Update is sent to Masonic Cancer Center members and staff every Tuesday at 10 a.m. Please submit next week's items to Gina Kennedy (kenne069@umn.edu), by noon on Friday, June 13.

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In This Issue

Today's Seminar

News

Education and Events

Program Meetings

Funding News and Opportunities

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Today's Seminar

Note: Tuesday seminars will be offered occasionally during the summer before the regular Seminar Series begins again in the fall.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 450 CCRB
Translational control of cancer
Nahum Sonenberg, Ph.D., James McGill Professor, Department of Biochemistry and McGill Cancer Centre, Montreal

Host: Vitaly Polunovsky, Ph.D.

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

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News

Robien receives oncology nutrition certification
Kim Robien, Ph.D., R.D., C.S.O., F.A.D.A., Prevention and Etiology Program member, is a member of the inaugural class of dietitians to receive Board Certification in Oncology Nutrition (Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition, CSO) through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. The new CSO credential is granted in recognition of an applicant's documented practice experience and successful completion of an objective examination, and provides employers, patients and caregivers with a tool to evaluate the expertise of the dietetics professional providing oncology nutrition services. Robien is one of only two dietitians in the state of Minnesota to hold this credential.

Researchers awarded grants from the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance
Carol Lange, Ph.D., and Amy Skubitz, Ph.D., members of the Women's Cancer Program, are among the recipients of $375,000 awarded for ovarian cancer research in Minnesota in 2008 by the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance. Lange was awarded $90,000 for her proposal "Targeting a novel membrane progesterone receptor (mb-PR) overexpressed in human ovarian cancer." Skubitz received $86,000 for her study "Ovarian cancer biomarker discovery by proteomic techniques."

Dong featured speaker at economic summit
Zigang Dong, M.D., Dr.P.H., executive director of the Hormel Institute and member of the Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention program, was a featured panelist at Congressman Tim Walz's 2008 Economic Summit June 2 in Mankato. Dong spoke about the Hormel Institute's collaborations with the University of Minnesota, health care providers, and other industries. Other panelists included southern Minnesota civic and industry leaders.

Kudos
Marc K. Jenkins, Ph.D., Immunology Program member, was elected as Councillor of the American Association of Immunologists. He'll serve four years beginning July 1, 2008. Jenkins is a McKnight Distinguished Professor of Microbiology and associate director of the Center for Immunology.

Skubitz leads ISBER annual meeting sessions, receives Special Service Award
Amy Skubitz, Ph.D., director of the Tissue Procurement Facility, participated in the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) 2008 Annual Meeting May 18-21, 2008 in Bethesda, Md. She organized and was one of the keynote speakers for a workshop held twice during the meeting titled, "Promoting Biobanking: Repositories as Critical Resources for the Institution, the Research Community, and the Public." Skubitz also led a roundtable discussion on "Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA & QC) for Repositories."

During the meeting Skubitz also received the Special Service Award from the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER). The newly created award was designed to "recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions towards the goals of ISBER through the performance of a special service or act on behalf of the organization." Read more.

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Education and Events

Time to Fly™ Walk/Run
Saturday, June 28, 2008, Harriet Island Regional Park, St. Paul
Time to Fly™ is a family-friendly walk/run event perfect for everyone from the competitive runner to the recreational participant. Set along the banks of the beautiful Mississippi River, Time to Fly race events include: 10K run, 5K run, 5K walk, and a kids' fun run. The day also features live entertainment, performance t-shirts, event bags, complimentary food and beverages, an abundance of kids' activities, and inspirational stories by families with children affected by cancer. Awards are presented to top race finishers in eight age categories, as well as the top corporate, community, and individual fundraisers through a competitive online pledge program. The 6th annual Time to Fly will be held in conjunction with the Picnic of Hope.

Plan to form a team. For additional information visit the Children's Cancer Research Fund Web site.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 7:10 p.m., Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, 34 Kirby Puckett Place, Minneapolis
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network invites you and your family and friends for a night of fun with the Minnesota Twins as they play the Detroit Tigers.  Help raise awareness for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network by wearing purple to the game and by joining the Twin Cities Affiliate as they lead the traditional  "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" song during the 7th inning stretch!

