January 31, 2006

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.

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In This Issue:

Today's Cancer Center Seminar

News

Events

Professional Education and Seminars

Grant Information & Announcements

Reminders

TODAY'S CANCER CENTER SEMINAR

Breast cancer in Asian Americans

Anna H. Wu, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California

 

Host: Mimi Yu, Ph.D.

 

A peek at next week's seminar:

Development of profiles for lung cancer diagnosis and prognosis

David G. Beer, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Surgery, Thoracic Section, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

 

Host: Robert Kratzke, M.D.

 

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

NEWS

U OF M CANCER CENTER TO SPONSOR “CANCER AND THE HUMAN BODY”

The University of Minnesota Cancer Center is once again teaming up with the Science Museum of Minnesota to sponsor the sixth annual Cancer and the Human Body event from 1-4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Science Museum, 120 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. This year’s event will include the following displays and presenters:

• Normal Cells vs. Cancer Cells and Cancer in the Body: Anna Marie Carley, M.D. and Shanna Jagusch, M.D.
• Cancer Quiz: Teri Kast, R.N., Mary Sumpmann, R.N., and Marva Bohen, R.N.
• Zebrafish and Angiogenesis: Steven Ekker, Ph.D.
• Skin Cancer: Sharone Askari, M.D.
• Flow Cytometry: Greg Veltri
• Minimally Invasive Surgery: Teri Kast, R.N., and Karina DiLuzio

Cancer Center members and staff are encouraged to attend this informal, hands-on educational event that will help Twin Cities residents learn more about cancer from the people who work with it. The event cost is included with museum admission of $8.50 for an adult and $6.50 for a child or senior. For more information, call the University of Minnesota Cancer Center at (612) 625-4441 or visit the Web site at www.cancer.umn.edu.

HOSPITAL LOBBY CLOSURE DELAYED UNTIL FEB. 15TH – STAFF REMINDED TO USE DIEHL PLAZA ENTRANCE ON U CAMPUS

The University campus hospital lobby will close for a major remodeling project on Feb. 15. Staff, patients and visitors will use alternative entrances into the hospital building until late spring.

Staff should use the Diehl Plaza entrance on the medical center’s north side or enter the hospital via the patient/visitor ramp tunnel through the Phillips-Wangensteen building to minimize traffic routed through the new Masonic side entrance.

Patient and visitor traffic to and from the hospital will be redirected using the tunnel between the parking ramp and medical center (through the tunnel level of Masonic) and via a new south side entrance to the Masonic Cancer Center, which will be modified with a walkway leading to the sidewalk. Valet parking will continue to be offered in the hospital circle.

A patient/visitor map indicating the temporary entrance location to the medical center will be available on Fairview’s Web site later this month. For more information about the project contact Jim Eilrich, facilities manager, 612-273-3168.

RECRUITMENT SEMINARS

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
The role of macrophage stimulating protein in metastasis of breast cancer: lessons from a new mouse model of bone metastasis
Alana Welm,Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, San Francisco

Monday, Feb. 13, 2006, 12-1 p.m., 2-101 NHH (formerly BSBE)
Intersection of Growth Factor and Androgen Signaling in Prostate Cancer
Bekir Cinar, D.V.M, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Dr. Welm and Dr. Cinar are candidates for a faculty position in the Cancer Progression and Metastasis Program, a joint recruitment between the Cancer Center and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology.

GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

NIH PATHWAY TO INDEPENDENCE (PI) AWARD (K99/R00)
Program Announcement (PA-06-133)
Application Receipt Dates(s): April 7, 2006 then standard dates

This initiative will develop and implement a new Pathway to Independence Award Program (PI) designed to facilitate receiving an R01 award earlier in an investigator’s research career. The primary, long-term goal of the PI Award Program is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NIH-supported independent investigators.

