Dr. Songhai Chen, an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, has received an Idea Development award entitled: "Targeting G-Protein Signaling for the Therapeutics of Prostate Tumor Bone Metastases and the Associated Chronic Bone Pain" from the Department of Defense for 3 years beginning in July 2012. This project seeks to elucidate the role of G protein betagamma signaling in tumorigenesis and bone metastasis of prostate cancer as well as the associated bone cancer pain. This award will allow Dr. Chen to expand his current R01-funded research on the function of G protein signaling in leukocyte migration to exploring the potential of targeting G protein signaling for the therapeutics of prostate tumor. Collaborators on this grant include Drs. Durga Mohapatra and Donna Hammond.