BNLS News March 2012 - RPCI Producing Breakthrough Cancer Vaccine in Unique cGMP Facility

Interview with Dr. Choi: Director of the Therapeutic Cell Production Facility at RPCI

Q. How long have you been living and working in Buffalo and what brought you here?

A. It's been about a year and a half now; I moved here in the fall of 2010 to take the job with Roswell Park. It was absolutely this Institute and this opportunity that drew me away from southern California. I was really energized by my conversations with the directors of RPCI's Center for Immunotherapy and other Roswell Park leaders, who had put so much thought and planning into how they wanted to launch their cell-production facility. The opportunity to be involved in the facility from the ground up and to be working as part of this world-class team wasn't one I was about to pass up.

Q. The phase I clinical trial for the dendritic cell vaccine that could fight cancer (NY-ESO-1) has garnered plenty of attention recently; can you briefly explain why this is so important?

[Read this full article, explore additional informational links and watch detailed press conference video]

RPCI Among Top Recipients of NHI Grants

For over 100 years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) has supported biomedical research to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. In fiscal year (FY11), NIH funded over $21 billion in research grants to domestic and foreign-based organizations, including institutes of higher education, research institutes, hospitals, and non-profits.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is among the top recipients of NIH grant awards throughout New York State and across the nation, securing 63 grant awards totaling over $40 million during FY11. These grant awards are a testament to the wide range of cutting-edge research RPCI doctors, scientists, and researchers perform on a daily basis to understand, prevent and cure cancer.

Working in Buffalo Niagara: BNMC Jobs

Life sciences job openings have grown 50% in the last two years and continues to do so. Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) alone is projected to grow from 8,500 to 13,000 employees in the next few years. Life science technicians, medical scientists, and engineers are just a handful of positions that comprise the thriving Research and Development in the Life Sciences industry in Buffalo Niagara. Career opportunities in R&D in the Life Sciences continue to expand in the region, experiencing a 3.8% growth rate over the last decade.

Job openings such as post-doctoral researcher, physicians assistant, medical billing clerk, and computer tomography technologist are currently listed on buffaloniagarajobs.com. Log in and search our featured employer, Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Learn more about the various life sciences careers in Buffalo Niagara with this simple Career Pathways tool on the isciwny.com website.

I was in Chicago last month...

I met with numerous dental product manufacturing companies at the CDS Midwinter Meeting and LMT Lab Day trade shows. The Buffalo Niagara region continues to draw strong interest from companies in this exciting and growing sub-sector of the life sciences. If your life sciences company is interested in learning more about expanding in to the Buffalo NIagara region, contact me for free economic development assistance.
Alan pic for ls news