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January 30, 2012 |
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CASE CCC IN THE NEWSEar, Nose & Throat Institute Opens at University Hospitals U.S. Food And Drug Administration Approves Pfizer's INLYTA(R) (axitinib) For Patients With Previously Treated Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) FDA OKs Axitinib for Kidney Cancer Polypectomy Outcomes Similar to Surgical Resection AR: PACS Implementation Can Be A Roller Coaster Ride ER Presentation Not the End for Colon Cancer Patients Stem Cell Blindness Treatment Study Reaction roundup Medical Field of Dreams: Doctor Meets Spirit of Baseball in Bob Feller MARK YOUR CALENDARSCancer Center Seminar Series: Green Nanomedicine: From Black-eyed Peas to Nanotechnology
Friday, February 3 Please join us Friday, February 3 for the next Cancer Center Seminar Series where Dr. Nicole Steinmetz, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at CWRU, will present Green Nanomedicine: From Black-eyed Peas to Nanotechnology. Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize materials science and medicine. Currently, a number of different nanoparticles are being investigated for applications in imaging and therapy. The Steinmetz Lab focuses on engineering viral nanoparticles (VNPs). The VNPs of interest are harmless plant-derived materials such as the cowpea mosaic virus, brome mosaic virus, potato virus X, tobacco mosaic virus, and various others. From a materials scientist's point of view VNPs are attractive building blocks for several reasons: the particles are monodisperse, can be produced with ease in an indoor greenhouse, are exceptionally stable, and biocompatible. VNPs are "programmable" units, which can be specifically engineered using genetic modification or chemical bioconjugation methods. The Steinmetz Lab's interest lies in the engineering of VNPs for applications in medicine: tissue-specific imaging, drug-delivery, and tissue engineering. The goal is to develop multifunctional VNPs that are displaying i) targeting ligands to direct the VNPs to sites of disease while avoiding healthy tissues, ii) imaging molecules that allow to track the nanoparticles or to image diseased tissues, and iii) therapeutic molecules to treat diseased cells and tissues. Such "smart" nanodevices are expected to open the door for the development of next-generation therapies and improved detection methods. Cancer nanotechnology has the potential to become clinical reality. In this lecture, Dr. Steinmetz will highlight the properties of viral nanoparticles and give examples of how these materials can be engineered to become useful for applications in medicine. Office of Cancer Centers Learning Series WebinarRegister for the next Office of Cancer Centers Learning Series Webinar, An Overview of the FY 2012 Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award Application and Review Process for Prospective Applicants, Wednesday, February 1 from 2-3:30 pm. Dr. Jennifer Hayes, the NCI Program Director who oversees the Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award Program, will present an overview of the FY 2012 program and discuss the application and application review process. Professorship Celebrating Dr. Mark R. Chance Please join the Dr. Pamela Davis, Dean of the CWRU School of Medicine, in celebrating Dr. Mark R. Chance as the inaugural Dr. Charles W. and Iona A. Mathias Professor of Cancer Research at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine on Thursday, February 2 at 4:30 pm in the Wolstein Research Building. Dr. Chance was named Vice Dean for Research at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in October 2011. Additionally, he serves as Professor of General Medical Sciences, Director of the Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics and Interim Chair of the Department of Genetics. Through collaborative research and innovative approaches to proteomics, genomics and bioinformatics, Dr. Chance has distinguished himself as a scientist, a leader and an active member of our campus community. Please RSVP to kathy.malone@case.edu. Research Best Practices Day 2012Registration is now open for Research Best Practices Day 2012, February 22 from 9 am - 4 pm in the Wolstein Research Building Auditorium. This annual event is open to the entire research community. Each year, several topics are presented by local experts as part of CWRU's ongoing training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend one or more of the sessions that are applicable to their research:
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**All events are open to anyone interested in attending January 30Pathology Research Seminar Physiology and Biophysics Seminar January 31Cancer Biology Invited Speaker Seminar February 1Hematology and Oncology Division Research Conference Immunology Students/Fellows Research in Progress Seminar Series February 2Cancer Center Special Seminar February 3Hem/Onc Fellows Conference Taussig Cancer Institute Grand Rounds Cancer Center Seminar Series Cancer Center Research in Progress Seminar
UPCOMING CANCER CENTER SYMPOSIUMS & EVENTSCancer Cell Signaling Program Retreat ADDITIONAL UPCOMING SEMINARS & EVENTSDepartment of Biomedical Engineering Special Seminar NCI Second Symposium on Translational Genomics |
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ANNOUNCEMENTSClinical Trial Year-End SummaryMessage from Dr. Neal Meropol, Associate Director for Clinical Research, Case CCC 
