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

Message from the Director

News

Education and Events

Funding News and Opportunities

 

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Message from the Director

Why be a Cancer Center member?
As a member, you are periodically asked to submit information for the Cancer Center's reporting purposes. I know this can be seen as another "to do" item on your long list, but what are the benefits of being a member? What's in it for you? A few tangible benefits of membership include: access to Cancer Center Shared Resources; eligibility for pilot funding; and the ability to invite speakers for our seminar series. The Cancer Center also is active in recruiting and supporting faculty through the various schools and departments within the Academic Health Center.

However, all of these activities do not directly answer the question: Why be a member?

Here is my answer: The Cancer Center exists for a simple reason—to help you get your work done. Or, to put it more bluntly, we're here to help you get your research funded. It's clear that the Shared Resources were created to help you achieve that goal. But there are also other critical resources within the Cancer Center that you should make sure to access. These resources include the substantial scientific, technical, and "grantsmanship" expertise among our members. In this current climate of absurdly low pay lines, everyone's grant needs a little extra push. That push may entail collaboration and consultation with another Cancer Center member, or "grant tweaking" with the help of an experienced peer-reviewer.

I realize that many of these collaborations would exist in the absence of the Cancer Center, but the Cancer Center structure allows you to easily identify investigators who could help you with any specific research question. One of the greatest things about University of Minnesota is our spirit of collaboration. All of the Cancer Center's associate directors, program leaders, and shared resource directors stand ready to help you move your research forward. Use us!

- Douglas Yee, M.D.
Director, University of Minnesota Cancer Center
Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology
Tickle Family Land Grant Chair in Breast Cancer Research

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News

Members in the news
Dorothy Hatsukami, Ph.D., co-leader of the Prevention and Etiology Program, wrote an article titled "The nicotine vaccine: A shot in the arm for cigarette smokers," that was featured as the cover story of June issue of Minnesota Physician.

John Wagner, M.D., member of the Transplant Biology and Therapy Program, was quoted in a Star Tribune editorial regarding the need for Congress to fund the expansion of umbilical cord blood inventories. Read more.

Bohen to present at annual Cancer Patient Education Network Conference
Marva Bohen, R.N., Cancer Center outreach director, will present a poster titled "Multicultural flip chart for breast and cervical cancer screening education" at the 17th Annual Cancer Patient and Education Network Conference in New York in October. The poster describes effective tools used by outreach workers in Minnesota to educate diverse communities of women about breast and cervical cancer screening.

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Education and Events

CAPS Informational Session
Friday, June 29, 2007, 9-10 a.m., Mayo A301
Come to an information session about the NIH K12 Roadmap Program at the University of Minnesota designed for senior fellows and junior faculty to develop an academic career in clinical research. It includes 75% salary support, research funds, and other benefits for up to five years.

Children's Cancer Research Fund Events
Children's Cancer Research Fund supports the University of Minnesota Cancer Center, a leading pediatric research faculty, enabling it to continue its pioneering efforts in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of childhood cancer. For more information about Children's Cancer Research Fund or the following events, visit their Web site.

• July 14, 2007: Joy Ride, BlackWater Choppers, Osseo, MN
• August 17, 2007: Macy's Glamorama, Orpheum Theater, Minneapolis, MN
  Advance tickets for Macy's Glamorama are available now, before they go on sale to the public. Some ticket levels offered include a pre-show party at Chambers at 6:30 p.m. Also new this year is another GLAM event, Prelude to Glam, on Saturday, July 28, at an estate in Eden Prairie. To purchase your tickets now, download the order form (PDF) or call 952-893-9355. Tickets will also be available on the CCRF Web site on June 7. For more information visit the CCRF Web site.
• September 25, 2007: Annual Meeting, The Metropolitan, St Louis Park, MN
  All are invited
• November 3, 2007: 27th Annual Dawn of a Dream Gala, Milwaukee Road Depot, Minneapolis, MN

ALSO:

• Friday, July 20, 2007: MBA Charity Connection presents the 3rd Annual Summer Soiree, Walker Art Center (rooftop terraces).
• July 21 & 22 and July 28 & 29: Twin Cities Pond and Landscape Tour, 2007 with Saturday Nightscapes Tours, 9-11 p.m.
• August 9-12, 16-19 and 23-26, 2007: Design Home 2007 in Credit River Territory, Lakeville, MN
  Tour this $1.8 million home featuring new design trends while helping battle childhood cancer.
• Saturday, August 18, 2007: 140 International Golf Scramble, Grand National Golf Course, Hinckley, MN, with this year's special guest, former Minnesota Viking Matt Blair.

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Funding News and Opportunities

Request for Information (RFI): Development of Assays/In Vitro Devices for Use in Clinical Oncology
(NOT-CA-07-019)
National Cancer Institute
Submission of information open until July 25, 2007

This RFI is intended to inform the design of an initiative to improve the development of clinical laboratory assays. Information is sought from investigators working in non-profit academic and non-academic institutions, in clinical laboratories, and at companies, who are developing assays and in vitro devices for clinical cancer applications.

Notice of Availability of the Data Access Request System for NHGRI Cancer Sequencing Projects
(NOT-HG-07-024)
National Human Genome Research Institute

Researchers may now request controlled-access datasets from cancer sequencing projects being conducted as part of the NHGRI Medical Sequencing Program. Two data categories have been designated: open (available to anyone with no restrictions), and controlled (requiring pre-authorization).

Advancing Novel Science in Women's Health Research (R03 & R21)
National Cancer Institute and others
Application Receipt/Submission Date: Multiple dates (see announcement)
R03 - (PAS-07-382)- Award amount: up to $100,000 over 2 years
R21 - (PAS-07-381)- Award amount: up to $275,000 over an R21 two-year period, with no more than $200,000 in direct costs allowed in any single year.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to promote innovative, interdisciplinary research that will advance new concepts in women's health research and the study of sex/gender differences. Recent research reports have established the importance of studying issues specific to women, including the scientific and clinical importance of analyzing data separately for females and males. The Office of Research on Women's Health  is particularly interested in encouraging extramural investigators to undertake new interdisciplinary research to advance studies on how sex and gender factors affect women's health; however, applications in all areas of women's health and/or sex/gender research are invited.

NINR Nursing Science Research on Interventions in Chronic Illness (P01)
(RFA-NR-08-001)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date: November 26, 2007
Award amount: up to $3.5 million in total costs over 5 years

The purpose of the proposed grant program is to significantly advance the science through an interdisciplinary, biobehavioral research program focused on interventions to improve the quality of life and/or promote health/prevent disease in persons with chronic illnesses and their informal caregivers.

Career Advancement Program for Clinical Scholars
Deadline: October 1, 2007

The NIH K12 Roadmap Program at the University of Minnesota is designed for senior fellows and junior faculty to develop an academic career in clinical research. It includes 75% salary support, research funds, and other benefits for up to five years. This program emphasizes a team approach in mentoring and multidisciplinary training.

All schools in the Academic Health Center and other departments that conduct clinical research (human research) are eligible to apply for these awards. In addition, affiliated institutions, including Hennepin County Medical Center and the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center, are eligible. It is intended that senior faculty will initiate and strongly support the nomination of either junior faculty or senior fellows.

The application forms and eligibility and selection criteria for the Career Advancement Program for Clinical Research Scholars (CAPS)—formerly K12 program—are located on the program's Web site.

Visit the Funding News & Opportunities Web page to see listings previously published in Update.

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