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Researchers and Staff
January 13 , 2009
Update is sent to Masonic Cancer Center members and staff every Tuesday morning. Please submit items to Sandi Sherman, sherm019@umn.edu, by noon the previous Friday.
In This Issue
Funding News and Opportunities
Director's Message
As many of you know, Scott Baker, M.D., is leaving to take a position in Seattle at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where he will lead their survivorship program. I know you join me in thanking Scott for his contributions to the Masonic Cancer Center and wish him well in his new position. Scott played key roles in the Masonic Cancer Center. He was the Director of the Clinical Trials Office and an active member of the Clinical Research Leadership. Scott also helped plan a new program with Beth Virnig, Ph.D., called Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship.
While we all will miss Scott, we will continue the initiatives that he led and helped to establish. Phil McGlave, M.D., will serve as interim director of the Clinical Trials Office. Joe Neglia, M.D., has become the co-leader of the Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship Program.
Again, thanks to Scott for all of his contributions to the Masonic Cancer Center and our best wishes to him and his family.
Douglas Yee, M.D.
Director
Today's Seminar
Tuesday, January 13, 2009, 12-1 p.m., 450 MCRB
Ras activity levels determine cell fate in genetic models of pancreatic cancer
Craig Logsdon, Ph.D., Professor, Cancer Biology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Host: Ashok Saluja, Ph.D.
A peek at the next seminar:
Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 12-1 p.m., 450 MCRB
TP53 mutations as biomarkers in carcinogenesis
Pierre Hainaut, Ph.D., International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France
Host: Simona Ognjanovic, Ph.D.
For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.
News
Members in the news
Selwyn Vickers, M.D., associate director of translational research, was quoted in a Los Angeles Times news story about Apple computer founder Steve Jobs, who is a survivor of pancreatic cancer.
Kudos to Claudio Brunstein
Claudio Brunstein, M.D., Ph.D., Transplant Biology and Therapy Program, has been awarded the 2009 Robert A. Good New Investigator Award. The award will support Brunstein's research project "Complement fragment 3a priming in nonmyeloablative double umbilical cord blood transplantation." Dr. Helen Heslop, president of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, and a representative from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical will present the award to Brunstein on February 14 at the President's Dinner during the 2009 BMT Tandem Meetings in Tampa, Florida. The award is named in memory and honor of Robert Good, M.D., who was a Regent's Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology at the University of Minnesota. Good performed the world's first successful bone marrow transplant while at University of Minnesota and is one of the pioneers of modern immunology.
AHC announces 2008 Faculty Research Development Award recipients
Four of the seven teams receiving Academic Health Center 2008 Faculty Research Development Grants include Masonic Cancer Center members. The two-year grants are designed to support new or expanding interdisciplinary and interscholastic research, which is innovative and has a high potential for return. Recipients include:
- "Molecular Characterization of Osteosarcoma: A Comparative Genomics Approach," $200,000
Subbaya Subramanian, Ph.D., and Jaime Modiano, V.M.D., Ph.D. - "Genotype Associations with Disease Outcomes: Using Targeted SNP Genotyping to Assess Risk and Response in Lung Cancer," $238,521
Brian Van Ness, Ph.D., Timothy Church, Ph.D., Mark Kirstein, Pharm.D., Jatinder Lamba, Ph.D., Robert Kratzke, M.D., Vipin Kumar, Ph.D.,and Stephen Hecht, Ph.D. - "Biomarkers to Investigate Ethnic Differences in Tobacco Carcinogenesis," $200,000
Stephen Hecht, Ph.D., Sharon Murphy, Ph.D., and Lisa Peterson, Ph.D. - "Development of Novel Gamma Lactam Based Small Molecules as Anticancer Agents," $200,000
Venkatram Mereddy, Ph.D., Patricia Scott, Ph.D., Jon Rumbley, Ph.D., Teresa Rose-Hellekant, Ph.D., and Subhash C. Basak, Ph.D.
