DR. TRIMBLE: Next, I would like to introduce Dr. Jorge Gomez, who runs the NCI SPORE program. We are very pleased to have the support of the SPORE program in organizing this meeting, as well as the five SPOREs in ovarian cancer.

DR. GOMEZ: Thank you, Ted. I want to second Michaele in thanking the organizers, Michael, Deb and Jane. We are certainly very happy to participate in this sort of State-of the-Science meeting.

I want to talk very briefly about an ongoing activity that I think pertains to this particular area, to these particular organ sites.

Surely you have heard that NCI is in the process of forming a translational research working group that I think is going to help with establishing some framework for collaborations between the different groups or the different programs at the NCI.

Hopefully, it will set the tone for future integration and collaborations, and is going to be in addition to the Clinical Trials Working Group that was headed by Dr. Doroshow from the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis.

This translational working group, which is in the process of being formed, is headed by Dr. Ernie Hock, who is now the director of the Office of Centers, Training and Resources, basically, my boss.

This is a national initiative to evaluate the current status of NCI's investment in translational research and envisioning the future.

It is going to be formed by approximately 40 scientists, clinicians, patient advocates, and is going to deliberate about translational research in all the different organ sites over the next year.

Anticipated steps are focused on being a very inclusive, transparent process, and is going to have communication, perhaps a website, that will continue to inform the public and investigators of what is going on between the deliberations of these particular working groups.

It is going to acknowledge, of course, the work in the implementation of the Clinical Trials Working Group, is going to incorporate some of the recommendations that maybe some of you are familiar with, or the P30, P50 working group report, as well as the report of the progress review working groups that were created some years ago, and we still have some issues that we are working with, with the PRGs.

It is going to incorporate some of the recommendations and observations by the present cancer panel translational research working group, that they also have a series of recommendations, and is going to incorporate present and current initiatives from the NIH Road Map that are being worked out by the Office of the Director of the NIH.

The scope of activity will be defined soon, and will evaluate existing programs, including the SPORE program, EO1s, RO1s, that are conducting translational research.

Hopefully this group will create a vision and recommendation for translational research, near term adjustments of existing programs will be done.

I think we at the SPORE program are ready to incorporate the recommendations of the Clinical Trials Working Group, as well as whatever recommendations may come out from the translational research working group.

We perhaps are going to develop an integrated strategy. There may be involvement of the SPORE program, but many of the different programs that are conducted in translational research.

I think with this I just wanted to provide, on behalf of Ernie Hock and the translational research working group that is about to be formed, and letters are being sent out and so forth, that we will be at the forefront of making some adjustments to our programs, integrating and coordinating the activities among the different divisions and the different programs.

I think, if anything, the public has the mandate and the Congress is also mandating that we integrate and coordinate these programs and we move more expeditiously into the areas of diagnosis, early detection, and treatment. With that, I welcome you to the State-of the-Science meeting. Thank you.

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