Masonic Cancer Center of the University of Minnesota

Update is sent to Masonic 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

News

Education and Events

Funding News and Opportunities

Employment Opportunities

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News

Bohen speaks at African Women's Health Symposium
Marva Bohen, R.N., outreach director, spoke about breast and cervical cancer screening at the African Women's Health Symposium June 28 at the Midtown YWCA in Minneapolis.

Ohlfest receives grant to study brain tumors
John Ohlfest, Ph.D., Genetic Mechanisms of Cancer Program member, received a $200,000, three-year grant from the Dana Foundation's program in brain and immuno-imaging for his study "Transposon-mediated gliomagenesis to investigate dendritic cell trafficking after immunotherapy in a tolerized host." Ohlfest will use a mouse model to study how T cell responses in the brain influence trafficking of innate immune cells. The goal of the study is to develop a new understanding of immune-tumor interactions in the brain, possibly leading to improved immunotherapy for patients with gliomas.

Kudos
Congratulations to Masonic Cancer Center member Mark Nesbit, Jr., M.D., who received the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Relentless for a Cure Award at the society's 2008 Man & Woman of the Year Gala on June 13. This award is given to an outstanding Minnesota medical professional whose research, diagnosis, and/or treatment has contributed to improved quality of life for patients and their families and/or great advancements in the field of lymphoma or blood cancers.

Bode joins Minnesota delegation at BIO convention
Ann Bode, Ph.D., associate director of the University of Minnesota Hormel Institute and member of the Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program, joined a delegation representing Minnesota at the 2008 BIO International Convention in June in San Diego. Bode, along with representatives from Mayo Clinic, IBM, and the University of Minnesota Rochester, spoke with representatives of prospective bio-businesses at a meeting organized by Rochester Area Economic Development, Inc. The Hormel Institute was also represented at the convention in the Minnesota booth organized by BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota.

Cancer cell genomic data now available to cancer researchers via NCI Bioinformatics Grid™
GlaxoSmithKline recently announced the release of genomic profiling data for over 300 cancer cell lines via the National Cancer Institute's cancer Bioinformatics Grid™ (caBIG™). This effort could help cancer research institutions save drug development time and capital in their future cancer therapeutic research. Read more.

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Education and Events

Take Me Out to the Ballgame
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! 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.

19th Annual Twin City Polo Classic
Sunday, August 3, 2008, Twin City Polo Club, Maple Plain, Minn.
The Twin City Polo Classic will feature activities for all in attendance, from the traditional divot stomp, to a horse parade, to musical entertainment in the family activity area. Attendees will enjoy a riveting exhibition match followed by the excitement of a full-length match. Caterers will enhance the experience by offering fare ranging from scrumptious to exquisite. This is the first year all proceeds from the event will benefit Children's Cancer Research Fund, whose support enables the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota to continue its pioneering efforts in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of childhood cancers. For more information, or to purchase individual tickets, visit www.TwinCityPoloClassic.com.

Macy's Glamorama
Friday, August 15, 2008, Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis.
Macy's Glamorama 2008 is heading back to the '80s with an arcade of eye candy couture and modern sounds. Headlined by the chart-topping '80s superstar Cyndi Lauper and late '80s hip-hop sensation MC Hammer, Macy's fashion spectacular will rock the runway in true '80s style, once again supporting Children's Cancer Research Fund. Topping this year's list of designers are Varvatos USA, Michael Kors, Marc by Marc Jacobs, BCBG Runway, Donna Karan and Just Cavalli. All proceeds benefit Children's Cancer Research Fund, whose support enables the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota to continue its pioneering efforts in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of childhood cancers. A complete schedule and event details will soon be available at www.childrenscancer.org.

2008 Developmental Biology Center/Lillehei Heart Institute Symposium
Tubes, Branches and Pumps in Development
September 24-25, 2008, McNamara Alumni Center, A.I. Johnson Great Room
Registration is now open for the Developmental Biology Center/Lillehei Heart Institute Symposium. The first 25 graduate students who register and are presenting a poster at the symposium will have their registration and banquet fees waived. All registrants are welcome to present a poster. To register and for more information, visit the Web site.

