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

Employment Opportunities

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Today's Cancer Center 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.

A peek at next week's seminar:
Tuesday, April 16, 2007, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
No seminar scheduled due to the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research.

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

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News

Grand Opening held for Hope Lodge
A grand opening ceremony was held yesterday for the Richard M. Schulze Family American Cancer Society Hope Lodge. The celebration included a ribbon cutting ceremony and tours of the recently completed 40-room Hope Lodge, located at 2500 University Ave. S.E., Minneapolis. The Hope Lodge, which is constructed on land donated by the University of Minnesota Cancer Center, offers free private suites in a home-like environment for cancer patients and their caregivers. It is equipped with a community dining room, kitchen, family room, library, and laundry facilities. The Hope Lodge also offers guests a wide variety of cancer programs and services that provide information, resources, and support to ease the cancer journey. Read more.

Good attendance at spring Cancer U sessions
The Cancer U: Ask the Experts series being held this spring has been very successful. Two sessions on "Prostate Cancer: What Men Need to Know" have been held, with 50 people attending a Maple Grove presentation and 70 attending the session at the Radisson University Hotel in Minneapolis. University of Minnesota Physicians urologic surgeons Tony Makhlouf, M.D., Ph.D., and Joe Lee, M.D., gave the presentations.

The last program in the series, "Breast Cancer: What Women Need to Know," is scheduled for this Thursday, April 10. Complete information is available in the Education and Events section below.

AACR meeting to host sessions on technology transfer and opportunities for NIH funding
Two sessions scheduled for Monday, April 14, 2008 at the AACR meeting in San Diego may be of interest to Cancer Center members. The first, "NIH Grant Process and Opportunities for Cancer Research Funding at NIH" will provide an overview of the grant process and cancer funding sources at the NIH. The session will be held at 1:30 p.m. in room 10 of the San Diego Convention Center. The second session at 3:30 p.m. in the same location, "Technology Transfer: Financial and Career Opportunities for Researchers," will focus on an overview of intellectual property issues for scientists. Representatives the NIH and several companies will participate.

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Education and Events

Cancer Biology Journal Club
Wednesday, April 9, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 2-120 Moos Tower
Kristopher Lofgren, Lange lab, will present "The inhibition of tumor cell intravasation and subsequent metastasis via regulation of in vivo tumor cell motility by the tetraspanin CD151," Cell 2008;13:221-34.

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

Free Breast and Cervical Screening Day
April 10, 2008, 8:30-11:30 a.m., 555 Cedar Ave., Downtown St. Paul
Women who have no insurance and need a clinical breast exam and pap test are invited to participate in this free cancer screening. Free breakfast and a spa gift set will be provided for all who are screened. An appointment is required. Please call 651-255-8112 to schedule an appointment. The event is sponsored by the American Cancer Society, Minnesota Department of Health SAGE Screening Program, St. Paul-Ramsey County Department of Public Health, Three Rivers Pathology, and the University of Minnesota Cancer Center.

Cancer U: Ask the Experts
April 10, 2008, 6-8 p.m., Fairview Maple Grove Medical Center, 14500 99th Ave. N., Maple Grove
"Breast Cancer: What women should know" will feature Milena Elimelakh, M.D., and Todd Tuttle, M.D., who will discuss breast cancer treatment innovations. Attendance is free, but seating is limited, so pre-registration is encouraged. Call 612-624-2620 or visit the Web site to learn more about the program 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.

Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: Realizing the Promise
September 11-12, 2008, National Institutes of Health Main Campus, Masur and Lipsett Auditorium, Bethesda, Md.
The Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the National Cancer Institute will be hosting a two-day national symposium sponsored by CCR's Center of Excellence in Immunology. This meeting will host leaders in the field of cancer immunology and immunotherapy, include recent advances in both translational and clinical research, and should provide an exciting forum for discussion and debate on promising immunologic approaches to prevent and treat cancer. Speakers include: Steven Rosenberg, Nicholas Restifo, Stanley Riddell, Carl June, Malcolm Brenner, Philip Greenberg, Michel Sadelain, Michael Jensen, Jan Gratama, Thomas Waldmann, Ira Pastan, Jeffrey Ravetch, Ronald Gress, Daniel Fowler, Bruce Blazar, Richard O'Reilly, Jay Berzofsky, Jeffrey Schlom, Ronald Levy, Elizabeth Jaffee, James Allison, James Yang, Suzanne Topalian, George Pavlakis, Robert Vonderheide, Crystal Mackall, John Janik, and John Morris.

Visit the Web site for more information on the program, registration and abstract submission details.

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Cancer Center Program Meetings

Women's Cancer Interest Group Seminar
Tuesday, April 8, 2008. 10-11 a.m., 450 CCRB
A nanotechnology-based approach to overcome tumor drug resistance
Jayanth Panyam, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program Meeting
Thursday, April 10, 2008, 12-2 p.m., 450 CCRB
AACR dress rehearsal: Posters and oral presentations

Lunch will be provided.

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

Cancer Biology Research Club
Friday, April 11, 2008, 3:30-4:30 p.m., 450 CCRB
No seminar due to AACR meeting.

