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

Education and Events

Cancer Center Program Meetings

Funding News and Opportunities

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Today's Cancer Center Seminar

January 15, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Activating genes with RNA
Bethany Janowski, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas

Host: Carol Lange, Ph.D.

A peek at next week's seminar:
Tuesday, January 22, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
MUC4 mucin: diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer
Surinder Batra, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Graduate Studies, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Host: Ashok Saluja, Ph.D.

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

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News

Members in the news

Cancer Center member Timothy Hallstrom, Ph.D., and colleagues at Duke University have discovered how key genes cause breast and ovarian cancer cells to either multiply or die. This discovery opens the door to developing drugs that target these E2F1 target genes, balance their dual functions, and give women diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer a greater chance for long-term survival. The finding is reported today in the January issue of Cancer Cell. Read more. The research results were reported by KARE-11, KSTP-TV, and WCCO radio.

New member

Jayanth Panyam, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Program areas of interest: Women's Cancer Research, Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention
Area of clinical interest: Breast cancer
Area of scientific interest: Improving the anticancer treatment efficacy through the use of innovative and targeted drug and gene delivery systems. A second area of interest is in the use of sustained-release depot formulations of natural polyphenols like curcumin to improve their chemopreventive efficacy.

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Education and Events

MICaB Career Development Seminar
Tuesday, January 15, 2008, 2:30 p.m., 2-101 NHH
The MICaB Career Development Committee is hosting five speakers with Ph.D.s currently in the workforce who will discuss career opportunities. They include:
Beth Brown, Ph.D., RPh, Senior Manager of New Technology, CIMA labs
Eric DeMaster, Ph.D., Attorney at Merchant and Gould, PC
Maria Dano Breitenfeldt, Ph.D., technical writer, R&D Systems, Inc.
Dwight Nelson, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience, St. Thomas University
Chris Schwartz, Group Manager, Human Resources, Beckman Coulter

Short presentations will be followed by an informal discussion session. Refreshments will be provided. Contact Ryan Kelly, kelly403@umn.edu or 626-4322, for more information.

Cancer Biology Journal Club
Wednesday, January 16, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 2-120 Moos Tower
Wynnette Dietz, Pennell lab, will discuss "let-7 regulates self renewal and tumorigenicity of breast cancer cells," Cell 2007;131:1109-23.

The Cancer Biology Journal Club is held every Wednesday. For more information contact Sonja Johnson (john4368@umn.edu) or Rachel Bergerson (sapl0005@umn.edu).

Pediatric Cancer and Blood Diseases Conference
Wednesday, January 16, 2008, 4-6:30 p.m., 450 CCRB
Soluble CD13 as a biomarker of extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease
Randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of megestrol acetate as an appetite stimulant in malnourished children with cancer
Geoff Cuvelier, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., Fellow, Pediatric BMT, British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver

The Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development Seminar
Friday, January 18, 2008, 3-4:30 p.m., 7-135 Weaver Densford
Synthesis of boronic acid and lactone/lactam based small molecules as anti-cancer agents
Venkatram R. Mereddy, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UMD

Teleconference to Duluth available upon request. Contact Andrea Knickerbocker at 626-6317

Cancer Center Members and Staff Recognition Event
Monday, January 28, 2008, 4-6 p.m., Campus Club, West Wing
The Cancer Center's Annual Members and Staff Recognition Event will include the presentation of Years of Service Awards. More details to come.

