June 13, 2011

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Case CCC Annual Scientific Retreat

Dear Cancer Center Members:

The annual scientific retreat of the Cancer Center will be July 8-9 at Corporate College East. For those of you unfamiliar with this facility, it offers a nice, open layout that is conducive to both large and small gatherings, and is only about 10 miles from University Circle.

As we are in full planning mode for our CCSG renewal, there will be emphasis on the Cancer Center's strategic plan, but along with the Director's overview and the individual program meetings, Friday's schedule includes scientific presentations highlighting some great science in Tumor Microenvironment, Cancer Cellular Dynamics, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, and Targeted Cancer Therapies.

This year, we have added a concurrent session for students, fellows, and other trainees, which will be an open session offering career guidance in a Q&A format. Panelists will be junior faculty who can offer different perspectives on the postdoctoral and early faculty experiences. There will also be discussion about starting translational research projects. Encourage your trainees to come prepared with questions for the panelists.

As the scientific poster session at last year's retreat was such a success, we will have one again, with awards to the top five posters. Over 65 trainees have submitted abstracts. We have also added a poster session featuring the shared resources of the Cancer Center. Poster discussions will be concurrent with food and drink, as this year's dinner will be casual to encourage as much interaction among members as possible.

Saturday's session has more of a clinical focus, but all members will benefit from the presentations on translational opportunities in cancer center clinical programs, followed by information on the availability of tissue from the national cooperative groups and funding opportunities for early phase trials. Come early to have breakfast and engage with the core directors at the continuation of the core facility poster session that begins Friday afternoon.

Our wrap up session on Saturday, Cross Cutting Opportunities and Resources, will bring some new perspectives to our retreat. The session features presentations on the cutting-edge topics of clinicopathologic databases, home grown drugs, and technology commercialization.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the Cancer Center. I look forward to seeing you on July 8-9.

Stan Gerson, MD
Director, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Registration | Agenda | Retreat Homepage

The Cancer Center has a block of rooms for a reduced rate at the Marriott Cleveland East, which is across from Corporate College East. Click here to reserve a room at your own expense of $114 per night.

CASE CCC IN THE NEWS

Key Function of Enzyme Involved in RNA Processing Described
Science Daily (press release) - Jun 9, 2011
In their work, the researchers led by Eckhard Jankowsky, PhD, researcher and associate professor in the Center for RNA Molecular Biology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, examined the function of TRAMP, a protein complex ...

Prostate Cancer- Non-Invasive Treatment Of Kidney And Prostate Cancer Revealed
Star Global Tribune - Jun 9, 2011
"The development of stereotactic radiosurgery capabilities has opened up new possibilities for the non-invasive treatment of kidney and prostate cancer," said Lee E. Ponsky, MD, director of the Center for Urologic Oncology and Minimally Invasive Therapies at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. "Urologists and surgeons need to be aware of these developments, and work closely with colleagues in radiation oncology to evaluate the role of radiosurgery in the treatment of prostate and kidney cancer."...

University Hospitals Oncologist's Breast Cancer Pilot Study: Whatever Happened To...?
Plain Dealer (blog) - Jun 6, 2011
"We've essentially started [again] from scratch," said oncologist Dr. Joseph Baar, who has been working on creating a vaccine that would use a patient's own immune system to target and kill cancer cells. "The vaccine study is ongoing, ...

Cancer Drug Avastin Makes Inroads Against Ovarian Tumors
U.S. News & World Report - Jun 4, 2011
But the high cost of Avastin (as much as $6000 a month) could be prohibitive, especially given that other therapeutic options are available to women in each group, said Dr. Kristine Zanotti, a gynecologic oncologist with University Hospitals of ...

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Pilot Project Grants: American Cancer Society IRG Awards

The Case CCC is currently accepting applications for American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant (IRG) awards. Pilot funding is available for projects in basic, clinical, prevention and control, behavioral, health services, and epidemiology cancer research with awards up to $30,000 for one-year cancer research projects that provide the basis for future independent grants.

Instructions, frequently asked questions, and application forms are available at http://cancer.case.edu. Contact Terri Daso, Cancer Center Administration (844-7252, tld6@case.edu) for more information.