We have just compiled the year-end data for clinical trial accrual in 2011. Congratulations are in order for Case CCC clinical researchers and everyone involved in the conduct of clinical trials! Our overall accrual to therapeutic clinical trials in 2011 was 911, with 474 accruals at CCF, 414 at UH, and 23 at affiliate sites. Our totals represent a 6% increase over 2010, and a 14% increase over 2009. Of special note is that 47 clinical trials had enrollment at both UH/Case and CCF, representing 248 patients (182 in 2010). This success is a true team effort, with many thanks to our research nurses, data managers, regulatory staff, finance groups, and everyone involved in patient recruitment, treatment, and specimen processing. As we begin 2012, we are poised to build upon these accomplishments with further collaboration across the consortium, increased investigator-initiated high impact clinical trials, and expanded opportunities for our patients to take part in research. Cancer IRB TransitionThe IRB review responsibilities of Case Comprehensive Cancer Center Institutional Review Board (Cancer IRB) were transitioned to the IRB offices and committees of the University Hospitals Case Medical Center (UHCMC) on December 12, 2011 and to the Cleveland Clinic (CC) beginning on October 24, 2011. Approvals by the Cancer IRB will remain in effect until further review is undertaken by the UHCMC or CC IRB. All new cancer and cancer-related protocols will be submitted to the IRB of the lead Principal Investigator's institution using their existing electronic systems (iMedRIS at UHCMC and WebKit at CC). The same procedures apply to amendments, continuing reviews, SAEs, deviations and other protocol-related actions on currently active protocols that were processed and approved previously by the Cancer IRB. These activities will be reviewed by the IRB of the lead Principal Investigator's institution which will be the IRB of record. It remains a high priority of the Case CCC to foster clinical research collaborations between the UHCMC and CC. To that end, the IRBs of each hospital have agreed to accept the approval of the other site in a facilitated review arrangement. Thus, opening of clinical trials at both sites requires only a single full board review at the site of the lead investigator. All cancer and cancer-related research protocols will continue to be submitted to the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee (Case CCC PRMC) for scientific review and approval, prior to review and approval by the respective institutional IRB. List of people to contact for more information NCI Provocative Questions InitiativeThe NCI Provocative Questions initiative received attention recently lately thanks to an article by NCI Director, Dr. Harold Varmus and his senior advisor Ed Harlow that was published in Nature: Science Funding: Provocative Questions in Cancer Research (Nature 481, 436–437; 26 Jan 2012). A follow up article by Bloomberg offers additional background information on the initiative: Cancer Chief Varmus Seeks to Solve 24 Mysteries to Reduce Toll of Disease (Bloomberg, Jan 27, 2012). |
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIESCancer Research Institute STaRT ProgramThrough its Student Training and Research in Tumor Immunology (STaRT) Program, the Cancer Research Institute seeks to attract bright young minds to rewarding careers as cancer immunologists. STaRT Grants provide up to two years of support for graduate students conducting thesis research in the area of tumor immunology. A panel of scientists drawn from the Institute's Scientific Advisory Council rigorously evaluates each candidate, the thesis advisor and training environment, and the nature and feasibility of their research. Deadline: March 1 Prostate Cancer Foundation-Honorable A. David Mazzone Special Challenge Award Research ProgramThe Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is pleased to announce the PCF-Honorable A. David Mazzone Special Challenge Award Research Program 2012. These two-year awards will provide a total of $1 million per team. Challenge Awards support large-scale research projects. Proposals must be from teams of at least 3 highly experienced investigators capable of providing unique scientific expertise to the solution of a significant problem in prostate cancer research. A team may be assembled from one institution, or several institutions, from across the globe. Applications will be accepted February 15-March 16. ASH Trainee Research AwardThe American Society of Hematology(ASH) Trainee Research Award supports a hematology-relevant research project and a travel award to the society's annual meeting. Trainees will be exposed to hematology research early in their career and hopefully be encouraged to continue hematological research as part of their future training. Deadline: March 16 2012 ENGAGE Summer ProgramApplications are currently being accepted for the National CENter for ReGenerAtive Medicine UnderGraduate StudEnt (ENGAGE) Summer Program. This program promotes and supports undergraduate student participation in research and creative projects within the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine. Proposed projects will be expected to match the complexity for what is accepted by SOURCE and SPUR funding. This program is now open to all undergraduate students, not just CWRU students. Mentors must be full NCRM members in order to qualify for funding. Projects that provide matching funds and reduce the overall cost of the student will be given higher consideration for inclusion into the program. Maximum awards are $3000 stipend plus $500 in material support. Deadline: March 30 |
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NCI CANCER BULLETINJanuary 24, 2012News Commentary In Depth Updates |
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PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES |
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Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA) |
Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation (CBTF) |
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NIH BULLETIN – Notices and Funding OpportunitiesIACUC 101 Workshop and PRIM&R IACUC Conference: March 19-21, 2012 in Boston, MA (NOT-OD-12-039) |
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| Produced by: Gillian Irwin Todd 11100 Euclid Avenue, Wearn 149 Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5065 216-844-8317 phone 216-844-7832 fax gillian.irwin@case.edu |
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. |
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