Cancer Center Update is sent to Cancer Center members and staff every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Please submit items to Gina Kennedy, kenne069@umn.edu, by noon the previous Friday.

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In This Issue

Today's Cancer Center Seminar

News

Education and Events

Cancer Center Program Meetings

Funding News and Opportunities

Employment Opportunities

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Today's Cancer Center Seminar

Tuesday, September 11, 2007, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Cancer chemoprevention with selenium and oriental herbals
Junxuan (Johnny) Lu, Ph.D., Professor and Leader of the Section of Cancer Biology, University of Minnesota Hormel Institute

Sponsored jointly with the Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program.

Host: Stephen Hecht, Ph.D.

Today's Cancer Center Seminar Series lecture is the first for the 2007-2008 academic year. The series is aimed at Cancer Center members, undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, medical fellows and physicians, as well as research technicians and scientists at the University of Minnesota. The lectures are held from noon to 1 p.m. every Tuesday in Room 450 of the Cancer Center Research Building. Light refreshments are provided.

A peek at next week's seminar:
Tuesday, September 18, 2007, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Conditionally replicative adenovirus for GI cancers
Masato Yamamoto, M.D, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Co-Director, Division of Basic and Translational Research, University of Minnesota

Visit the Cancer Center Seminar Series calendar for a complete schedule of lectures.

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News

Wagner to receive University of Minnesota McKnight Presidential Chair in Hematology and Oncology
In recognition of his outstanding work, John Wagner, M.D., has been selected to receive the University of Minnesota McKnight Presidential Chair in Hematology and Oncology. This award recognizes the critical importance of the University's most distinguished faculty from across all disciplines, as well as the importance of strengthening our faculty for the future. It also recognizes the scholarly achievements and the contributions made to advance the prominence of the University of Minnesota. Wagner is currently the division director of the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplant Program; scientific director of the Center for Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics; co-director of the Center for Translational Medicine; and co-leader of the Cancer Center's Transplant Biology and Therapy Program.

New core facilities available
Two new and valuable core facilities are available on campus: The BioMedical Genomics Center's RNAi Core Facility will provide University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, and all affiliated investigators with easy, efficient, and economical access to the latest in whole genome RNAi collections through the Open Access RNAi Program from Open Biosystems. The facility will have on hand the Human and Mouse GIPZ Lentiviral shRNAmir libraries and the Human and Mouse TRC Lentiviral shRNA libraries. The second is a high-throughput drug screening facility that can be accessed by University labs though the Department of Medicinal Chemistry's Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development.

Members in the news

John Wagner, M.D., was quoted in the Pioneer Press about University of Minnesota researchers beginning a clinical trial to determine the optimal dose and safety of specialized immune cells called T regulatory cells (T-regs) to decrease the risk of immune reactions common in patients undergoing blood and marrow transplantation. Claudio Brunstein, M.D., Ph.D., is the principal investigator for the study, which is the first human clinical trial in the world that uses T-regs derived from umbilical cord blood. Ultimately, researchers hope the experimental therapy will improve survival rates for blood cancer patients as well as offer a new treatment for autoimmune diseases, such as type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis. For more information, read the Pioneer Press article or the Academic Health Center news release.

Rudolph Keimowitz, M.D., clinical associate professor of hematology at the University of Minnesota and physician with Fairview's Transitions and Life Choices Palliative Care Program, was quoted in an article in the August 2007 issue of Hem/Onc Today on the importance of incorporating a palliative medicine rotation in oncology fellowships. Keimowitz is a member of the editorial board for Hem/Onc Today's supportive care section.

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Education and Events

Special Seminar
Dysregulation of G-Protein Signaling in Prostate Cancer
Thursday, September 13, 2007, 3-4 p.m., 450 CCRB
Yaping Tu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Creighton University School of Medicine
Dr. Tu is a faculty candidate in prostate cancer research jointly sponsored by the Cancer Center and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. Light refreshments will be provided.

Cannon Valley Cancer Ride
Saturday, September 15, 2007, 8 a.m., Bay Point Park, Red Wing
Join Red Wing Masonic Lodge #8 and Cannon Falls Oriental Lodge #34 as they raise money for the Partners for Life Campaign, which was established by the Grand Lodge of Minnesota AF&AM to help raise $10 million to help build the new Masonic Oncology Pavilion at the University of Minnesota. The Pavilion will add much-needed doctor's offices, patient rooms, etc., to help the University of Minnesota maintain its worldwide reputation as a leader in cancer treatment and research. Each dollar raised will be matched by Minnesota Masonic Charities. For more information contact Gary Thomas, Jr., 651-385-0714, mcgthomas@redwing.net.