LOI Deadline: TODAY: June 13
Application Deadline: July 5, 2011

AACR Team Science Award

Nominations are currently being accepted for the AACR Team Science Award. This award has been established by the American Association for Cancer Research and Eli Lilly and Company to acknowledge and catalyze the growing importance of interdisciplinary teams to the understanding of cancer and/or the translation of research discoveries into clinical cancer applications. Proactive interaction between academic and industry researchers is particularly crucial to continue progress and accelerate drug development.

Deadline: September 6

Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research

Nominations are now being accepted for the Pezcoller Foundation-AACR International Award for Cancer Research. The award is intended to honor an individual scientist. However, more than one scientist may be co-nominated and selected to share the award when their investigations are closely related in subject matter and have resulted in work that is worthy of the award.

The purpose of this award is to recognize a scientist of international renown:

• who has made a major scientific discovery in basic cancer research OR who has made significant contributions to translational cancer research;
• who continues to be active in cancer research and has a record of recent, noteworthy publications; and
• whose ongoing work holds promise for continued substantive contributions to progress in the field of cancer.

Deadline: September 12

Case CCC Clinical Trials Funding Opportunity

The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center is announcing the availability of Protocol Specific Research Support (PSRS) funding for Year 2011. The budgeted funds are for the conduct of early phase clinical trial and restricted to support research nurses and data managers directly involved in the conduct of these clinical trials. Studies developed jointly between UH and CCF with planned accrual at both institutions will be prioritized. Please direct questions and requests for information about the funding process to Katarzyna Karelus, Administrative Director, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical Research Office, at (216) 368-6287 or katarzyna.karelus@case.edu.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) Pilot Grant Awards

Congratulations to the following Cancer Center members who were recently named recipients of CTSC Annual Pilot Grant Funding:

Nora Nock, PhD: Revving-Up Exercise for Sustained Weight-Loss by Altering Neurological Reward and Drive (REWARD): A Pilot Study of Assisted Exercise in Obese Endometrial Cancer Patients

GQ Zhang, PhD: FEMI: Federation of EMR and Medicaid Information for Healthcare Policy and Outcomes Research

Call for Applications: Merrill J. Egorin Workshop in Cancer Pharmacology

The Cancer Education Consortium is pleased to announce its annual workshop to be held September 23-26 in Leesburg, Virginia. This 3-day interactive workshop offers a broad-based curriculum that covers a range of topics related to new drug development and clinical evaluation. Expert speakers will lead discussions and present important didactic information regarding the preclinical and clinical evaluation of cytotoxic and targeted drugs, the identification and use of biomarkers, the special challenges of evaluating combination therapies, the problem of pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic drug interactions, and effects of organ dysfunction on drug disposition and toxicity. The discussion will include a focus on validation of targets and confirmation of mechanism of action and resistance in clinical trials. The 20-25 scholars selected will have ample opportunity for one-on-one interface with the nationally renowned faculty as well as peer-to-peer networking. Specialized evening workshops will also include sessions on new drugs, utility of biomarkers for selection of subjects and for prediction of response, and late breaking developments in cancer therapeutics.

Application Deadline: June 13

EVENTS

**All events are open to anyone interested in attending

June 13

Special Seminar
Mitch Kronenberg, PhD
President and Chief Scientific Officer
La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology
Topic: HVEM: A TNF Family Receptor Important for Regulating Innate Immunity and Inflammation in the Mucosa
12 pm Kulas Auditorium

June 14

Cancer Biology Invited Speaker Seminar
Donna Hansel, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Anatomic Pathology
CWRU/Cleveland Clinic
Topic: Bladder Cancer on the Move: mTOR and Migration
11 am NC1-202 Cleveland Clinic

June 15

Developmental Therapeutics Program meeting canceled

Hematology and Oncology Division Research Conference
Lisa Arfons, MD
Assistant Professor, Div. of Hem/Onc
CWRU/UH
Topic: Trends in Resident and Fellow Education: The Clinical Skills Block
8 am Lerner Tower B-151

