Cancer Center Update

February 22, 2005

Cancer Center Update is sent to Cancer Center members and staff every Tuesday at 10 a.m. To submit an item for publication, send the information to Sandi Sherman by noon the Friday before publication.

In This Issue:

Today's Cancer Center Seminar

News

Events

Professional Education and Seminars

Grant Information & Announcements

Reminders

NEWS

TODAY’S CANCER CENTER SEMINAR

Hepatitis C Infection after Childhood Cancer

Melissa M. Hudson, M.D., Department of Hematology-Oncology, Director, After Completion of Therapy Clinic, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN

A peek at next week’s seminar:

Notch signaling in leukemia: new insights

Jon C. Aster, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School

Host: Tucker LeBien

For a complete schedule visit: http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/date.html

KERSEY HONORED WITH STAR AWARD

John Kersey, M.D., Cancer Center Director and leader in bone marrow transplant research, received the Medical Research Award at the 2005 Star Awards, presented by the Minnesota Oncology Hematology Foundation last Saturday evening. The event honored and recognized individuals who contribute to the health and wellness of cancer survivors and their families. David Stahl, who in 1975 at age 16 and suffering from Burkitt’s lymphoma became the world’s first person to undergo a successful bone marrow transplant, presented the award to Dr. Kersey, who led the team that performed the transplant. In addition to Dr. Kersey, five other individuals from the Twin Cities area were honored with advocacy, humanitarian, public service, spirit and volunteer awards.

HECHT RECEIVES CONTINUATION RESEARCH GRANT FROM ACS

Congratulations to Stephen Hecht, Ph.D., leader of the Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program, on receiving a $300,000 continuation grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS) for his research into prevention of tobacco-induced cancer. Dr. Hecht originally received a five-year ACS grant in 2000 to research cancer-causing agents in tobacco smoke and identify how those agents cause cancer. This continuation grant will be given over the next four years.

SPECIAL SEMINAR

Wednesday, February 23, 3:00-4:00 p.m., 450 CCRB

"Umbilical Cord Blood: The Next Generation"

John E. Wagner, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program

Scientific Director of Clinical Research, Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Stem Cell Institute

Dr. Wagner is a candidate for Division Director of Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant – Pediatrics

NEW MEMBER

Paul R. Pentel, M.D.
Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology
Program(s): Prevention and Etiology, Translational Research

Area of scientific interest: Drug development for the treatment of tobacco addiction, using animal models of nicotine addiction to study mechanisms and interventions.

MANY PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT CANCER AND THE HUMAN BODY

About 300 people came to the annual Cancer and the Human Body event hosted by the Masonic Cancer Center at the Science Museum last Saturday afternoon. Kudos to the team of planners and presenters on a job well done: Sandra Rivera, event coordinator; Anna Marie Carley, M.D., exhibit of normal versus cancer cells; Elaine Bell, Marva Bohen and Jill Aughey, cancer quiz; Stephen Ekker, Ph.D., zebrafish for angiogenesis research; Susanta Hui, Ph.D., tomotherapy; Sandra Horn, mouse genetics; and Teri Kast and Karina DiLuzio, minimally invasive surgery.

SEEKING RECOGNITION AWARD NOMINATIONS

Nominations are now open for the recognition award in Administration and Outreach. Administrative and Outreach staff, as well as other staff and faculty contributing to the Masonic Cancer Center in these areas, are eligible for this award. Nominees do not need to be Cancer Center employees.

To submit a nomination on-line, go to http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/recogform.html. Nomination forms may be requested from Melissa Daufelt by email at cchr@ahc.umn.edu or telephone at 626-3410. The submission deadline for nominations is March 23, 2005. Please join us for the Administration and Outreach recognition event Thursday, March 31 at 3 p.m. in room 450 CCRB.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The 7th KS95 for Kids Radiothon will take place March 4-6, 2005 at Ridgedale Mall. Be sure to tune in or stop by to show your support! Please contact Mary Schultze for additional information at 626-2961 or schul032@umn.edu.

GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please call Kamala Upadhyaya at 626-5326 for assistance with your application.

No grant announcements were submitted to Update this week.

To view all grants available through the Masonic Cancer Center, visit http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/grantopp.html

EDUCATION AND SEMINARS

GENETIC MECHANISMS OF CANCER PROGRAM SEMINAR
Thursday, February 24, 2005, 3-110 Moos Tower, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Sleeping Beauty: Understanding the hammer and the house you build with it
Perry Hackett, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development

For a complete schedule visit http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/gensem.html

CORE CURRICULUM SEMINAR
Friday, February 25, 2005, 10:00 a.m., 450 CCRB
Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Bruce Peterson

For a complete schedule visit http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/coreseminar.html

CANCER BIOLOGY RESEARCH CLUB

The Cancer Biology Research Club will not be meeting because of the following seminar:
MICaB Recruiting Seminar, 2-101 BSBE, 4:00 p.m.
February 25, 2005
Novel vector design strategy for the gene therapy of MPS IH
Mark Osborn, Blazar Lab

For a complete schedule visit http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/grant7.html

BMT CONFERENCE

Monday, February 28, 2005, 1:15-2:15, 450 CCRB

Attending Meeting

For a complete schedule visit http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/bmtlect.html