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

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.

A peek at next week's seminar:
Tuesday, January 29, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
My dog, your cancer: One more reason dog is man's best friend
Jaime Modiano, V.M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota

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

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News

Kratzke receives Meso Foundation grant
Robert Kratzke, M.D., member of the Genetic Mechanisms of Cancer Program, was awarded the Christopher Stoeckler Memorial Grant from The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation). His research project, "Targeting Cap-mediated translation for mesothelioma therapy," will test the capability of a new class of chemotherapy drugs that the Kratzke laboratory has been developing to halt mesothelioma and increase chemotherapeutic sensitivity.  The Meso Foundation awarded $1 million to 10 basic science researchers at top national and international universities and institutions devoted to finding a cure for mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer.

Bone and Cancer Foundation is new information resource for cancer patients
The Paget Foundation recently launched the Bone and Cancer Foundation, a new source of information for cancer patients with bone involvement. The print and online information is designed to educate thousands of cancer patients who experience metastasis to the bone. Three patient publications are currently available: "Myeloma Bone Disease Current and Future Treatment," "Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: Information for Cancer Patients," and "Questions and Answers About Prostate Cancer, Bone Metastases, and Treatment Related Osteoporosis." Additional publications on breast cancer and bone, Vitamin D and cancer, lung cancer and bone, and other topics will be added to the Web site on a regular basis. Publications can be ordered by calling 888-862-0999, e-mailing bcfdn@aol.com or visiting the Web site.

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Education and Events

Women's Cancer Interest Group
Tuesday, January 22, 2008, 10 a.m., 450 CCRB
Special combination seminar
Induction of mobile genetic elements following exposure to DNA-damaging agents
AlphaB-crystallin: A molecular target for anti-cancer therapy in basal-like breast cancer
Christy Hagan, Ph.D., Postdoctoral candidate, Northwestern University

Lab Medicine and Pathology Grand Rounds
Wednesday, January 23, 2008, 8 a.m., Eustis Amphitheater, Mayo D-230
Epithelial-stromal interactions in normal and malignant breast development: effects on stem cells?
Charlotte Kuperwasser, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine

Cancer Biology Journal Club
Wednesday, January 23, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 2-120 Moos Tower
Lissa DeRycke will discuss "Autologous chemotaxis as a mechanism of tumor cell homing to lymphatics via interstitial flow and autocrine CCR7 signaling," Cancer Cell 2007;11:526-538.

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 23, 2008, 4 p.m., 450 CCRB
Fanconi anemia and graft failure
Heather Stefanski, M.D., Fellow, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/BMT

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

Cancer Biology Research Club
Friday, January 25, 2008, 3:30-4:30 p.m., 450 CCRB
Consequences of IL-7R expression in human B lymphopoiesis
Sonja Johnson, LeBien lab

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

BMT Conference
Monday, January 28, 2008, 1:15-2:15 p.m., 450 CCRB
Program meeting

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

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Funding News and Opportunities

The Noa Schwartz Siris, M.D., Research Award (PDF)
Bone and Cancer Foundation
Deadline: February 15, 2008
Funding: $20,000

The Noa Schwartz Siris, M.D., Research Award will fund basic or clinical research on bone metastasis and osteosarcoma.

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

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