“Accelerating discoveries at the bench to eradicate disease at the bedside”
Our Mission:
The Michigan Center for Translational Pathology (MCTP) was founded in 2007 under the directorship of Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan, as a collaborative effort between the University of Michigan Department of Pathology, Medical School, and Comprehensive Cancer Center to foster research advances in molecular medicine and apply those advances as quickly as possible to benefit patient care. The mission of our Center is to:
- Establish the University of Michigan as the international leader in discovery and characterization of disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets using an integrated multi-disciplinary, systems biology approach.
- Establish a new paradigm of bringing personalized medicine to routine clinical care through the use of high-throughput sequencing.
Our Research:
The discovery in 2005 of TMPRSS2-ETS gene fusion as the causative genetic lesion in a majority of prostate cancers by the Chinnaiyan lab, and subsequently in other solid tumors, was a transformative advance in cancer biology (view article). We utilize multiple, innovative “omics” approaches, cutting-edge high-throughput genomic screening combined with novel bioinformatics and computational analysis as the basis of our studies. Along with powerful next-generation sequencing technology, we have developed novel methodologies to probe cellular mechanisms on a global scale to yield a comprehensive understanding of tumorigenesis. Characterizations of gene fusion sub-types and other cancer genes have led to the identity of “druggable” targets, often with readily available therapeutics. We are also working to develop accurate, non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic tools.
So whether you are a member of the general public, scientific community, or news media, we strive to keep you informed of the latest advances by our team of dedicated research and physician scientists. We invite you to explore the groundbreaking research that is underway at MCTP!
Our Affiliations:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
American Cancer Society
Institute of Medicine
Prostate Cancer Foundation
Stand up to Cancer
Taubman Medical Research Institute