCC members and SPORE investigators to enhance their goals and help investigators achieve the specific aims of each Project and Core. The Storage of samples for the Tissue, Pathology, and Immunology Core is supported by additional space within the Department of Pathology. Over the last two decades, JHU through the School of Medicine has made major investments in the development of new or enhanced shared resources to support cervical cancer research activities. Major investments of note include:

  • The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Founded in 2016 with a series of philanthropic investments totaling $125 million, the Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute is a groundbreaking collaboration between clinical and scientific specialties, supporting cancer immunotherapy research across many cancer types. The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy is focused on advancing immunotherapy within five scientific areas: Immune Modulation, Immunoenginnering, Genetics, Metabolism, and the Microbiome. The goal of each of the programs is to develop new therapies and figure out how to effectively use the drugs, antibodies, and vaccines we already have. The Bloomberg-Kimmel scientific programs rely on specialized technology and other shared resources to help conduct the research required for clinical translation. The Flow Cytometry and Human Immunology Technology Center (Dr. Drew Pardoll) is developing high-dimensional (up to 50 color) flow cytometry and high directional sorting capabilities to define more specifically the multiple subsets of immune cells in both the tumor microenvironment and peripheral blood. This center will employ the most recent instrumentation innovations, including high-dimension instruments in beta testing. Additionally, novel T cell assays, termed MANAFEST and TIAAFEST, will be used together to assess the vast repertoire of tumor specific T cells. Tumor Microenvironment Technology Center studies the TME. It is responsible for the successful development of fundamental paradigms for cancer immunotherapy. Difficult questions remain, including why some patients respond to immune checkpoint blockades while others don’t/ Solving these questions is pivotal towards drug development. The Tumor Microenvironment Technology Center employs advanced technology to conduct basic scientific experiments, and has played a critical role in helping Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute scientists translate their basic science discoveries into small molecule therapeutics by providing its core expertise in the following areas: Medicinal Chemistry, Assay Development and Screening, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Animal Pharmacology/Toxicology.
  • A 2,500 sq. ft. cGMP facility at JHU located on the third floor of CRB II in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is available for the manufacture of clinical grade, bio-therapeutic materials for Phase I and II clinical trials.

Training

One of the most important commitments of the institution to the SPORE and translational research involves the recruitment and support of trainees who benefit from and contribute to education and research across all departments.

Several of our SPORE investigators are active in pre-doctoral education, making it possible for graduate students to have experience in basic and translational cervical cancer research at an early and formative stage of their career. Graduate program affiliations of investigators who currently play an active role in the Cervical Cancer SPORE are listed below:

Faculty memberGraduate Programs, Residency Training, and Fellowships
Drew Pardoll, M.D., Ph.D.Pathobiology Program: Immunology, Cellular & Molecular Medicine, JHU
T.C. Wu, M.D., Ph.D.Pathobiology Program: Immunology Program, OB/GYN, JHU
Richard Roden, Ph.D.Pathobiology, OB/GYN, JHU
Chien-Fu Hung, Ph.D.Pathobiology Program, OB/GYN, JHU
Stephanie Gaillard, M.D.OB/GYN, JHU
Jean Anderson, M.D.OB/GYN, JHU
Robert Anders, M.D., Ph.D.Pathobiology Program, JHU
Anne Rositch, Ph.D.Epidemiology, JHU
Raphael Viscidi, M.D.Pediatrics, Virology, JHU
Chenguang Wang, Ph.D.Statistics and Data Analysis, JHU

Institutional Oversight

The Research Council of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) oversees all the SPOREs at Hopkins, including the Cervical Cancer SPORE. This advisory group is made up of all program leaders of the SKCCC, all SPORE directors at Hopkins, leaders of clinical oncology divisions and key SKCCC leaders from the Departments of Radiation Oncology, Surgery, Pediatrics, Radiology, Pathology, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences. This group meets monthly and regularly oversees the research progress of all SPOREs, identifies investments needed in the SPORE programs as well as opportunities for new collaborations as part of its charge from Dr. Nelson.

The Cervical Cancer SPORE is a part of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, co-led by Drs. Richard Roden and Elizabeth Platz. The Program, its leadership, and its directions, including the SPORE < were thoroughly reviewed by the SKCCC External Advisory Board in 2017.

Future Resource Commitment

As demonstrated above, the SKCCC and JHU provide considerable support for cervical cancer research. Many of the commitments outlined above, such as recruitment and resources, are ongoing and will continue well into the five-year funding cycle of the competitive renewal of the Cervical Cancer SPORE. Through these commitments and new needs identified by the SPORE leaders, the Cancer Center plans to allocate matching developmental funds up to $150,000 per year. These funds will be used to fund career development of young investigators and support exciting new avenues of research that will help build the pilot project pool of the Cervical Cancer SPORE.

In summary, a high priority remains established for this Cervical Cancer SPORE within the SKCCC, multiple participating academic departments in the School of Medicine, and the leadership in the University itself. The planning process, which has led to the submission of this competitive renewal application of the SPORE, has been thoughtful with input from facility in numerous departments, departmental chairpersons, and programs throughout the University. Dr. Nelson has met monthly with the Cervical Cancer SPORE and the program has been presented to the Cancer Center Program Leaders Council. It is enthusiastically supported by the University