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Cancer Center Program Meetings

Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program Seminar
Thursday, January 17, 2008, 4:15 p.m., 450 CCRB
Using capillary electrophoresis to monitor doxorubicin-leucin transformation and metabolism
Edgar Arriaga, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Technology, University of Minnesota

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

Cancer Epidemiology Interest Group Meeting
Friday, January 18, 2008, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Mayo A110
Taking a bite out of cancer: How dogs can help inform cancer biology and treatment
Jaime F. Modiano, V.M.D., Ph.D., Perlman Professor of Oncology/Comparative Medicine, University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine and Cancer Center

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

Cancer Biology Research Club
Friday, January 18, 2008, 3:30-4:30 p.m., 450 CCRB
Special seminar on cancer patient treatment and care/translational research
NK cell immunotherapy: The role of NK cells in cancer and transplantation
Jeffrey Miller, M.D., Professor, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

BMT Conference
Monday, January 21, 2007, 1:15-2:15 p.m., 450 CCRB
No conference due to Martin Luther King holiday.

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

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Funding News and Opportunities

Innovative Technologies for Molecular Analysis of Cancer (R21)
(RFA-CA-08-006)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): March 11, 2008; May 29, 2008; September 24, 2008
Funding: $500,000 (direct costs) for up to 3 years (no more than $200,000 in a year)

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits grant applications proposing exploratory research projects focused on the inception and early stage development of highly innovative cancer-relevant technologies. The emphasis of this FOA is on technically innovative molecular analysis tools with the potential to add a new quality to the investigations of the molecular basis of cancer.

Application of Emerging Technologies for Cancer Research (R21)
(RFA-CA-08-007)
Application of Emerging Technologies for Cancer Research (R33)
(RFA-CA-08-008)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): March 11, 2008; May 29, 2008; September 24, 2008
Funding: R21—2 years funding up to $275,000. R33—up to 3 years funding, amount depending on need

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), solicits grant applications proposing exploratory research projects focused on the application development for promising emerging cancer-relevant technologies. The emphasis of this FOA is on projects to evaluate the performance of emerging molecular analysis technologies and develop applications for an appropriate cancer-relevant biological system.

Innovative Technology Solutions to Cancer Sample Preparation (R21)
(RFA-CA-08-009)
Innovative Technology Solutions to Cancer Sample Preparation (R33)
(RFA-CA-08-010)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): March 11, 2008; May 29, 2008; September 24, 2008
Funding: R21—2 years funding up to $275,000. R33—up to 3 years funding, amount depending on need

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits developmental grant applications proposing research projects focused on the development and/or application of innovative technologies addressing various aspects of the preparation, purification, processing, and handling of cancer-relevant samples. The overall goal is to develop technologies that maximize the quality and utility of biospecimens for molecular analyses of cancer cells and their host environments without compromising donor/patient health.

Innovative and Applied Molecular Analysis Technologies for Cancer (SBIR [R43/R44])
(RFA-CA-08-011)
Innovative and Applied Molecular Analysis Technologies for Cancer (STTR [R41/R42])
(RFA-CA-08-012)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): March 11, 2008; May 29, 2008; September 24, 2008
Funding: Phase I: 2 years, $100,000 total costs per year. Phase II: 3 years, $750,000 total costs per year

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) proposing exploratory/developmental research projects focused on (i) the inception and early stage development of highly innovative cancer-relevant technologies and/or (ii) the evaluation of the performance of emerging molecular analysis technologies and development of applications for an appropriate cancer-relevant biological system. The emphasis of this FOA is on molecular analysis tools with the intent to develop cancer-relevant product-based technologies for the cancer research and clinical communities.

Innovative Technology Solutions to Cancer Sample Preparation (SBIR [R43/R44])
(RFA-CA-08-013)
Innovative Technology Solutions to Cancer Sample Preparation (STTR [R41/R42])
(RFA-CA-08-014)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): March 11, 2008; May 29, 2008; September 24, 2008
Funding: Phase I: 2 years, $100,000 total costs per year. Phase II: 3 years, $750,000 total costs per year

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) proposing research projects focused on the development and/or application of innovative technologies addressing various aspects of the preparation, purification, processing, and handling of cancer-relevant samples. The overall goal is to develop technologies that maximize the quality and utility of biospecimens for molecular analyses of cancer cells and their host environments without compromising donor/patient health.

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

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