Research at Fox Chase »Research Areas

Scientists and physicians at Philadelphia's Fox Chase Cancer Center have laid the foundation for groundbreaking discoveries in science and medicine. In doing so, they have contributed to the Center's rich tradition of basic and clinical research.

Researchers at Fox Chase investigate problems that range from understanding the fundamental mechanisms of biomolecular reactions all the way to the treatment of neoplastic diseases in the clinic.

The interdisciplinary approach to cancer research at Fox Chase offers opportunities not found in single discipline or department settings, fostering an interactive atmosphere that is the hallmark of research at Fox Chase.

Research Programs

The science is conducted with Fox Chase's commitment to research and interdisciplinary interaction. Current faculty research programs are wide-ranging and include:

Program	Working Group
Cancer Genetics and Signaling	Human Genetics Tumor Cell Biology
Cancer Prevention and Control	Cancer Prevention and Control
Epigenetics	Cell and Developmental Biology
Immune Cell and Host Defense	Immunobiology Viral Pathogenesis Research
Molecular Translational Medicine	Biomolecular Structure and Function Developmental Therapeutics
Women's Cancer	Breast Cancer Research Ovarian Cancer Research

Keystone Programs

The Keystone Programs for Collaborative Discovery are a suite of innovative team-based cancer research initiatives launched by Fox Chase Cancer Center in February 2008.

At the heart of each Keystone Program is a self-organized group of scientists, clinicians, and other research professionals seeking to integrate and focus their joined expertise on a significant question in cancer.

The Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Ovarian Cancer

The SPORE in Ovarian Cancer is a National Cancer Institute-funded program for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. Fox Chase is the only center in Pennsylvania and the first of only two facilities on the entire East Coast to receive a SPORE grant for ovarian cancer. The SPORE in Ovarian Cancer consists of six translational research projects that represent a diversity of objectives, including diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Fox Chase Cancer Center Community Clinical Oncology Program Research Base (FCRB)

The Community Clinical Oncology Program or CCOP is a National Cancer Institute program that enables patients and physicians to participate in clinical trials in the community. These studies involve cancer patients and healthy individuals to answer specific questions about the effectiveness of new ways to prevent, detect, and control cancer.

The Fox Chase Cancer Center CCOP Research Base works with CCOPs and Minority Based CCOPs (MBCCOPs) to provide cancer patients and healthy individuals access to new prevention and control studies closer to home. The research base develops studies focusing in cancer prevention, detection and control, helping to translate good science into better cancer medicine for everyone.

American-Russian Cancer Alliance (ARCA)

Begun in 2001, the American-Russian Cancer Alliance (ARCA) is a consortium of cancer research institutes lead by Fox Chase for the purpose of bridging scientific research and medical education efforts between the two nations. ARCA affiliates include the University of Maryland-Greenebaum Cancer Center , N.N. Blokhin Cancer Center, and the Russian Research Centre-Kurchatov Institute, Russia's premier nuclear research center. The National Cancer Institute supports ARCA through a supplement to the Cancer Center Core Grant awarded to the Fox Chase Cancer Center.

Two main research initiatives have emerged through the consortium. The first leverages Russian expertise in the development of radioisotopes to create new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for oncology. The second exports American population science research expertise to Russia, particularly as it relates to tobacco control research.