Cancer Systems Biology Consortium (CSBC)
Cancer systems biology is uniquely poised to address the complexity associated with cancer through its unique integration of experimental biology and computational and mathematical analysis. Instead of viewing cancer through the lens of a single mutation or alteration, the goal of cancer systems biology is to provide a bird’s eye view of the changing cancer ecosystem, thus allowing cancer biologists and oncologists to understand and predict how one alteration affects an entire tumor system.
The multidisciplinary Cancer Systems Biology Consortium (CSBC), which includes cancer biologists, engineers, mathematicians, physicists, and oncologists, aims to tackle the most perplexing issues in cancer to increase our understanding of tumor biology, treatment options, and patient outcome.
Impact of Cancer Systems Biology Research
There has been an explosion in the quantity of available experimental data from high-throughput and single-cell technologies, such as genomic sequencing, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics. Additionally, targeted experiments on a smaller scale focused on a small number of genes and proteins have provided important information about complex interactions within and between cells. Systems analyses and predictive modeling are necessary to integrate across these datasets that span different length and time scales to convert them into actionable knowledge.
DCB has supported development and growth of the cancer systems biology field since 2004. The Cancer Systems Biology Consortium (CSBC), DCB’s most recent effort to support cancer systems biology research, has three main goals:
- Advance our understanding of mechanisms that underlie fundamental processes in cancer
- Support the broad application of systems biology approaches in cancer research
- Support the growth of a strong, stable, and diverse research community in cancer systems biology
An external expert panel evaluated the progress towards accomplishment of these goals in 2020. The panel found that CSBC investigators were contributing significant tools and knowledge towards our understanding of the tumor microenvironment, mechanisms of drug resistance and sensitivity, and cancer metastasis. A summary of CSBC progress and data describing the impact of the CSBC are publicly available, as is the external expert panel report.
It is envisioned that the success of cancer systems biology will encourage investigators to bring a systems biology approach to bear on emerging and difficult cancer questions that will require a systems approach to fully comprehend.
CSBC News
New grants for CSBC Research Centers were awarded in Fall 2023.
Drs. Alexander Anderson and Robert Gatenby at Moffitt Cancer Center are investigating the role of spatiotemporal changes in tumor ecology during cancer progression and the evolution of therapeutic resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The Center for Cancer Systems Therapeutics (CaST) at Columbia University, led by Drs. Andrea Califano and Barry Honig, is examining stable cell states and state transitions in tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment at the single-cell level. CaST is also identifying and targeting dependencies in cancer to inform mechanism-based combination therapy trials.
Drs. Sylvia Plevritis and Edgar Engleman at Stanford’s Systems Biology of Tumor-Immune-Stromal Interactions in Metastatic Progression Center are studying the role of lymph nodes in immune tolerance and distant metastases. They are also characterizing spatiotemporal changes at the primary tumor, lymph node, and distant sites associated with the onset and progression of metastasis.
The Mathematical Oncology Systems Analysis Imaging Center (MOSAIC) at the Mayo Clinic Arizona, led by Drs. Kristin Swanson and Peter Canoll, is examining the cellular composition of glioblastoma as it changes over time and space, identifying intercellular signals driving these changes, and determining mechanisms of brain tumor behavior and progression.
Drs. Forest White and Franziska Michor with the MIT CSBC Center are identifying dynamic interactions between glioma, neural, and immune cells that play a role in tumor dissemination, therapeutic response, and immunosuppression in glioblastoma.
CSBC Social Media
CSBC research and funding opportunities are shared on Twitter: @NCIsysbio
CSBC Resources for Researchers
The Cancer Complexity Knowledge Portal contains the latest available resources generated through the CSBC. Information in the database includes:
- Grants
- Investigators
- Publications
- Datasets
- Tools
CSBC Associate Membership
The CSBC offers the opportunity for Associate Membership in the consortium to those who are not currently funded through a CSBC award. Additional information, including eligibility criteria, expectations of associate members, and the application form can be found on the CSBC Associate Membership webpage.