For more information, visit the AHC Web site.
Rita Bouley is Masonic Cancer Center's new nurse resource coordinator
Rita Bouley, R.N., has joined the Masonic Cancer Center Outreach and Education team as the nurse resource coordinator after serving as clinical research nurse in the Clinical Trials Office. She will be responsible for the Cancer Information Line, information e-mails, and developing new strategies for recruitment of patients and information line callers into clinical trials. Bouley will interact with patients, families, and physicians, and will be active in the Cancer Experimental Therapeutics Initiative (CETI). Rita's office is in the Dinnaken Office Building, Suite 310, 612-624-2476, boule002@umn.edu.
Masonic Cancer Center development team announces staff departure
Catherine McGlinch, director of development for cancer research at the Minnesota Medical Foundation (MMF), announced that Corrie Knudson has accepted a new position at the Marrow Foundation as director of major gifts. Knudson has been a member of the Masonic Cancer Center development team since April 2007, developing the fundraising base for brain, head, neck and lung cancers. McGlinch said, "We will miss her attention to details, her broad knowledge of the research being conducted in her areas and her constant awareness of ways to make processes and plans better. This is a great opportunity for Corrie to lead a team, develop a new program and make a real difference for those in need of blood and bone marrow transplants. Corrie's last day at MMF will be January 21. Please join us in congratulating her in her new opportunity, thanking her for her dedication to cancer research, and wishing her well."
Minnesota Women's Press honors Rahn
Wendy Rahn, Ph.D., was selected one of 10 "Changemakers of the Year" by the Minnesota Women's Press for her work in founding Survivors' Training and Studio. Read more.
Minnesota Department of Health Minnesota Cancer Surveillance System Notes Update
The autumn 2008 issue of Minnesota Cancer Surveillance System Notes, published by the Minnesota Department of Health, is now available. This information has recently been updated, and is now available on the Web site.
New Mixed Methods Interest Group launched
All interested faculty and students are invited to participate in the newly formed "Mixed Methods Interest Group," an informal, monthly discussion of issues related to the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods. Activities include review and critique of a journal article with a mixed methods design/orientation, discussion of individual projects and interests, and development of joint ideas that can serve as the basis for future scholarship. The Mixed Methods Interest Group will meet the fourth Wednesday of every month from January 28, 2009 to April 22, 2009, 4-5 p.m., 6-108 Weaver-Densford Hall. Please RSVP to Joe Gaugler, Ph.D., associate professor, School of Nursing, gaug0015@umn.edu, 612-626-2485.
Education and Events
Cancer Biology Journal Club
Wednesday, January 14, 2008, 12-1 p.m., 114 LHI/KE
Monthly Cancer Biology Research Club Seminar
Prostate and glial tumor gene discovery using sleeping beauty mutagenesis
Eric Rahrmann, Cancer Biology Training Grant graduate fellow, Largaespada lab
The Cancer Biology Journal Club is held every Wednesday. For more information contact Sonja Johnson (john4368@umn.edu) or Rachel Bergerson (sapl0005@umn.edu).
State of the Masonic Cancer Center
Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 9 a.m., 450 MCRB
Douglas Yee, M.D., director, will present the annual State of the Masonic Cancer Center report and presentation of years of service awards for staff and faculty. Masons Steve Johnson and Neil Neddermeyer will present a history of the Masons and discuss the charitable focus of their organization.
School of Public Health Seminar
Friday, January 23, 2009, 10-11 a.m., 364 West Bank Office Building, 1300 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis
Patti E. Gravitt, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Special Lecture
Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 3 p.m., 450 MCRB
Epidemiology and outcomes of invasive fungal infections in pediatric patients
Antonio Arrieta, M.D., Director, Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Infectious Diseases Clinical Research, Children's Hospital of Orange County
Sponsor: Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Annual Safety Refresher Training
February 4, 2009, 2-3:30 p.m., 450 MCRB
February 5, 2009, 9-10:30 a.m. or 1-2:30 p.m., 450 MCRB
Three sessions have been scheduled for lab safety refresher training for the Masonic Cancer Center. Training will cover chemical safety, hazardous waste, bloodborne pathogen, and radiation safety. Annual safety refresher training is mandatory for all lab staff, students and faculty. Register online.