Tickets are $20 each, and $8 of each ticket goes directly to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. To purchase tickets, visit the Web site. For more information, contact Toni Dachis at tdachis@pancan.org

The Masonic Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office Training Series
How to make the clinical trial start-up process the most efficient possible
Tuesday, July 8, 2008, 7:30-9:30 a.m., 450 CCRB
Learn tips to streamline study start-up and learn what resources are available through the CTO. This session will cover the basic steps required to take a clinical trial from concept to initiation:

• Project Management (oversight from protocol to initiation)
• Budget/Contracts (draft budget to final contract)
• Medical writing of protocols, informed consents (review of template and required elements of protocol, how to survive CPRC review)
• Regulatory approvals (getting approval from the CPRC, IRB, and other committees);Guest speaker from IRB, Patrice Webster
• IND process (assist with preparation of documents)
• Systems (clinical trial management/data management)
• Study Initiation (staff training/open to enrollment)

RSVP by Tuesday, July 1, 2008, to Katy Lind, lindx141@umn.edu or 625-3650.

Nancy C. Hanson Legacy Golf Tournament
Sunday, August 10, 2008, 1-9 p.m., Oak Glen Golf Course, 1599 McKusick Road, Stillwater, Minn.
Registration is now open for the 2nd Annual Nancy C. Hanson Legacy Golf Tournament benefiting the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Registration is $135 for 18 holes of golf and dinner, entertainment and a silent auction. Don't golf? You can still join the fun by attending the dinner in the evening. Register for this event.

Twin Cities Purple Ride
September 13, 2008, Elm Creek Regional Park
The Twin Cities Purple Ride is sponsored by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Riders can choose from three distances: an 8-mile family ride, 25-mile river route, and 50-mile touring route. No matter which distance you choose, the event promises to be a good time for everyone. If you can't make the ride, you can also register as a virtual rider and fundraise using their online tools. Those who don't want to ride can be a volunteer the day of the event by e-mailing Marilynn Tuchfarber. Visit the Web site for more information.

Challenges and Tensions in International Research Collaborations
October 2-3, 2008, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Sponsored by the U.S. Office of Research Integrity and the University of Minnesota
International research collaborations are expanding rapidly, but they involve certain challenges. Speakers will discuss problems stemming from cross-national differences in the organization and funding of science, cultural perspectives, the training of students and research personnel, and legal and policy systems. They will also propose ways to mitigate the effects of these challenges in collaborative research. Scientists who collaborate or intend to collaborate internationally, other scientific research personnel, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, and others interested in international collaboration are encouraged to attend.

Register early. Space is limited. Visit the conference Web site for information on the conference program and registration.

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Program Meetings

Women's Cancer Program Interest Group Seminar
Tuesday, June 10, 2008, 10 a.m., 450 CCRB
Issues of survivorship: Ovarian and fertility preservation for oncology patients
Rahel Ghebre, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.

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Funding News and Opportunities

Career Catalyst in Disparities Research
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Application Receipt Dates: Pre-Application -July 3, 2008. Full Application-August 22, 2008
Funding: Up to 3 years, $450,000
CC-DR grants seek to foster independent careers in research exploring the basis for differences in breast cancer outcomes and the translation of this research into clinical and public health practice interventions, particularly among junior scientists from populations affected by breast cancer disparities.

Investigator-Initiated Research
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Application Receipt Date: Pre-Application-July 1, 2008. Full Application-September 4, 2008
Funding: Up to 3 years, $600,000
IIR Grants provide up to $600,000 over three years to stimulate exploration of new ideas and novel approaches in breast cancer research and clinical practice that will lead to reductions in breast cancer incidence and mortality within the next decade. Special emphasis will be given to studies seeking to understand the basis for difference in breast cancer outcomes and translating research discoveries into clinical and public health practice to eliminate breast cancer disparities.

Career Catalyst Research (CCR) Grants
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Application Receipt Date: Pre-Application-July 1, 2008. Full Application-September 4, 2008
Funding: Up to 3 years, $450,000
CCR Grants provide unique opportunities for scientists in the early stages of their career to achieve research independence with an independent award of up to $450,000 over three years. CCR investigators lead a research project addressing an important question in breast cancer research and complete a self-defined career development plan with support from a mentor committee.

NIH:

Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (U01)
(RFA-CA-08-026)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date: August 15, 2008
Funding: See announcement
The purpose of this open competition Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to stimulate the translation of innovative therapies suitable for children with brain tumors from the laboratory to early phase clinical testing. To achieve this goal, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to continue a Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC) program.  The NCI will support one multi-center clinical trials group (a "consortium") that will be responsible for timely conduct of the Phase 1, Phase 2, and pilot studies evaluating novel treatment approaches relevant to the pediatric brain tumor population.

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

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