The Pathway to Independence Award will provide up to five years of support consisting of two phases. The initial phase will provide 1-2 years of mentored support for highly promising, postdoctoral research scientists. This phase will be followed by up to 3 years of independent support contingent on securing an independent research position. Award recipients will be expected to compete successfully for independent R01 support from the NIH during the career transition award period. The PI Award is limited to postdoctoral trainees who propose research relevant to the mission of one or more of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. For further information, please see: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-133.html.

ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM

Three grants of up to $200,000 each will be awarded this year under the Academic Health Center’s Translational Research Grant Program. The program was established to assist researchers move research from the lab to the clinic. The application deadline is May 5. Details are available at http://www.ahc.umn.edu/research/funding/translational.

AHC SEED GRANTS AVAILALBLE
Apply now through April 7 for an AHC Seed Grant of up to $25,000. The program is intended to support new initiatives in a faculty member's research. Fifteen awards will be made. Details are at http://www.ahc.umn.edu/research/funding/seedgrants.

The Grant Opportunities web page is currently under construction. To view a list of cancer research funding resources and links to their web sites visit http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/grantopp.html .

EDUCATION AND SEMINARS

IMMUNOLOGY PROGRAM

Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2006, 1:30-2:30 p.m., 6-101 BSBE

Applications using a flow-based imaging scanning cytometer

Greg Veltri, Coordinator, Flow Cytometry Core, University of Minnesota Cancer Center

 

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

 

TRANSDISCIPLINARY TOBACCO USE RESEARCH CENTER SEMINAR

Friday, Feb. 3, 2006, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB

Hormonal effects on nicotine dependence and relapse in women

Sharon Allen, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Family Practice, University of Minnesota

 

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

 

TTURC COURSE: TRANSDISCIPLINARY TOBBACCO RESEARCH

Friday, Feb. 3, 2006, 1:15-2:00 p.m., 450 CCRB

Ethnicity, race and addiction

Steven Fu, M.D., Department of Medicine

 

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

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CANCER BIOLOGY RESEARCH CLUB

Friday, Feb. 3, 2006, 3:30-4:30 p.m., 450 CCRB

Genetic and small molecule manipulation of heparan sulfate biosynthesis in zebrafish affects angiogenesis

Scott Selleck, Professor and Harrison Chair

Depts. Of Pediatrics and Genetics, Cell Biology and Development

 

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

 

BMT CONFERENCE

Monday, Feb. 6, 2006, 2006, 1:15-2:15 p.m., 450 CCRB

BMT Program meeting

 

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

 

REMINDERS

 

SEEKING RECOGNITION AWARD NOMINATIONS

 

We are currently accepting nominations for the Cancer Center 's recognition award honoring outstanding contributors in Clinical Research and Experimental Therapeutics. Clinical Research/Experimental Therapeutics staff, as well as other staff and faculty contributing to the Cancer Center in these areas, are eligible for this award. Nominees do not need to be Cancer Center employees.

To submit a nomination online, go to http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/aboutus/recogform.html.
Electronic or hard copies of the form may also be requested from cchr@umn.edu. A recognition event will be announced later this month.

 

TTURC ANNOUNCES PILOT GRANT PROGRAM

 

The Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center (TTURC) is offering grants of up to $25,000 for one year to support pilot projects aimed at reducing the harm from tobacco dependence, or strategies to reduce tobacco use among populations that have been refractory to smoking cessation efforts. This funding may be used for direct costs only. Proposals may involve any level of inquiry, e.g. molecular, genetic, preclinical, clinical, epidemiologic or public policy.

 

Faculty at the University of Minnesota , or faculty at Hennepin County Medical Center/Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation, Minneapolis Veteran's Administration Medical Center or Regions Hospital who have an adjunct appointment at the University of Minnesota are eligible to apply. The application deadline is March 1, 2006 with an anticipated funding date of April 1, 2006. Potential applicants must first contact the Pilot Projects Program Director (Paul Pentel, pentel@umn.edu 612-873-6426) to determine whether the proposed project is within the scope of the Center. Applications that have not been discussed will not be accepted. A full program announcement and application form is available in .pdf format at http://www.cancer.umn.edu/page/docs/TTURC_Pilot.pdf .