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, April 1, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Pancreatic cancer stem cells: Implications for treating pancreatic cancer
Diane Simeone, M.D., Division Chief of Gastrointestinal Surgery
Professor of Surgery, Molecular and Integrative Physiology
Associate Chair of Research
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Host: Ashok Saluja, Ph.D.

A peek at next week's seminar:
Tuesday, April 8, 2007, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Epithelial-stromal cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment
Anil K. Rustgi, M.D., Chief of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, T. Grier Miller Professor of Medicine and Genetics
University of Pennsylvania

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
Dorothy Hatsukami, Ph.D., co-leader of the Prevention and Etiology Program, was quoted in reports by the Star Tribune, KSTP-TV, FOX 9-TV, Mankato Free Press, Mpls/St. Paul Business Journal, and WCCO Radio's Mondale & Jones program about a new study that provides the first scientific evidence that the Freedom to Breathe Act is creating healthier workplaces for hospitality employees. Hatsukami led this research study in collaboration with ClearWay Minnesota. Working with her were Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program members Stephen Hecht, Ph.D., Sharon Murphy, Ph.D., Prevention and Etiology Program member Bruce Lindgren, M.S., and Joni Jensen, M.P.H., coordinator of the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Research Center project. Read more.

Cancer Center members present research in Ireland
Jeffrey Miller, M.D., and Sarah Cooley, M.D., Transplant Biology and Therapy Program members, recently presented their research at the KIR Polymorphism Workshop at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Miller discussed the importance of NK cell receptors and how to regulate their expression to improve transplant outcomes in his presentation "Myc and IL-15 affect NK cell development and KIR acquisition" and Cooley presented her research "Activating KIR (B Haplotype) in unrelated donors improves disease-free survival after HLA-match and mismatched allogeneic transplant for acute myeloid leukemia: Implications for donor selecting using KIR genotyping."

Surveys indicate high satisfaction with Tissue Procurement Facility and interest in expanded services
The Tissue Procurement Facility (TPF) Shared Resource conducted two surveys of Cancer Center members in 2007 to assess members' current satisfaction with TPF and future research needs. In a survey of Cancer Center members last summer, over 90% of Cancer Center TPF users rated the TPF staff as good to excellent and would recommend the TPF to colleagues. In a survey conducted in September, members strongly desired expanding the capabilities of TPF, including additional database services; collection of more types of tissues; collection of specimens from facilities outside University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview; and provision of additional services including tissue microarray production and immunohistochemistry services. For detailed survey results, visit the TPF Web site .

Biostatistics and Informatics core member to compete in Olympic trials
Best of luck to Bioinformatics research scientist Aaron Sarver, Ph.D., who will participate in Olympic trials in canoeing this month in Charlotte, N.C. The U.S. will select one canoe team to compete in the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics.

Kudos
Nelson L. Rhodus, D.M.D., M.P.H. (Schools of Medicine and Dentistry), has received the highest award from the American Academy of Oral Medicine: the Samuel Charles Miller Medal. He is the first University faculty member as well as the first Minnesotan to receive this award.

Prevention and Etiology Program member Hee Yun Lee, Ph.D., has received an $88,855 grant from the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (co-PI: Dr. Helen Kivnick) for her study "Vital involvement to help end cancer disparities: Life strengths in coping with cancer in Minnesota's Asian American immigrant community." The aim of the study is to explore the life strengths involved in coping with cancer among Asian American cancer survivors and to develop culturally competent and strengths-based cancer intervention models to maximize quality and duration of healthy and vital life among Minnesota's diverse Asian immigrant populations.

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Education and Events

Center for the Study of Impulsivity in Addiction Colloquium Series
Tuesday, April 2, 2008, 12 p.m., 717 Delaware St. S.E., Room 105B
Sweetness and drug abuse
Blake Gosnell, Ph.D., Research Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota

Cancer Biology Journal Club
Wednesday, April 3, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 2-120 Moos Tower
Jen Carlson, will discuss "PTEN Has Tumor-Promoting Properties in the Setting of Gain-of-Function p53Mutations," Cancer Res 2008;68:(6).

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, April 3, 2008, 4 p.m., 450 CCRB
Medulloblastoma
Heather Stefanski, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/BMT Fellow

Cancer U: Ask the Experts
April 3 and April 10, 2008
This free community education series will include sessions on prostate and breast cancer. "Prostate Cancer: What men need to know" will be offered April 3, 6-8 p.m., at the Radisson University Hotel on the U of M's Minneapolis campus. Speakers Tony Makhlouf, M.D., Ph.D., and Joe Lee, M.D., will discuss research advances in the treatment of prostate cancer and managing sexual dysfunction after treatment. "Breast Cancer: What women should know" will be offered April 10, 6-8 p.m., at Fairview Maple Grove Medical Center. Milena Elimelakh, M.D., and Todd Tuttle, M.D., will discuss breast cancer treatment innovations. Attendance is free for each program, but seating is limited, so pre-registration is encouraged. Call 612-624-2620 or visit the Web to learn more about the programs and to register online.

