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The Work Programme for the First 18 Month
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The implementation plan for the first 18 months reflects the general structure of
the Project, with 7 research activities detailed in 7 research Work Packages (WPs):
- WP1: Cancer-Oriented Genomic Screenings
- WP2: Enabling Systematic Gene Gain-of-Function
- WP3: Enabling Systematic Gene Downregulation
- WP4: Definition of New Molecular Targets for Innovative Cancer Therapy
- WP5: Proteomic Dissection of Cancer Signalling Pathways
- WP6: Clinical Validation of Cancer Molecular Signatures
- WP7: Generation of a Shared Platform for Data Handling and Gene Functional
Annotation
There are precise dependencies between the WPs. The outcome of WP1, the list of
candidate cancer genes resulting from the screenings, instructs WP2 and WP3 for
the production of tools for specific gene gain- and loss-of-function, respectively.
These tools are essential for WP4 and WP5, that carry out systematic analysis of
gene function and signal transduction. WP1 also instructs WP6 with the definition
of molecular signatures of potential clinical value to be validated. Last but not
least, WP7 enables data standardization, sharing and mining, which is an essential
prerequisite for all other WP's. Notwithstanding these dependencies, the WP's time
frame is envisioned as a parallel one, with WP's relying on the outcomes of other
WP's starting at their same time. This paradox can be simply explained with the
fact that "downstream" WP's have a setup phase, in which protocols and assays have
to be optimised and standardised, and the early delivery of a reference set of material
from the upstream WP's is sufficient to have them start, together with access to
published data and commercially available products.
Three more WPs will be dedicated to supporting the Research WPs, these are Work
Packages 8, 9 and 10:
- WP 8: Assessment, Translation, Dissemination and Exploitation
- WP 9: Training
- WP 10: Project Management
Altogether, the proposed workpackages will allow reaching a first series of key
objectives of the TRANSFOG project, in particular:
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Identification of a first set of novel cancer-related genes of high clinical-diagnostic
potential;
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Set-up of technologies for systematic cancer gene functional analysis, for identification
of new molecular targets and for systematic exploration of oncogenic/antioncogenic
signalling pathways and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms;
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Development of tools for diagnostic validation of cancer molecular signatures with
high predictive and/or prognostic value in cancers of high population impact;
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Establishment of a shared bioinformatic platform for functional oncogenomics data
handling and standardization.
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