The U.S. Defense Department has awarded a $3.2 million research grant to fund "unconventional" cancer research at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. The grant will form the Convergent Science Cancer Consortium, which will bring together experts from multiple disciplines including biology, engineering, mathematics and computer science to tackle new approaches to cancer research.
Researchers from other renowned California universities and health systems, including Stanford University, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, will join the consortium as inaugural members, according to the Dec. 18 news release.
Specifically, experts at the Convergent Science Cancer Consortium will focus their efforts on understanding more about cancers that are challenging to treat, like bladder cancer, sarcomas and metastatic cancers.
"The CSCC is a paradigm shift in cancer research," said Peter Kuhn, PhD, director of the CSCC and a professor of biological sciences at USC's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. "By integrating diverse scientific insights, we can develop more effective, tailored treatments for patients, especially those fighting intractable forms of cancer."
Another goal of research from the CSCC will be to prioritize personalization of cancer treatments, as well as how technology can play a role in real-time monitoring of a patient's condition, early detection and intervention.