PurpleRide Minnesota for PanCAN
Saturday, September 15, 2007, Elm Creek Regional Park, Maple Grove
Join TeamHOPE Minnesota for the 2nd annual PurpleRide Minnesota to support PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network). PurpleRide includes three bike rides (8-mile, 25-mile, or 50-mile), entertainment for kids and adults, and two raffle drawings. All proceeds go to PanCAN to advance research, support patients, and create hope for the pancreatic cancer community. Visit www.purpleridemn.org for more information and to register.

Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance 'Silent No More 5K'
Saturday, September 15, 2007, Rosland Park, Edina
The 8th Annual Walk/Run for Ovarian Cancer "Silent No More" helps raise funds for ovarian cancer research, awareness, and education activities throughout Minnesota. This event includes a 5K run, 2K walk, and Kids Fun Run. The top three male and female finishers in the run and top survivor in the run will receive awards. T-shirts are guaranteed only to those who register before September 7. The 5K will begin at 9 a.m. and the 2K walk at 9:30 a.m. For more information, please call 612-822-0500 or visit www.mnovarian.org. To register, visit www.active.com (search for MOCA).

4th Annual Women's Health Research Conference
Monday, September 17, 2007, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., McNamara Alumni Center
"Hot Topics in Mature Women's Health" is the theme of the Deborah E. Powell Center for Women's Health 4th Annual Women's Health Research Conference. Doug Yee, M.D., Cancer Center director and leader of the Breast Cancer Program, will speak at the conference on "Targeting the estrogen receptor in post-menopausal women with breast cancer: Strategies, benefits, and risks." The conference will include a poster session and a women's health resource fair. There is a $25 registration fee (waived for students). For more information and to register, visit the Deborah E. Powell Center for Women's Health Web site, call 612-626-1125, or e-mail wmhealth@umn.edu.

Current Issues in Clinical Research
September 18-19, 2007, Minneapolis Convention Center
The University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, its Office of Clinical Research, and Mayo Clinic Clinical Trial Services are jointly sponsoring a major conference on clinical research designed for clinical research professionals, including principal investigators, study coordinators, nurses, and other research personnel involved in managing and coordinating clinical research. Special note for University of Minnesota clinical researchers: The regular registration fee for this conference is $550. University of Minnesota faculty, research staff, and AHC students and trainees may attend for FREE. If you want lunch, it will cost $17 each day. Please indicate that you are from the University of Minnesota when you register. For more information and to register, visit the conference Web page (Mayo Clinic Clinical Trial Services).

Cancer Benefit Fund: Dancing for Life
Saturday, October 13, 2007, 6:30-10 p.m., Medtronic, Fridley
The Cancer Benefit Fund raises funds for cancer research and for support for those living with cancer. So far, the Cancer Benefit Fund has raised nearly $500,000 to help in the fight against cancer. At this year's event, 75 percent of the proceeds will go to the Cancer Center; the remaining 25 percent will go to the HealthEast Healing Partners Program. Visit the Cancer Benefit Fund Web site for more information and to purchase tickets ($50 through October 1; then $75).

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Cancer Center Program Meetings

Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program Seminar
Tuesday, September 11, 2007, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Cancer chemoprevention with selenium and oriental herbals
Junxuan (Johnny) Lu, Ph.D., Professor and Leader of the Section of Cancer Biology, University of Minnesota Hormel Institute
Sponsored jointly with the Cancer Center Seminar
Host: Stephen Hecht, Ph.D.
For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

BMT Conference
Monday, September 17, 2007, 1:15-2:15 p.m., Room 450, CCRB
Potential consequences of immunotherapeutic regimens on T cell-mediated anti-tumor responses: loss of memory
William Murphy, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Nevada School of Medicine
Host: Bruce Blazar, M.D.
Sponsored by an educational grant from Amgen Medical Educational Services
For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

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Funding News and Opportunities

No funding opportunities were reported this week.

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

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Employment Opportunities

Clerical/Administrative Support — Intermediate (professional non-faculty, requisition number 150635) working under the supervision of Laurel Fields.

Clinical Research Associate (professional non-faculty, requisition number 150113) working under the supervision of Erin Kortekaas.

Research Nurse Clinician (professional non-faculty, requisition number 150751) working under the supervision of Katie Mellskog.

For more information about these positions and additional opportunities visit the Cancer Center's Employment Opportunities Web page.

 

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