Cancer Center Update is sent to Cancer Center members and staff every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Please submit items to Sandi Sherman, sherm019@umn.edu, by noon the previous Friday.

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In This Issue

Today's Cancer Center Seminar

News

• Mertens speaks at Gilbert W. Beebe Symposium
• Thank you to Mini-Medical School speakers, volunteers
• Cancer Center researchers presenting at ASH meeting

Events

• Dec. 6: Cancer Biology Journal Club
• Dec. 7: Holiday Recognition of Members and Staff includes Years of Service Awards

Professional Education and Events

• Dec. 6: Immunology Program Seminar
• Dec. 8: Cancer Biology Research Club
• Dec. 11: BMT Conference (canceled)

Grant Information and Announcements

• Prioritizing Molecular Targets for Cancer Prevention with Nutritional Combinations (R01)
• Chronic Illness Self-Management in Children and Adolescents (R01)
• Chronic Illness Self-Management in Children and Adolescents (R03)
• Chronic Illness Self-Management in Children and Adolescents (R21)

Position Wanted

Reminders

• Holiday ornaments benefit Children's Cancer Research Fund
• Barnes and Noble Holiday Book Drive to benefit Care Partners at University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Fairview
• 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

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Today's Cancer Center Seminar

Tuesday, December 5, 2006, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Role of transforming growth factor beta in solid tumor metastases to bone
Theresa A. Guise, M.D., Gerald D. Aurbach Professor of Endocrinology, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Host: Denis Clohisy, M.D.

A peek at next week's seminar:
No seminar due to American Society of Hematology meeting.

For a complete schedule visit the Cancer Center Web site Seminar Series listing.

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News

Mertens speaks at Gilbert W. Beebe Symposium

Cancer Center member Ann Mertens, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, was a presenter at the Fifth Annual Gilbert W. Beebe Symposium November 28 at the Keck Center of The National Academies in Washington, D.C. The symposium topic was "Pre- and Post-Conception Radiation Exposure: Sensitivity of Gametes, Fetuses, and Children." Mertens' presentation was titled "Long-term Effects of Radiotherapy for Childhood Cancer."

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Thank you to Mini Medical School speakers, volunteers

Thank you to the Cancer Center members and volunteers who participated in the Fall 2006 Mini Medical School, which focused on cancer. The four-session series organized by the Academic Health Center in collaboration with the Cancer Center was well-received and well-attended with 324 people filling the seats of Coffman Memorial Union Theater. Forty percent of the registrants were new to Mini Medical School. Speakers included Kristin Anderson, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Sarah Cooley, M.D.; Dan Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D.; Kenneth Koeneman, M.D.; Carol Lange, Ph.D.; Chris Pennell, Ph.D., David Potter, M.D., Ph.D.; Annie Tan, M.D., Ph.D., and John Wagner, M.D.

Jasjit Ahluwalia, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., hosted the first two sessions; Selwyn Vickers, M.D., F.A.C.S., hosted the second session, and Jon Hallberg, M.D., hosted the final session. Volunteers from the Cancer Center included Marva Bohen, R.N., Sharon Donnelly, Rosemary Gruber, Gina Kennedy, Mary Lawson, and Cathy Spicola.

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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. View a complete list of ASH presenters from the 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.

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Events

Cancer Biology Journal Club

12-1 p.m. Wednesday, December 6, 2006, 5-122 MCB
Lissa DeRycke will present "Oncogene-induced senescence is part of the tumorigenesis barrier imposed by DNA damage checkpoints," Bartkova et. al. (2006) Nature.

The Cancer Biology Journal Club is held every Wednesday. A complete schedule is available at the MICaB Web site. For more information contact: Sonja Johnson (john4368@umn.edu) or Rachel Bergerson (sapl0005@umn.edu).

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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.

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Professional Education and Seminars

Immunology Program Seminar

Wednesday, December 6, 2006, 1:30-2:30 p.m., 6-101 Nils Hasselmo Hall
TLR-targeted immunotherapy of B cell leukemias
Xueqing Liang, M.D., Ph.D., Research Associate, Laboratory of Wei Chen, M.D., Ph.D.

For a complete schedule visit the Web site.

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Cancer Biology Research Club

Friday, December 8, 2006, 3:30-4:30 p.m., 450 CCRB
Tumor Control through Lymphopenia Induced Homeostatic Proliferation
Lisa Johnson, Jameson Lab

For a complete schedule visit the Web site.

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BMT Conference

Monday, December 11, 2006
Canceled due to American Society of Hematology meeting.

For a complete schedule visit the Web site.

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Grant Information and Announcements

Prioritizing Molecular Targets for Cancer Prevention with Nutritional Combinations (R01)

Chronic Illness Self-Management in Children and Adolescents (R01)

Chronic Illness Self-Management in Children and Adolescents (R03)

Chronic Illness Self-Management in Children and Adolescents (R21)

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Reminders

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.

Barnes and Noble Holiday Book Drive to benefit Care Partners at University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Fairview

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 Children's Hospital, Fairview. For more information visit the Web site.

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.

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