The ARTNet currently consists of the following components:
ARTNet Revision Projects: The Revision Projects (supported under RFA-CA-19-049 R01, RFA-CA-19-050 U01, RFA-CA-19-051 U54, RFA-CA-19-052 P01, RFA-CA-19-053 P50), through administrative supplement, leverage the expertise in the broader NCI-funded grant portfolio (R01 Research Projects, U01 Research Projects, U54 Specialized Centers, P01 Research Program Projects, P50 Specialized Centers) to tackle drug resistance in cancer.
The purpose is to support the addition of new aims and directions to currently funded NCI-funded grant portfolio in underexplored areas of basic and preclinical evaluation of therapeutic resistance. These revision applications are expected to be complementary (but not duplicative) of on-going research activities the original project and ultimately accelerate the translational success of ongoing and future clinical trials.
ARTNet Research Centers: The ARTNet (RFA-CA-21-052) builds upon the foundational activities of the DRSN (RFA-CA-17-009) with a focus on the mechanistic bases of acquired resistance to cancer therapies and disease recurrence. ARTNet research centers are focused on addressing significant challenges in acquired resistance and disease recurrence. Collectively, the network represents a range of treatment modalities (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation, targeted agents, immunotherapies, combined modalities) and cancer types in pursuit of addressing compelling questions and significant barriers in acquired therapy resistance research.
The ARTNet research centers will adhere to the central goal, which is to balance basic, pre-clinical, and translational research using an iterative team science structure that will enable hypothesis testing on the biological basis of resistance in clinically relevant model systems. The centers will work to provide evidence along the shared tumor-tumor microenvironment (TME) continuum to inform new strategies that can be better translated into future clinical trials. A total of 11 revision projects (2 funded in FY20, 9 in FY21) were originally awarded under DRSN, and will carry forward into ARTNet.
ARTNet Coordinating and Data Management Center (CDMC): The CDMC (supported under RFA-CA-21-053) will support the overall network coordination and advance multidisciplinary basic biology and preclinical/translational research of the Acquired Resistance to Therapy. The CDMC will help to integrate, manage, and coordinate the activities and basic/preclinical/translational research initiatives of the ARTNet, as well as facilitate collaborations with closely aligned NCI-sponsored programs and resources. The CDMC will be responsible for administrative, outreach, collaborative, and data management activities as it optimizes the functionality of the ARTNet. A total of 1 ARTNet CDMC was funded in FY22.
Governance of the ARTNet: The NCI program team for ARTNet include Drs. Jeffrey Hildesheim, Michael Espey, Sharad Verma, Tapan Bera, Mihoko Kai, Rabih Said, Sudhir B. Kondapaka, and Ms. Yolanda Lake. The ARTnet will be governed by the ARTNet Steering Committee. Principal investigators from each of the 5 ARTNet research centers will serve 1 year terms as a chair and co-chair on a rotating basis.
