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Researchers and Staff
Cancer Center Update
November 21 , 2006
In This Issue
- Members in the news
- University of Minnesota receives $360,000 American Cancer Society grant
- Visitors from China's Chengdu Medical College tour Zhou lab
- Cancer Center researchers presenting at ASH meeting
- Holiday ornaments benefit Children's Cancer Research Fund
- Dec. 1: Health Care Appreciation Night at Herberger's Southtown
- Dec. 7: Holiday Recognition of Members and Staff includes Years of Service Awards
Professional Education and Events
Grant Information and Announcements
- Nov. 1-30: Open Enrollment for benefits-eligible employees
- Barnes and Noble Holiday Book Drive to benefit Care Partners at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital
- Help in the fight against childhood cancer with Children's Cancer Research Fund note cards
- Support the Children's Cancer Research Fund when you shop
Today's Cancer Center Seminar
Tuesday, November 21, 2006, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Molecular basis of cancer and cancer prevention
Zigang Dong, M.D., Dr.Ph., Hormel-Knowlton Professor, McKnight Presidential Professor in Cancer Prevention, Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota
Host: Stephen Hecht, Ph.D.
A peek at next week's seminar:
Tumor cell-axon communication in cancer pain
Marna Ericson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Minnesota
For a complete schedule visit the Masonic Cancer Center Web site Seminar Series listing.
News
Members in the news
- Irina Vlasova M.D., Ph.D., was quoted in the Fall 2006 issue of the Lymphoma Research Foundation's newsletter Lymphoma Today about her research fellowship award from the LRF. Visit www.lymphoma.org/site/pp.asp?c=bfIKIVMIG&b=39829 to read the article. Vlasova is a research associate in the Department of Microbiology who studies the stability of messenger RNA in normal and malignant T cells. She recently gave a presentation at the joint meeting of the Radiation Research Society and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Nov. 4-9. In her presentation, "Coordinate regulation of short-lived mRNA transcripts following exposure of human T lymphocytes to ionizing radiation," Vlasova discussed changes in mRNA turnover after radiation-induced genotoxic injury.
University of Minnesota receives $360,000 American Cancer Society grant
The American Cancer Society awarded $360,000 as a three-year (2007-2009) Institutional Research Grant to the University of Minnesota Medical School and the Masonic Cancer Center. The grant provides seed money to assistant professors who are engaged in cancer-related research and have not yet obtained independent national funding. Cancer Center member Wei Chen, M.D., Ph.D., is the principal investigator in charge of distributing the funds. Applications are accepted twice a year (April and October). For application information, contact LeAnn Micek at 612-626-1926 or micek003@umn.edu.
Visitors from China's Chengdu Medical College tour Zhou lab
Cancer Center member Xianzheng Zhou, M.D., Ph.D., discussed cancer research and gave a tour of his laboratory to eight physicians and researchers from Chengdu Medical College, Sichuan, China. The visitors, including Vice President Jialu Zan, were hosted by the University of Minnesota's China Center, and also met with Paul Quie, M.D., from the Medical School's International Medical Education and Research Program and other Medical School leaders.
Cancer Center researchers presenting at ASH meeting
Several Cancer Center researchers and University of Minnesota colleagues will be among the presenters at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting in Orlando, Fla., December 9-12, 2006. Presenters include:
Oral presentation:
- Bin Yin, Ph.D., Largaespada lab, "Bcl11a Causes Leukemia/Lymphoma in Cooperation with Nf1 Inactivation"
View a complete list of ASH presenters from the Masonic Cancer Center that have been submitted to Update. Corrections for previous listings in Update are incorporated on this page. If you or someone from your laboratory is giving an oral or poster presentation at ASH, and you have not been listed yet, please e-mail Gina Kennedy, kenne069@umn.edu, to be included on the list and in a future edition of Update.
Holiday ornaments benefit Children's Cancer Research Fund
This year, Children's Cancer Research Fund (CCRF) ornaments are available in Target stores and online. Ten percent of the purchase price will be contributed to CCRF. To order online visit www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_3/602-7350643-5454259?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000GFDHMM.
Events
Health Care Appreciation Night at Herberger's Southtown
4-9 p.m. Friday, December 1, Herberger's at Southtown Mall, Bloomington
Show your ID at the entrance near the cosmetics department and you and a friend can take advantage of special savings, door prizes, cosmetic consultations, free coat check, free gift wrapping (limit two per customer), and refreshments while supplies last. Heidi Nundahl will embellish or hand-paint any fragrance purchase made that night. The Masonic Cancer Center receives a contribution from each sale completed with the Herberger’s "Rose" charge card.