June 16

June 17

Hematology/Oncology Fellows Seminar canceled

Taussig Cancer Institute Grand Rounds
Stephen Nimer, MD
Alfred P. Sloan Chair, Leukemia Service
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Topic: Histone Modifying Enzymes: Defining Their Role in Hematologic Malignancies
8 am R3/002-003 Cleveland Clinic

Institute for Transformative Molecular Medicine Special Seminar
Reza Ardehali, MD, PhD
Div. of Cardiovascular Medicine
Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
Stanford University
Topic: Prospective Identification of Cardiovascular Progenitors from Human Embryonic Stem Cells
10 am WRB 5136

Cancer Center Research in Progress Seminar
Kenneth R. Cooke, MD
Associate Professor, Pediatric Hem/Onc
Director, Bone Marrow Transplant
CWRU/UH
Topic: Translational Research Efforts to Improve Outcomes Following Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation
4 pm WRB 3-136

Case CCC Calendar

LRI Calendar

UPCOMING CANCER CENTER SYMPOSIUMS & EVENTS

ASCO Review 2011
June 30
InterContinental Hotel and Bank of America Conference Center
Details

Case CCC Annual Scientific Retreat
July 8-9
Details

ADDITIONAL UPCOMING SEMINARS & EVENTS

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Annual Meeting
June 15-18
Toronto, Canada
Details

Cancer Health Disparities Summit 2011
July 13-15
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel in Rockville, Maryland
Details

8th International Conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology: Innovating Integrative Oncology: New Science, New Solutions
November 10-12
InterContinental Hotel Cleveland
Details

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Grants for Translational Breast Cancer Research
LOI Deadline: June 13

AACR-Prevent Cancer Foundation Award for Excellence in Cancer Prevention Research
Deadline: June 13

AACR-Aflac, Inc. Career Development Award for Pediatric Cancer Research
Application Deadline: June 20

Society of Surgical Oncology Clinical Investigator Award in Breast Cancer Research
Deadline: July 8

Chordoma Foundation Investigator-Initiated Projects
LOI Deadline: July 15
Application Deadline: August 15

James S. McDonnell Foundation 21st Century Science Initiative 2011
Deadline: July 15

International Myeloma Foundation Brian D. Novis Research Grant program
Deadline: August 1

Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
Deadline: August 5

Damon Runyon Fellowship Award
Application Deadline: August 15

Uniting Against Lung Cancer 2011 Legacy Program for Advances in Lung Cancer Research
Deadline: August 17

Lustgarten Foundation Fall 2011: Basic Research Innovator Awards
Concept Proposal Deadline: September 14
Full Application Deadline: October 31

Translational Technology Concept Studies of Circulating Tumor and Endothelial Cells (CTC/CEC)
Deadline: Open

AACR Scholar-in-Training Awards - Other Conferences and Meetings
Deadline: Open

International Union Against Cancer (UICC) International Cancer Technology Transfer Fellowships
Application Deadline: Open

NCI Short-Term Scientist Exchange Program
Application Deadline: Open

James S. McDonnell Foundation Collaborative Activity Awards
Application Deadline: Open

NIH BULLETIN – Notices and Funding Opportunities

Pilot studies in Pancreatic Cancer (R21) (PA-08-208)

Announcement of Q&A Website for: NIH/PEPFAR Collaboration for Implementation Science and Impact Evaluation (R01) (RFA-AI-11-003) (NOT-AI-11-048)

Notice of Intent to Publish a Request for Applications for Alliance of Glycobiologists for Detection of Cancer: Tumor Glycomics Laboratories Research (U01) (NOT-CA-11-013)

Extension of Expiration Date for NCI Funding Opportunity Announcement PAR-08-120: NCI Cancer Education Grants Program (R25) (NOT-CA-11-014)

High-End Instrumentation Grant Program (S10) (PAR-11-228)

Limited Competition: Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Program Infrastructure for Clinical and Translational Research [IDeA-CTR][U54] (PAR-11-229)

HELP US HELP YOU!

If you have a new grant, recently won an award, or have other newsworthy items, please let us know so we can publicize them in the newsletter and other media outlets. You deserve the accolades!

Send items to gillian.irwin@case.edu.