Contact Sabine Fritz, fritz017@umn.edu, for more information.
Program Meetings
Women's Cancer Interest Group
Tuesday, January 13, 2009, 10 a.m., 450 MCRB
Cytokine stimulated allogeneic NK cells in an in vivo ovarian cancer model
Melissa Geller, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health
For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.
Cancer Epidemiology Interest Group
Friday, January 16, 2009, 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m., Jackson 2-137
Epidemiology of adult leukemia
Julie Ross, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Division of Epidemiology/Clinical Research, Department of Pediatrics
RSVP to Logan Spector by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14 to reserve a lunch.
For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.
Cancer Biology Research Club
Wednesday, January 14, 2008, 12-1- p.m., 114 LHI/KE
Prostate and glial tumor gene discovery using sleeping beauty mutagenesis
Eric Rahrmann, Cancer Biology Training Grant graduate fellow, Largaespada lab
For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.
BMT Program Conference
Monday, January 19, 2009, 1:15-2:15 p.m., 450 MCRB
No meeting due to Martin Luther King holiday.
For a complete schedule, visit the Web site.
Funding News and Opportunities
NIH:
Pre-Application Meeting for RFA-CA-09-010 "Genome Characterization Centers and Genome Data Analysis Centers for The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network (TCGA)[U24]"
January 29, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at 6001 Executive Boulevard, Conference Room C, Rockville, Maryland 20852 (webcast http://videocast.nih.gov).
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has announced a new funding opportunity to support The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a joint initiative with the National Human Genome Research Institute. TCGA is a comprehensive and coordinated effort to accelerate our understanding of the molecular basis of cancer through the application of genome analysis technologies. Under this FOA, NCI is soliciting applications for:
- Genome Characterization Centers (GCC) that will utilize high-throughput, high-resolution technologies to detect genomic, epigenomic and transcriptome cancer aberrations in a comprehensive (i.e., genome-wide) manner.
- Genome Data Analysis Centers (GDAC) that will focus on the integration and analysis of data generated by TCGA, the development of innovative bioinformatic and computational tools and the performance of advanced bioinformatic analysis for further application in translational research.
Utilizing the NIH U24 cooperative agreement funding mechanism, NCI intends to support 2-4 GCC and 2-6 GDAC awards. Prior contribution to the TCGA Pilot Project is not required and all qualified institutions and individuals are encouraged to apply. Applicants can propose project periods up to 5 years.
Other:
Ovarian Cancer Research in Minnesota
Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance
Deadline: March 6, 2009
Funding: Up to $100,000
The purpose of the grants is to provide opportunities for professionals to initiate new studies or continue current research investigating aspects of ovarian cancer. Research proposals may be individual projects or part of a larger research project related to ovarian cancer. Awards will be granted only to projects conducted in the state of Minnesota by Minnesota-based researchers. All research proposals will be considered, however, special consideration will be given to proposals related to clinical trials and ones which may lead to improvements in treatment for women with ovarian cancer. Read more (PDF).
J. Jacob Kaplan Award
University of Minnesota Medical School
Deadline: February 1, 2009
Funding: $4,000
The Medical School is seeking applications for the J. Jacob Kaplan Award, which is presented annually for the most meritorious student papers on either clinical or basic medical research in three fields of medicine: immunology in diagnosis and treatment of cancer; gastroenterology; and cardiology. Graduate students, undergraduate students, and individuals who have conducted medical research under supervision in any Medical School department are eligible.
Visit the Funding News & Opportunities Web page to see listings previously published in Update. Also, a list of organizations that provide funding for cancer research is provided on our Research Funding Resources page.