6 U A B C O M P R E H E N S I V E C A N C E R C E N T E R

http://the next generation of cancer research_uab_and_hudsonalpha

HudsonAlpha: An Innovative Partner One of the Cancer Center’s most exciting research collaborations isn’t even

in Birmingham. It’s a couple of hours north at the HudsonAlpha Institute for

Biotechnology in Huntsville.

Located in the nation’s second largest research park, HudsonAlpha is the corner-

stone of the 153-acre Cummings Research Park Biotech Campus. A not-for-profit

organization, HudsonAlpha has a threefold mission of conducting genomics-based

research to improve human health and well-being; sparking economic develop-

ment; and providing educational outreach to nurture the next generation of bio-

tech researchers and entrepreneurs, as well as to create a biotech-literate public.

With support from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the

Cancer Center and HudsonAlpha formed a partnership in 2010 to strengthen the

scientific efforts of both institutions. As a nationally recognized leader in cancer

research and contributor to the Cancer Genome Atlas, HudsonAlpha helps provide

genomic data on all known human cancers to scientific investigators across the

country, leading to new clues about treatment breakthroughs.

Through the partnership, key members of the HudsonAlpha team hold adjunct

faculty positions within the UAB Department of Genetics and are members of the

Cancer Center. In addition, HudsonAlpha’s Shawn Levy, Ph.D., directs a new shared

facility, the Comprehensive Genomics Core, which is supported by the Cancer

Center.

Genomics—the study of genes, gene sequences

and their functions—has become one of the

fastest-growing areas of research in recent years.

Gene sequencing has become so widespread

that by the end of 2011, approximately 30,000

genomes had been sequenced. Just 10 years ago,

only one had been completed.

The partnership with HudsonAlpha allows

Cancer Center scientists to take advantage of

the institute’s expertise as well as enhance their

research by using methodologies and resources

unavailable at UAB. “All of these initiatives—

HudsonAlpha, the Alabama Drug Discovery

Alliance, the Division of Informatics—are chang-

ing the way we conduct research at the UAB

Comprehensive Cancer Center,” says Edward

Partridge, M.D., Cancer Center director. “With all

of the advancements being made, it’s an incred-

ibly exciting time to be in cancer research.”

cancer research

HudsonAlpha Partnership with UAB

“All of these initiatives— HudsonAlpha, the Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance, the Division of Informatics—are changing the way we conduct research at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. With all of the advancements being made, it’s an incredibly exciting time to be in cancer research.” –Edward Partridge, Director of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center