Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota

September 20, 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



TODAY'S CANCER CENTER SEMINAR

Cancer genetic screens using the Sleeping Beauty transposon

David Largaespada, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota


A peek at next week’s seminar:

Discovery of a predictive marker for supersensitivity to adjuvant Herceptin in breast cancer
Soonmyung Paik, M.D., Director, Pathology Section, National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project

Host: Doug Yee
Co-sponsor: Genomic Health Inc.


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

SPECIAL SEMINAR– CANCER CENTER DIRECTOR CANDIDATE

Monday, September 26, 2005, 12:00-1:00 p.m., 2-530 Moos Tower

Edward P. Gelmann, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Cell Biology, William M. Scholl Chair in Medical Oncology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington , D.C.
 

"Research and Service: Dual and Conflicting Roles of Cancer Centers in the 21st Century"

NEWS

TOBACCO CONTROL IN MINNESOTA: WHAT WORKS?

A state-wide symposium sponsored by the Minnesota Partnership for Action against Tobacco (MPAAT) will take place on Thursday, September 22, 2005 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The symposium will highlight MPAAT’s QUITPLAN stop-smoking services, independent evaluation findings from MPAAT programs and discussion on how research can be translated into effective stop-smoking interventions. The keynote speaker is Matthew Myers, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

For more information or to register, go to http://www.mpaat.org and click on the link under “MPAAT to Hold Symposium and Conference,” or contact Ann St. Claire at 952-767-1416 or astclaire@mpaat.org.


CANCER CENTER RECOGNITION PROGRAM SEEKING NOMINATIONS

The Masonic Cancer Center Recognition Program was created to inform/update staff and faculty about Cancer Center activities and research, and to honor outstanding contributors to the Masonic Cancer Center mission. Outstanding contributor awards are given to recognize employees for their performance. Examples might be:

  • Continued/sustained excellent job performance.
  • Contributions to the Masonic Cancer Center resulting, for example, in increased efficiency, increased quality of service, cost savings, or successful crisis management.
  • Significant contribution to a Cancer Center program, project or operation; and/or
  • Special service to a Cancer Center program, project or operational unit.

Nominations are now open for the outstanding contributor award in Basic Sciences. Persons working in Cancer Progression & Metastasis, Genetic Mechanisms of Cancer, Immunology and Research Core Facilities 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. The Basic Sciences Recognition Program will be held in October.

Nominations may be submitted online at http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/recogform.html. Hard copies of the nomination form also are available from Melissa Daufelt at cchr@umn.edu. Return the completed form to Cancer Center Human Resources at MMC 806.

GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH GRANT

American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant applications are being accepted until October 17, 2005. This grant is for assistant professors who have no independent national funding and are engaged in cancer-related research. Cancer-related research includes genetic mechanisms of cancer, molecular mechanisms of cancer progression and metastasis, development of novel cancer therapeutic models and translational research, cancer immunology and immunotherapy.

Funding is available up to $20,000. Applications may be obtained by calling 612-626-1926 or sending email to micek003@umn.edu.

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

EDUCATION AND SEMINARS

CANCER BIOLOGY RESEARCH CLUB

Friday, September 23, 2005, 3:30-4:30 p.m., 450 CCRB

 

Melanoma Proteoglycan and Tumor Growth

Matt Price, McCarthy Lab


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

BMT CONFERENCE

Monday, September 26, 2005, 1:15-2:15 p.m., 450 CCRB

 

Infectious complications following Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation

Jo-Anne van Burik, M.D ., Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious , Diseases & International Medicine, University of Minnesota


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

POSITION AVAILABLE

 

Assistant or Associate Professor (Non-Tenure Track)

 

The Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health , and the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota are seeking to hire two faculty members at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, non-tenure track, to work with investigators in the University of Minnesota Comprehensive Cancer Center.  Applicants must have a PhD in biostatistics or statistics by the starting day. For one position, we are particularly interested in applicants who have interests, training, and/or experience in clinical trials, phases 1-3.  For the second position, all applicants with a strong background and/or research record in any field of Biostatistics will be considered.  Applications received before December 31, 2005, will be considered for a first round of interviews. The salary range for this faculty position will be very competitive, and the University of Minnesota offers excellent fringe benefits. These are non-tenure track contract positions, with the initial period of the contracts set at two years. To apply, please send a letter specifying interest in the Assistant/Associate Professor positions, names and addresses of three potential references, and a copy of your current curriculum vitae to:

 

Professor Chap Le, Chair of Search Committee

Division of Biostatistics

A460 Mayo Building MMC 303

420 Delaware Street SE

Minneapolis , MN 55455-0378

 

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.


REMINDERS

“TARGETING CARCINOGENESIS” COURSE TO BE HELD IN ROCHESTER, MN OCTOBER 6-7, 2005

The Mayo School of Continuing Medical Education and Hormel Institute/University of Minnesota will be jointly sponsoring an upcoming CME course, entitled "Targeting Carcinogenesis", which will be held in Rochester, MN on October 6-7, 2005. The course faculty includes 25 nationally- and internationally-renowned experts in cancer-related research. Course registrations and abstract submissions can be made on-line through the Mayo CME website. (http://www.hi.umn.edu/symposium.html ).

ATTENTION BENEFITS ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES: UPLAN MEDICAL OPTIONS ARE CHANGING FOR 2006.

Employee Benefits is sponsoring informational sessions on your new UPlan medical options for 2006. Medica and HealthPartners will be the medical plan administrators for 2006 and will provide a comparable range of plan types from which to choose. Plan options from Medica will be the new low-cost plans throughout the state. RxAmerica will provide the prescription drug coverage for all the plan options. Because the plan options and low-cost plans are new for 2006, you must make an online election during Open Enrollment in order to have medical coverage for the 2006 plan year. The schedule for informational sessions can be viewed at http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/eb/uplan/openenroll/forums.html. Plan representatives from Medica, HealthPartners, and RxAmerica will be on hand to answer your questions. Delta Dental and HealthPartners Dental will also be represented at the sessions.

CHILDREN’S CANCER RESEARCH FUND (CCRF) ANNOUNCES DAWN OF A DREAM BENEFIT

The annual Children’s Cancer Research Fund’s Dawn of a Dream benefit is scheduled for Saturday, November 5, 2005 at the Depot in Minneapolis from 6:00 p.m. — 12:00 a.m. The featured entertainer for this year’s silver anniversary gala is Kenny Loggins. KS95 Morning Show hosts Cheryl Kaye and Greg Thunder will emcee the night. The CCRF has announced that one goal of the benefit is to raise $90,000 to completely outfit a lab for a new faculty member at the Masonic Cancer Center.

Advanced tickets for the event are on sale now at www.childrenscancer.org, or by calling the office at 952-893-9355. Individual ticket prices are $250 or $500 for premier seating. Table Sponsorships are also available starting at $5,000 (10 tickets).