Cancer Center Spring Poster Session and Symposium
Thursday, May 15, 2008, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Cancer Center Research Building
The Ninth Annual Spring Poster Session and Symposium sponsored by the Cancer Center Core Facilities will include oral presentations from 11 a.m. to noon followed by a poster session and lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m.  Students, staff, post-docs and PIs are invited to participate by presenting a poster. The research presented in the poster must include the use of a Cancer Center Cores Facility.

To register, visit the Web site. The final registration deadline is April 25, 2008. For more information, call Sabine Fritz at 624-7151 or send an e-mail to fritz017@umn.edu.

Health Maintenance Organization Research Network-Cancer Research Network annual meeting
April 13-16, 2008, Hilton Hotel, Minneapolis
In 2007, the Cancer Center signed a memorandum of understanding with HealthPartners to formally explore research opportunities through the NCI-funded Cancer Research Network (CRN), of which HealthPartners is a member. The Prevention and Etiology Program has as one of its goals for the renewal period to enhance this relationship. Of particular relevance is a session planned for April 15 at 3:30 p.m., entitled "Best Practices in Community and Translational Research," which speaks directly to how to foster academic/HMO partnerships. For more information about the annual meeting, view the program(PDF). To learn more about CRN, read "Building a Research Consortium of Large Health Systems: The Cancer Research Network" (PDF). Contact DeAnn Lazovich, Ph.D., 612-626-9099, lazov001@umn.edu for any questions about the affiliation or the upcoming meeting.

Cancer Summit 2008: Members in Motion
(April 2 deadline for early registration)
Tuesday, April 22, 2008, Earle Brown Heritage Center, Brooklyn Center
The Minnesota Cancer Alliance invites partners, members, and interested individuals to the fifth annual Cancer Summit. In her role as Minnesota Cancer Alliance chair for 2008, DeAnn Lazovich, M.P.H., Ph.D., Prevention and Etiology Program co-leader, will deliver the welcome and opening remarks at the conference. Keynote speaker Tina Gill, M.P.H., public health advisor for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will discuss how to motivate members to move from a shared vision to collective action. The Summit also will feature a variety of working sessions and a cancer data update with the most recent cancer statistics for Minnesota. The Cancer Connections Expo during the Summit will showcase statewide organizations' dedication to reducing cancer in Minnesota by implementing objectives outlined in Cancer Plan Minnesota. April 2 is the deadline for early registration for the Cancer Summit. To have the Cancer Center pay for your registration, visit the Web site.

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Cancer Center Program Meetings

Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center Lecture
Friday, April 4, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Internet-assisted tobacco interventions
Lawrence C. An, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of General/Preventive Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

Cancer Biology Research Club
Friday, April 4, 2008, 3:30-4:30 p.m., 450 CCRB
TCR "inside-out" signaling to beta1 integrins
Jason Mitchell, Ph.D., Cancer Biology Training Grant postdoctoral fellow, Shimizu lab

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

BMT Conference
Monday, April 7, 2008, 1:15-2:15 p.m., Note room change: 750 CCRB
Attending meeting

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

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Funding News and Opportunities

2008 Ovarian Cancer Program Announcement
Department of Defense, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
Consortium Development Award
Deadlines: Pre-application Letter of Intent: June 25, 2008; full proposal: July 9, 2008
Funding: See program announcement

The Fiscal Year 2008 (FY08) Defense Appropriations Act provides $10 million to the Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP) to support innovative research to eradicate ovarian cancer. This program is administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command through the Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). Detailed descriptions of each of the funding mechanisms, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements can be found in the FY08 OCRP Program Announcements. Each Program Announcement is available electronically for downloading from the Grants.gov website (http://www.grants.gov), the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/ocrp.htm) and the CDMRP eReceipt Website (https://cdmrp.org).

Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP)
Department of Defense, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
Deadlines: Various
Funding: See individual program announcements.
The Fiscal Year 2008 (FY08) Defense Appropriations Act provides $50 million to the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) to support research that will make significant contributions in a number of research areas, including blood cancer, kidney cancer, mesothelioma, nutrition and health promotion and an additional $1 million for bone marrow failure disorder research.

2008 AHC Faculty Seed Grant Program
Apply now for one of 15 seed grants to fund faculty research. Up to 15 awards will be given with a maximum of $25,000 per project. These grants are designed to support new areas of research and to help develop innovative projects that will allow faculty to expand their research. Proposals from all areas of research within the AHC are welcome. The deadline for applications is April 4. For more information, go to: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/research/funding/seedgrants/home.html.

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

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