Contacts for the CSBC
For additional information about the CSBC, please contact Dr. Hannah Dueck or Dr. Monica Zamisch.
Funded Projects
Research Centers for Cancer Systems Biology (U54s)
Institution | Principal Investigator(s) | Center Title |
---|---|---|
Arizona State University | Carlo Maley, Darryl K. Shibata | Arizona Cancer and Evolution Center (ACE) |
Columbia University | Andrea Califano, Barry H. Honig | Center for Cancer Systems Therapeutics (CaST) |
Institute for Systems Biology | James Heath | Spatiotemporal Tumor Analytics for Guiding Sequential Targeted-Inhibitor: Immunotherapy Combinations (ST-Analytics) |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Forest M. White, Franziska Michor | Quantitative Systems Biology of Glioblastoma Cells and Their Interactions with the Neuronal and Immunological Milieu |
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Christina S. Leslie, Alexander Y. Rudensky | The Center for Tumor-Immune Systems Biology at MSKCC |
Mayo Clinic Arizona | Kristin R. Swanson, Peter Canoll | Mathematical Oncology Systems Analysis Imaging Center (MOSAIC) |
Moffitt Cancer Center | Alexander R.A. Anderson, Robert A. Gatenby | The Delta Ecology of NSCLC Treatment |
Stanford University | Sylvia K. Plevritis, Edgar G. Engleman | Systems Biology of Tumor-Immune-Stromal Interactions in Metastatic Progression |
University of California, Irvine | John Lowengrub, Arthur D. Lander, Marian L. Waterman | Complexity, Cooperation and Community in Cancer |
University of California, San Francisco | Nevan Krogan, Trey Ideker | The Cancer Cell Map Initiative v2.0 |
University of Virginia | Kevin A. Janes, Matthew J. Lazzara | Systems Analysis of Stress-adapted Cancer Organelles (SASCO) Center |
Vanderbilt University | Vito Quaranta |
Research Projects in Cancer Systems Biology (U01s)
Multi-Consortia Coordinating Center (U24)
Institution | Principal Investigator(s) | Center Title |
---|---|---|
Sage Bionetworks | Julie Bletz, James A. Eddy | Multi-Consortia Coordinating Center (MC2 Center) for Cancer Biology: Building Interdisciplinary Scientific Communities, Coordinating Impactful Resource Sharing, and Advancing Cancer Research |
Past Projects
Research Centers for Cancer Systems Biology (U54s)
Institution | Principal Investigator(s) | Center Title |
---|---|---|
City of Hope | Andrea H. Bild | Combating Subclonal Evolution of Resistant Cancer Phenotypes |
Columbia University | Andrea Califano, Barry H. Honig | Centers for Cancer Systems Therapeutics (CaST) |
Harvard Medical School | Peter K. Sorger | Systems Pharmacology of Therapeutic and Adverse Responses to Immune Checkpoint and Small Molecule Drugs |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Scott R. Manalis, Douglas A. Lauffenburger | Quantitative and Functional Characterization of Therapeutic Resistance in Cancer |
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Christina S. Leslie, Alexander Y. Rudensky | The CSBC Research Center for Cancer Systems Immunology at MSKCC |
Oregon Health & Science University | Laura M. Heiser, Emek Demir, Gordon B. Mills, Rosalie C. Sears, Claire J. Tomlin | Measuring, Modeling and Controlling Heterogeneity |
University of California, San Francisco | Nevan Krogan, Trey Ideker | Research Center for Cancer Systems Biology: Cancer Cell Map Initiative |
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | Tim H.M. Huang, Victor Jin, Qianben Wang | Systems Analysis of Epigenomic Architecture in Cancer Progression |
Yale University | Andre Levchenko | Systems Analysis of Phenotypic Switch in Control of Cancer Invasion |
Research Projects in Cancer Systems Biology (U01s)
Coordinating Center for the CSBC (U24)
Institution | Principal Investigator(s) | Center Title |
---|---|---|
Sage Bionetworks | Julie Bletz | Coordination Center for Open Collaboration in Systems Biology |