Cancer Center Update

June 28, 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

ANNUAL STATE OF THE CANCER CENTER ADDRESS, PICNIC

At the State of the Masonic Cancer Center Address on June 20, director John Kersey, M.D., reported on the progress of the Masonic Cancer Center, noted key activities for fiscal year 2004-2005, provided an overview of the strategic plan and presented service awards.

In his progress update, Dr. Kersey reported the 2003 CCSG renewal increased NCI funding to $3.3 million – a 260 percent increase. The Masonic Cancer Center now has:

• Eight research programs and 10 shared resources.
• Peer reviewed research funds amounting to $73.5 million and research members totaling 172 scientists.

Among key activities of the past fiscal year he listed:

• Continued planning and expansion of the experimental therapeutics program.
• Collaboration with the American Cancer Society to develop a Hope Lodge for cancer patients undergoing treatment.
• A national search to identify his successor as director of the Masonic Cancer Center (Dr. Kersey, who has directed the Masonic Cancer Center since its founding in 1991, wishes to return to working in leukemia and lymphoma research).

The strategic plan lists a top goal of the Masonic Cancer Center as moving up to the top 10 NCI cancer centers. The strategies outlined by Dr. Kersey for working toward that goal include:

• Recruitment of 52 additional faculty – 26 in clinical sciences, 13 in population sciences and 13 in basic sciences. New faculty recruits this year include Mimi Yu, Ph.D., who will come this summer from USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center; Jian-Min Yuan, Ph.D., also from USC and coming this fall; and Shana Starla, Ph.D., who is a member of the Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program.
• Building new facilities to provide new space and bring together scattered faculty, as well as new lab space for 34 faculty, and office and research support space for 52 additional faculty.
• Need to further invest and build cancer therapeutics.

Dr. Kersey recognized the four employees who in the past year received recognition awards for their dedication to the Masonic Cancer Center mission through their work in these areas:

• Administration – Sandra Rivera
• Clinical Research/Experimental Therapuetics – Su Mitchell
• Basic Sciences — Sandra Horn
• Prevention and Etiology – Arlene Wellemeyer

The State of the Masonic Cancer Center Address closed with Dr. Kersey acknowledging the following people for their years of service to the University:

• 5 Years: Angela Boettcher, Barry Brown, Rollie Erickson, Anne-Francoise Lamblin, Ph.D., Erica Langer, Kirsten Malvey, Brock Matter, Svenerik Olsen, Ming Qiu, Joel Sederstrom, Natalia Tretyakova,Ph.D., Pam Vicari, Jennifer Westendorf, Ph.D., Qing Yao and Bin Yin
• 10 Years: Vivian Bardwell, Ph.D., and Diane Rauch
• 15 Years: Menglen Chen
• 20 Years: Julie Ross, Ph.D.
• 25 Years: Robert Kovarik

The annual picnic was held that afternoon and attended by more than 200 Cancer Center members and staff, many bringing their families.

HOSPITAL GETS NEW (BUT FAMILIAR) NAME

This month, Fairview-University Medical Center became officially known as University of Minnesota Medical Center, a division of Fairview. In addition, Fairview-University Children’s Hospital was renamed University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, a division of Fairview.

“The new name reflects our exceptional relationship with the University of Minnesota’s medical school,” says hospital president Gordon Alexander, M.D. He says the name change also reflects what patients and providers have been saying for a long time – that the words “University of Minnesota” are what most people identify with the facility.

SEEKING RECOGNITION AWARD NOMINATIONS

Nominations are now open for the recognition award in Prevention and Etiology. Prevention and Etiology program 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 recognition event highlighting activities and accomplishments in Prevention and Etiology will take place in July.

2ND ANNUAL TEE OFF ON CANCER GOLF TOURNAMENT

It’s time to scratch that golf itch! The 2nd Annual Tee Off On Cancer Golf Tournament is right around the corner. The event has been expanded this year to include a silent auction at the American Legion, Savage on Sunday, July 17. This is followed by the golf tournament on Monday, July 18 at Creeks Bend Golf Course in New Prague. Presented by the CJM Cancer Foundation, these events support cancer screening research and education at The Masonic Cancer Center. Check-in on golf day begins at 10 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at noon. Avid golfers and novices alike are invited to participate.

How about a Cancer Center team? Registration for a foursome is $380 and includes greens fees, use of a cart, balls, a gift bag, dinner and prizes. It’s sure to be a fun day on the green. To volunteer, register to play, or for more information about either event, please visit www.teeoffoncancer.org.

GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

LYMPHOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
2-Year Postdoctoral Fellowships
Submission Deadline: September 9, 2005

Research may be laboratory or clinic based, but the results and conclusions must be clearly relevant to the treatment, diagnosis or prevention of Hodgkin’s and/or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Areas of research may include, but are not limited to, etiology, immunology, genetics, therapies, and transplantation. Applicants must have completed two years of their fellowship, or not more than two years as a junior faculty instructor or assistant professor at the start of the award period and hold a M.D., Ph.D., or equivalent degree.

Each applicant must secure a sponsor who will supervise the proposed research project. The sponsor’s role is to assure (on behalf of the Institution) that the specific aims of the project are met and to present the Institution’s role in the development of the applicant’s career. No more than one application may be submitted from each sponsor. The Fellow must spend a minimum of 80 percent of his/her time in research without major patient care, teaching, or administrative responsibilities except as such responsibilities relate directly to a pre-clinical or clinical lymphoma research project. The LRF Fellowship provides salary support only in the amount of $45,000 for the first year and $50,000 for the second year. Additionally, $5,000 per year is allotted for the research project. The Grant does not provide for institutional overhead.
For more information visit http://www.lymphoma.org/site/pp.asp?c=bfIKIVMIG&b=38480.

LYMPHOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
3- Year Clinical Investigator Career Development Grant
Submission Deadline: September 9, 2005

The purpose of the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s (LRF’s) 3-year Clinical Investigator Career Development Grant is to fund training of clinicians who will participate in developing new therapeutics and diagnostic tools for lymphoma. The focus of the training is to prepare clinicians to design and administer clinical studies in lymphoma and to take on the primary responsibilities for clinical trial design, protocol writing, Institutional Review Board (IRB) submission, and publication. The Grant is designed to provide clinicians with support to spend at least half of their time implementing clinical studies in lymphoma. A Career Development Plan is required as part of the Grant Application.

Applicants for this award are advanced fellows or junior faculty (that is, in the initial 3 years of a faculty position). Applicants must also possess at least 2 years of training in hematology and/or oncology, plus clinical experience managing patients with lymphoma. There must be a primary mentor at the applicant’s institution who will oversee the applicant’s research training. The primary mentor may support only one applicant. In addition to the primary mentor, associate mentors are encouraged to provide specialized training and assistance. In particular, an associate mentor with expertise in biostatistics is encouraged. The clinical investigator must spend a minimum of 50 percent of his/her time in research. This time should be free of major patient care, teaching, or administrative responsibilities.

The LRF Clinical Investigator Career Development Grant provides support in the amount of $75,000 per year for 3 years ($225,000 total). The Grant provides salary and educational support only and does not provide institutional overhead. Funds may be budgeted for tuition, registration fees, and travel for courses and meetings that are integral to the Career Development Plan. For more information visit
http://www.lymphoma.org/site/pp.asp?c=bfIKIVMIG&b=38487.

BROAD MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM
IDB Research Grants
No Submission Deadlines

IDB Research Grants provide funds for innovative basic and clinical research that will lead to improvements in the diagnosis, therapy and prevention of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The Broad Medical Research Program is interested in providing rapid funding for generating preliminary data in clinical or basic research that is innovative and will open new directions in IBD research. Proposals must be clinically relevant and benefit patients with IBD in the next several years. Proposals in the basic sciences should have clear relevance to findings and observations in IBD patients. In addition, the BMRP wants to attract scientists who are not currently working in IBD to apply their knowledge, expertise and techniques to IBD research. Interdisciplinary collaboration is strongly encouraged.

Requests for funding must be preceded by a brief letter of interest (up to three pages, not including attachments). There are no deadlines for receipt of letters of interest. Investigators whose letters of interest fit the BMRP's criteria and areas of interest will be invited to submit a full grant application. Funding can be requested for up to two years. The maximum indirect costs/overhead that can be requested is 10% based upon total direct costs. Preference will be given to proposals with strong potential of clinical applicability and benefit to IBD patients in the foreseeable future. For more information visit http://www.broadmedical.org/grant_process.html.

RAPID ACCESS TO INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENT (RAID)
NOT-CA-05-022
RECEIPT DATES: August 1 and February 1 annually

The NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE (NCI) is requesting project proposals in response to the Rapid Access to Intervention Development (RAID) program. The RAID program will make available to academic investigators, on a competitive basis, the preclinical development contract resources of NCI's Developmental Therapeutics Program (DTP). RAID is not a grant program. Proposed projects that are approved for access to the resources of RAID gain access to the drug development contract resources of the Developmental Therapeutics Program. The goal of RAID is the rapid movement of novel molecules and concepts from the laboratory to the clinic for proof-of-principle clinical trials. RAID will assist investigators who submit successful project proposals by providing any (or all) of the preclinical development steps that may be obstacles to clinical translation. Possible tasks may include production, bulk supply, good manufacturing process (GMP) manufacturing, formulation, and toxicology. Suitable agents for RAID will include small molecules, biologics, or vaccines.

There are two receipt dates, February 1 and August 1, for requests for RAID support per year. Investigators must submit a 1-2 page statement of interest that describes the minimal essential details of proposed project at least 15 days before the deadline. Complete descriptions of the proposed projects must be received by August 1, 2005, with all required materials submitted directly to the office listed below. F0r more information visit

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-CA-05-022.html.

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

REMINDERS

STEM CELL WORKSHOP TO BE HELD JULY 23

Cancer Center members will be among the presenters at the Stem Cell Workshop sponsored by the Society for Cryobiology, Biomedical Engineering Institute and Department of Mechanical Engineering on July 23, 2005.

The goals of the workshop are to:

• Review the present understanding of stem cell biology, plasticity as well as clinical and preclinical applications of stem cells.

• Contrast and compare adult stem cells with hematopoietic and embryonic.

• Provide background on processing of stem cells for human therapeutic applications.

• Review the current understanding of stem cell preservation.

• Summarize the opportunities and challenges for stem cell-based therapies.

Information and registration materials can be found at http://www.me.umn.edu/events/cryo2005/stemcell.html .

MARSHALL FIELDS GLAMORAMA TO BENEFIT CHILDREN'S CANCER RESEARCH FUND

Friday, August 5, 2005, 7:30 p.m., Historic State Theatre

For ticket information contact Mary Schultze @ 612-626-2961 or schul032@umn.edu .