Cancer Center Update

June 27, 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.

In This Issue:

Today's Cancer Center Seminar

News

Events

Professional Education and Seminars

Grant Information & Announcements

Reminders

NEWS

Cancer Center researcher receives $685,000 grant

Kirsten Ness, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Pediatric Epidemiology and member of the Masonic Cancer Center 's Prevention and Etiology Program, has been awarded $685,000 from the American Cancer Society. The grant will be used to investigate physical limitations that may result in children who are diagnosed and treated for brain tumors, and how those limitations impact their quality of life. Ness hopes the results of her study will help the medical community develop interventions to remediate functional loss and restore performance.

Hatsukami and Forster speak at NIH State-of-the-Science Conference on Tobacco

Two Cancer Center members gave presentations at the National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference on Tobacco Use Prevention, Cessation, and Control, June 12-14, at NIH in Bethesda.

Dorothy Hatsukami, Ph.D., co-leader of the Masonic Cancer Center 's Prevention and Etiology Program and co-director of the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center , spoke during the session on “What is the effect of smokeless tobacco product marketing and use on population harm from tobacco use?” Her presentation, “Changing product/New tobacco delivery system”, focused on research findings about smokeless tobacco, and cigarette manufacturers' strategy to market smokeless tobacco products as a replacement for cigarettes. Read the abstract for this presentation. (pdf)
Jean Forster, Ph.D., MPH, member of the Masonic Cancer Center 's Prevention and Etiology Program and professor of Epidemiology and Community Health in the School of Public Health , participated in the session on “What are the effective population and community based interventions to prevent tobacco use in adolescents and young adults, including among diverse populations?” Her presentation, “Policy interventions and surveillance,” focused on policies to restrict exposure of youth and young adults to environmental tobacco smoke, and youth access to tobacco through an excise tax and surveillance systems. Read the abstract for this presentation.(pdf)

Participants at the three-day conference reviewed the available evidence about tobacco use prevention, cessation and control, and discussed what research gaps remain. Their goal was to better understand how effective strategies for prevention and treatment can be developed and implemented across diverse segments of the population to accelerate progress on the “Healthy People 2010” objective of reducing smoking prevalence to 12 percent or less in adults and 16 percent or less in youth.

Cancer Center members in the news

Dorothy Hatsukami, Ph.D., co-leader of the Masonic Cancer Center 's Prevention and Etiology Program and co-director of the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center , was interviewed about her nicotine vaccine research by a news reporter with a CBS-affiliated TV station in Denver .

Cancer Center members in the community

Melissa Geller, M.D., discussed ovarian cancer research and treatment during a program about the cancer at Macalaster College , June 22.

Seeking Recognition Award Nominations

We are currently accepting nominations for the Masonic Cancer Center 's recognition award honoring outstanding contributors in Population Sciences. Cancer Prevention & Etiology, Carcinogenesis & Chemoprevention and Biostatistics 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.

Submit a nomination on-line.

GRANT INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Burroughs Wellcome Clinical Scientist Awards in Translational Research

The program's goal is to foster the development and productivity of established independent physician-scientists who will strengthen translational research through their own studies as well as by mentoring physician-scientist trainees. Clinical Scientist Awards in Translational Research provide $750,000 over a period of five years ($150,000 per year). BWF will make up to nine awards for the 2007 award series. The awards are intended to give recipients the freedom and flexibility to explore fundamental scientific questions, to apply the resulting knowledge at the bedside, and to bring insights from the clinical setting back to the laboratory for further exploration. BWF hopes these efforts will lead to a better understanding of disease mechanisms and to new methods of diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease. The institution, including its medical school, graduate schools, and all affiliated hospitals or research institutes, may nominate up to four candidates. The University's internal review deadline is August 18, 2006. Register your interest in applying on-line.

Burroughs Wellcome Career Awards for Medical Scientists

This award addresses the ongoing problem of increasing the number of physician scientists and attempting to keep them in research. BWF believes that this bridging award, supporting the last year(s) of a mentored position in addition to supporting the beginning years of an independent position, will facilitate the transition to a career in research and buy time from service commitments. The five-year $700,000 award is intended to support the physician scientist during the final one or two years of a mentored position and then allow the physician scientist to carry that support to an independent position. It is anticipated that at least 17 awards will be given for the 2007 award cycle.

U.S. or Canadian institutions, including affiliated medical schools, graduate schools, and all related hospitals and research institutes, may nominate up to five candidates. The University's internal review deadline is September 15, 2006. Register your interest in applying on-line.

Lymphoma Research Foundation, 2007 Research Program

The Lymphoma Research Foundation has announced the following 2007 awards:

2-year fellowships
3-year Clinical Investigator Career Development Awards
Research Grants for Follicular Lymphoma Research initiative; Mantle Cell Lymphoma Research initiative; and CLL/SLL Research Initiative
Mantle Cell Lymphoma Consortium

The deadline for letter of notification is extended to July 5, 2006. The proposal deadline is September 8, 2006. Visit the Lymphoma Research Foundation Web site for more information.

Liz Tileris Scholars Program in Ovarian Cancer

The program is directed towards junior faculty with a strong commitment to an investigative career in the field of ovarian cancer research. The proposal deadline is September 29, 2006. Visit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Web site for more information.

REMINDERS

Support Children's Cancer Research Fund by visiting the Water Park of America and save on admission

Anyone using a Water Park of America Coupon will save $2 on admission per guest to the park through September 1st. Each visitor using the coupon available online (pdf) will also help generate $0.50 for Children's Cancer Research Fund, benefiting childhood cancer research at the University of Minnesota , and WAMSO, benefiting the Minnesota Orchestra.