Holiday Recognition of Members and Staff includes Years of Service Awards
4-6 p.m. Thursday, December 7, Campus Club (West Wing), 4th floor of Coffman Memorial Union
The annual holiday event for Cancer Center members and staff will include Years of Service Awards, which will be presented at 5 p.m. by Cancer Center Director John Kersey, M.D. Appetizers, beverages, and live entertainment will be provided.
Professional Education and Seminars
Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program Seminar
Tuesday, November 21, 2006, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB (joint seminar with Cancer Center Seminar Series)
Molecular basis of cancer and cancer prevention
Zigang Dong, M.D., Dr.Ph., Hormel-Knowlton Professor, McKnight Presidential Professor in Cancer Prevention, Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota
Host: Stephen Hecht, Ph.D.
For a complete schedule visit www.cancer.umn.edu/outreach/seminars-carcinogenesis.html.
BMT Conference
Monday, November 27, 2006, 1:15-2:15 p.m., 450 CCRB
Preview of ASH presentations
- Notch activation in cord blood progenitors induces a CD7+ common NK/T precursor capable of NK cell commitment without full maturation and differentiation of lineage committed pre-T lymphocytes with a Th 1 phenotype
Veronika Bachanova, M.D., HOT Division - Characterization of hematopoietic progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells that differentiate into natural killer cells capable of in vivo anti-tumor activity
Petter Woll, Graduate Research Assistant, HOT Division - Single versus double umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT): Higher risk of acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) but lower transplant related mortality (TRM) in recipients of double UCBT
Margaret MacMillan, M.D., Pediatric H/O/BMT - Division Toll-like receptor 7-targeting of human B-lineage acute lymphocytic leukemia induces immunogeneicity and apoptosis of leukemia cells
Xueqing Liang, Research Associate, Pediatric H/O/BMT Division - Sleeping beauty (SB) transposon mediated umbilical cord blood (UCB) T cell therapy for refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
Xianzheng Zhou, M.D., Ph.D., Pediatric H/O/BMT Division
For a complete schedule visit www.cancer.umn.edu/outreach/bmtconferences.html.
Grant Information and Announcements
Canary Foundation, in partnership with the American Cancer Society, Postdoctoral Fellowships
Program is focused on studies in the tools and technologies for developing strategies for the early detection of cancer. For details visit www.cancer.org/research. To learn about the Canary Foundation visit www.canaryfoundation.org. Deadlines: Letter of intent—January 16, 2007; Complete application—February 20, 2007
Reminders
November 1-30: Open Enrollment for benefits-eligible employees
University of Minnesota employees can review their benefits and make changes during Open Enrollment, November 1-30. Changes to medical and dental benefits are allowed if desired. Employees who wish to use flexible spending accounts must make an election for 2007. Medical and dental plan rates, plan changes, and other enrollment news was provides in a recent "U & Your Benefits" newsletter and is posted on the benefits Web site. All benefits changes and elections must be completed online at Employee Self-Service.
Barnes and Noble Holiday Book Drive to benefit Care Partners at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital
The Barnes and Noble stores in Burnsville, Apple Valley, Maplewood, and downtown Minneapolis have chosen the Care Partners Book Cart program as the recipient of their Holiday Book Drive. Customers will be encouraged to purchase books to be donated to the program in which volunteers wheel a cart stocked with new books to the pediatric units every week. Each child is given a book to keep, which the volunteer offers to read aloud. The Care Partners program is funded in part by the Children's Cancer Research Fund, and provides its services at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital. For more information visit www.med.umn.edu/peds/bmt/patients/related/care/home.html.
Help in the fight against childhood cancer with Children's Cancer Research Fund note cards
Mary Schultze is taking orders for the Butterfly note cards (12/pkg @ $15/pkg) to benefit the Children's Cancer Research Fund. There are four different butterflies, each one designed by a child currently undergoing cancer treatment. Mary can be reached at schul032@umn.edu, 612-626-2961.
Support the Children's Cancer Research Fund when you shop
Just shop online at your favorite stores, or explore the many other affiliates available, and a percentage of each purchase will be donated to the Children's Cancer Research Fund. Start shopping at www.shopccrf.com.