PI: Damien Young (BCM)	PI: Xinli Liu (UH)	Co-I: Chad Creighton (BCM)

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a prevalent and deadly disease whose rate of incidence in the United States is higher in underrepresented populations. One of the hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma is the global reduction of DNA methylation which is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis.

In this project, we will use two complementary discovery platforms to develop novel compounds that reduce DNA hypomethylation as a novel therapeutic approach to treating hepatocellular carcinoma in underrepresented populations.

Pilot Project 2

PI: Meghna Trivedi (UH)	PI: Rachel Schiff (BCM)	Co-I: Greg Cuny (UH)

In this proposal, we aim to investigate FOXA1, a master regulator of ER reprogramming in endocrine resistance, as a drug target by combining unique expertise of drug discovery-development groups at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy and Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Our efforts to discover novel drugs may have a potential for a major clinical impact in overcoming drug resistance in ER+ BC, which has disparity in mortality for African American women.

We also expect that our proposed research will advance the unique cancer drug discovery and development collaborative efforts between DLDCCC and UHCOP and serve as a platform for creating cancer research training opportunities for underrepresented (UR) trainees.

12th AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved 2019, Sept. 20-23, 2019, San Francisco, Calif.

Poster Presentations

"Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Vincristine and its M1 Metabolite in Kenyan Pediatric Cancer Patients through Co-modelling," Presenter: Lorita Agu, UHCOP Pharmaceutics Ph.D. student, Advisor: Diana S-L. Chow, Ph.D., FNAI

"Pharmacokinetic analysis of co-formulation of calcipotriol and paclitaxel for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma shows reduced systemic exposures and eliminations: Implications for safety and efficacy," Presenter: Victor Lincha, UHCOP Pharmaceutics Ph.D. student, Advisor: Professor Diana S-L. Chow, Ph.D., FNAI

"FOXA1 genetic alterations in Whites versus Blacks or African Americans in Breast and Prostate Cancer," Presenter: Jennifer Torres, UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Studies undergraduate student, Advisor: Associate Professor Meghana Trivedi, Ph.D., Pharm.D.

"Evaluating medication adherence of oral endocrine therapy among breast cancer survivors in a large academic medical center," Presenter: Rutugandha Paranjpe, UHCOP Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy Ph.D. student, Advisor: Associate Professor Susan Abugosh, Ph.D.

Other Attendees

Professor Diana S-L. Chow, Ph.D., FNAI, Professor, UHCOP

Meghana Trivedi, Ph.D., Pharm.D., Associate Professor, UHCOP

7th Annual PPS Research Symposium, University of Houston, Houston, TX, Aug. 8-9, 2019

Poster Presentation

"Co-formulating a novel combination therapy of paclitaxel and calcipotriol for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma using response surface methodology," Presenter: Victor Lincha, UHCOP Pharmaceutics Ph.D. student, Advisor: Professor Diana S-L. Chow, Ph.D., FNAI

Oral/Poster Presentation

"Pharmacokinetics of Vincristine and its M1 Metabolite in Kenyan Pediatric Cancer Patients," Presenter: Lorita Agu, UHCOP Pharmaceutics Ph.D. student, Advisor: Diana S-L. Chow, Ph.D., FNAI

Diana S-L. Chow

"Optimizing cancer drug development through formulation development as well as pharmacokinetics-guided preclinical and clinical evaluations," MDA-BCM Joined Drug Development Symposium, June 20, 2019.

"Cancer drug development with pharmaceutical approaches-Multidisciplinary sciences," Keynote Speaker, RCMI Symposium, Texas Southern University, March 25, 2019.

"Cancer drug development -Multidisciplinary sciences," P20 Multidisciplinary Seminar Series Kick-off, University of Houston, March 20, 2019.

"P20 project - Alliance for Cancer Drug Discovery/Development & Education," P20 Kick-off meeting at UHCOP, with 25 attendees (14 from UH and 11 from BCM), November 8, 2018.

"UHCOP-BCM NIH-NCI P20 Training Grant Training our next generation of cancer researchers," UHCOP Dean’s Advisory Council Meeting, October 5, 2018.