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.

Early registration deadline is July 1, 2008. Space is limited. Visit the conference Web site for information on the conference program and registration.

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Funding News and Opportunities

Non-NIH:

Sarcoma Alliance Career Development Award
Sarcoma Alliance
Application Receipt Date(s): October 1, 2008
Funding: 3 years, $100,000 per year
The Career Development Award is intended to support clinician-scientists conducting research in sarcoma or related diseases. Applicants must be no more than 5 years post subspecialty training, have a full-time faculty level or equivalent position at an academic medical institution and have available effort of 50-75% dedicated to research during the award period. Applicants may not be supported by another career development award.

National Lung Cancer Partnership Career Development Award
National Lung Cancer Partnership
Application Receipt Date(s): September 2, 2008
Funding: 2 years, $50,000 per year
This award is for junior clinical and basic investigators involved in lung cancer etiology, prevention, and treatment. National Lung Cancer Partnership is sponsoring this program to create a critical mass of lung cancer researchers to ensure effective translation of basic and behavioral research discoveries into patient therapies to reduce lung cancer incidence, morbidity and mortality. Applicants will be judged on the merits of their career development plan, research proposal, and research environment, among other factors.

National Lung Cancer Partnership/LUNGevity Foundation Research Grants
National Lung Cancer Partnership, LUNGevity Foundation
Application Receipt Date(s): September 2, 2008
Funding: 2 years, $50,000 per year
The purpose of this Grant Program is to drive research forward that will increase understanding of lung cancer risk, biology, and response to treatment. National Lung Cancer Partnership and the LUNGevity Foundation are particularly interested in research that will aid in prevention, detection, diagnosis, screening, treatment, and symptom management of lung cancer. Two grants are available:

• One grant is available specifically for research in the area of sex differences in lung cancer.
• One grant is available for research pertaining to any facet of lung cancer.

NIH:

Mechanisms of Immune Modulation
(RFA-AT-08-003) - R01
(RFA-AT-08-004) - R21
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): October 17, 2008
Funding: Up to 4 years, $200,000-$400,000/year for R01; $275,000 over 2 years for R21
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages mechanistic studies of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities believed to modulate immune function. It is not intended to support efficacy studies. NCI’s objectives for this initiative are to: define if the exposure to varying quantities of dietary botanicals corresponds to changes in immunity and accompanies proportional change(s) in the removal of transformed cells; evaluate the response to dietary botanicals on secretion of specific inflammatory cytokines (such as TNF-a, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13), and its relationship to immune cell function following exposure to pathogens.

Exploratory/Developmental Grant for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Studies using Cells, Tissues, and Animal Models of Disease (R21)
(PA-08-185)
National Cancer Institute
Application Receipt Date(s): Multiple dates, see announcement
Funding: $275,000 over 2 years
The National Cancer Institute invites applications for funding of basic, mechanistic, and/or preclinical research in all domains of CAM, in order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action of CAM therapies and to provide a stronger foundation for ongoing and planned clinical studies. NCCAM encourages outstanding CAM and conventional researchers to focus on opportunities in CAM research and to employ cutting-edge technologies to strengthen the knowledge bases needed to improve clinical practice.

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

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Employment Opportunities

Postdoctoral Associate
A postdoctoral associate position is available to study molecular mechanisms that regulate T cell activation, adhesion and trafficking. Candidates must possess a Ph.D. or M.D. degree, excellent communication skills, and a record of publications in peer-reviewed journals. Highly motivated individuals with experience in animal models of immunity, molecular biology, or cell biology are particularly encouraged to apply. Interested candidates should send a curriculum vitae, a statement of previous and current research experience and interests, and names of three references by e-mail to Yoji Shimizu, Ph.D., shimi002@umn.edu.

For more information about these positions and additional opportunities visit the Masonic Cancer Center's Employment Opportunities Web page.

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