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

BMT Conference
Monday, April 14, 2008, 1:15-2:15 p.m., 450 CCRB
Activating KIR (B Haplotype) in unrelated donors improves disease-free survival after allogeneic transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia
- and -
Timeline for BMT CPOE conversion: Changes to practice and what this means for YOU on the ward, in clinic, and in your research
Sarah Cooley, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine/HOT

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

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Funding News and Opportunities

2009 HHMI Early Career Scientist Competition
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): Pre-Application due April 30, 2008. Proposal due June 10, 2008
Funding: Those selected will become full-time HHMI employees, and their full salary and benefits will be paid by HHMI. In addition, HHMI will provide a research budget for salary support of personnel and supplies. See Web site for details. The early career scientists will retain their faculty or other status at their host institution.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is pleased to announce a national competition to select as many as 70 outstanding early career scientists. This competition will enable HHMI to identify the nation's best biomedical scientists at a critical early stage of their faculty careers, and to provide them with flexible funding to develop scientific programs of exceptional merit. HHMI seeks scientists in all areas of basic biological and biomedical research, and in areas of chemistry, physics, computer science, and engineering that are directly related to biology or medicine.

2008 Ovarian Cancer Program Announcement
Department of Defense
Deadline: 6/25/08 - Pre-Application; 7/9/08 - Full Application
Funding: IDEA Award: Up to $450,000 direct costs
The Consortium Development Award is an infrastructure development mechanism which provides support to create a Coordinating Center and establish the necessary collaborations at potential Research Sites to develop a multi-institutional ovarian cancer research team. Participants in this consortium should be scientists and/or clinicians who have made significant contributions to the field of ovarian cancer or who have specific expertise related to the early changes associated with ovarian cancer progression.

NIH Announcements:

Tumor Stem Cells in Cancer Biology, Prevention, and Therapy (P01)
(RFA-CA-08-020)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): July 10, 2008
Funding: Up to 5 years. Funding levels will vary.
The objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to stimulate research on tumor stem cell biology, including the identification and characterization of specific genetic and functional signatures (e.g., biomarkers) of tumor stem cells. The overall goal is the translation of basic research findings into clinical practice in the contexts of both hematological and solid tumor malignancies.

Symptom Interactions in Cancer and Immune Disorders
(PA-08-121) - R01
(PA-08-122) - R21
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): 6/5/08 - R01s, 6/16/08 - R21s
Funding: Typical R01/R21 guidelines: R01 up to 5 years, $250,000/yr. modular; R21 - up to $275,000 for 2 yrs.
This funding opportunity announcement issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) solicits grant applications from applicant organizations that propose to (a) identify and assess biological or biobehavioral interactions among two or more related and co-occurring symptoms; (b) characterize mechanisms and pathways underlying the symptom interactions; (c) elucidate the level of interaction necessary for categorization as a symptom cluster; and/or (d) design and test interventions targeted to interacting or clustered symptoms that are hypothesized to lead to beneficial patient outcomes. A rationale for the choice of symptoms is needed, not just co-occurrence of two or more symptoms. The symptoms must be associated with a target disease or syndrome, or the treatment of this disease or syndrome. Studies at any point in the disease trajectory, or during the survivorship period are encouraged.

Cancer Education Grants Program (R25)
(PAR-08-120)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): May 25, 2008, Sept. 25, 2008
Funding:
This Funding Opportunity Announcement encourages applications for the development of: (i) innovative cancer education programs; and (ii) cancer research dissemination projects that can be completed within 5 years. Specifically, the types of Cancer Education Grant Programs (CEGPs) that may be supported include: (1) innovative educational programs intended to motivate biomedical and other health science students to pursue cancer related careers; (2) short courses to update cancer research scientists in new scientific methods, technologies and findings; (3) training of cancer care clinicians and community health care providers in evidence-based cancer prevention and control approaches; and (4) development of effective innovative education (dissemination) approaches to translate knowledge gained from science (discovery) into public health, and community applications (delivery).

Enhancing Tumoricidal Activity of Natural Killer (NK) Cells by Dietary Components for Cancer Prevention
(PA-08-131) - R01
(PA-08-132) - R21
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): NIH Mechanism Deadlines
Funding: Standard R01 and R21 limits apply
This NCI-sponsored Funding Opportunity Announcement promotes research to characterize the significance of dietary components in regulating the tumoricidal activity of natural killer (NK) cells for cancer prevention. Specifically, this FOA encourages studies that can establish the physiological significance of dietary components in modulating the tumoricidal activity of NK cells. Research projects proposed in response to this FOA should focus on defining the minimum quantity and duration of exposure to specific dietary components to modulate tumoricidal activity of NK cells for cancer prevention and the underlying mechanism(s) accounting for this response. 

Exploratory/Developmental Grant for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Studies of Humans (R21)
(PAR-08-135)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): June 16, 2008
Funding: Up to $400,000 direct costs over 3 years (no more than $250,000 in any given year)

The NCI invites high quality exploratory/developmental clinical research grant applications that focus on CAM approaches related to cancer symptoms and side-effects of cancer treatment as well as survivorship. Applications related to bioactive food components in the domain of translational nutritional sciences should identify molecular targeting efficiencies of a single or a combination of nutrients and/or bioactive foods component(s) which could protect against the development of cancer. It is anticipated that these pilot R21 studies will generate supporting preliminary clinical data that can be used to support larger clinical studies.

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

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Employment Opportunities

Postdoctoral Research Position: Murine Acute GVHD Studies
An NIH-funded postdoctoral position is immediately available in the area of GVHD and tolerance induction. Current studies focused on positive and negative costimulatory pathways and regulatory T-cells. Cellular and in vivo GVHD analyses will be performed utilizing wild-type, knockout and transgenic cells. Successful applicants will have an M.D. and/or Ph.D. degree and a track record of accomplishments and expertise in mouse immunology along with strong communication skills. Excellent facilities are available in the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. Salary will be competitive. Applicants should include a letter of application and a current C.V. by email and names and email addresses of three references to: Dr. Bruce R. Blazar, MMC 109; University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. S.E., Minneapolis, MN, 55455; fax: 612-624-3913; e-mail: blaza001@umn.edu.

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