| MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR |
 Stan Gerson, MD
Director, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
slg5@case.edu |
Sharing Genomic Data
In an effort to move to the next stage of genomic research big data, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has established a new genomic data commons: https://gds.nih.gov/.
All investigators can access this site to query genomics data across large populations. This will take you beyond The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and like databases, and will include data from National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) trials.
Over time we and other NCI-designated cancer centers will be asked to assure that our data, especially NIH funding, is uploaded. We will be developing efforts to facilitate this. This will rapidly explode the amount of genomic information available for your research efforts. In addition, the NCI is encouraging universal consent of cancer patients so their data can be uploaded.
Thanks for your review and use of this resource. More about the Genomic Data Commons is available on the NCI website.
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| MEMBER & INSTITUTION HIGHLIGHTS |
Alex Huang Named Co-Leader of Case CCC Hematopoietic and Immune Cancer Biology Program; Invited to Join National "Moonshot" Advisory Group
 Alex Huang, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, CWRU School of Medicine and pediatric oncologist at the Angie Fowler Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Institute at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, has been named co-Leader of the Hematopoietic and Immune Cancer Biology Program of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Huang joins Program Co-Leaders Jaroslaw Maciejewski, MD, PhD and Marcos de Lima, MD in leading that program.
Dr. Huang has also been named to a select working group advising the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on President Obama's "moonshot" initiative to cure cancer. The "moonshot" initiative aims to speed current cancer research efforts and break down barriers to progress, making more therapies available to more patients, while also improving cancer prevention and early detection.
Dr. Huang has been named to the Blue Ribbon Panel Working Group on Cancer Immunology and Prevention, one of seven groups of experts advising the NCI's 28-member "moonshot" Blue Ribbon Panel. The cancer immunology and prevention group, which will begin its work immediately, includes 10 to 12 leading experts from across the U.S. During the next eight weeks, it will develop two or three recommendations for major opportunities that could lead to significant breakthroughs in the fight against cancer.
Dr. Huang says he considers his participation in the "moonshot" working group as a chance to think big.
"One of the things that really impresses me about science has nothing to do with biomedical science," he says. "Through the combination of meticulous data gathering and computer models, we can predict down to the degree what Cleveland weather is going to be for the next five days. With the advances now possible through precision medicine, can we use a similar big data approach to help predict whether an individual patient will respond to one therapy and not the other? Can we have enough confidence to say - 80 percent of patients will respond to this therapy, but you belong to the 20 percent who won't and you should bypass it. The thing is to think about things that may be impossible right now, but may be possible with enough resources and input of talented people from different scientific disciplines." more>
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Study Reveals Insights into Genetic Basis of Tumor Cellular Response to DNA Damage
In a recent "Nature Communications" publication, A genetic basis for the variation in the vulnerabilityof cancer to DNA damage ( Yard, B.D. et al. Nat. Commun. 2016 Apr 25), researchers looked at analyzing the genetic code of a tumor to identify patients that are more or less likely to respond to a particular treatment.
 " Our team's research helps explain across 26 cancer types why individual tumors vary in their susceptibility to DNA-damaging radiation and drugs," said co-author Mohamed Abazeed, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Department of Radiation Oncology and Assistant Professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. "The findings suggest that the promising tactics of personalized, genetically targeted cancer therapies can be extended to radiation therapy, and that we can develop predictive tools to guide clinical decision-making and patient selection."
The team found grouping patients for treatment based on population studies, such as patients with early stage breast cancer, does not reflect the uniqueness of individual patients. They are actively working on developing certified genetic tests that are designed to be incorporated into clinical practice and assist the oncologist in identifying patients that are more or less likely to respond to a particular treatment.
Co-authors on this publication include Case Comprehensive Cancer Center members Drew Adams, PhD of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Nathan Pennell, MD, PhD of the Cleveland Clinic.
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Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics Symposium
In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, the Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics is holding a symposium Friday, May 13 from 8:30a-3:30p in Tinkham Veale Ballroom A. A reception will follow.
The Center has invited speakers from CWRU, Cleveland Heartlab, John Hopkins University and Vanderbilt University to discuss various topics on proteomics, structural biology and bioinformatics. Registration is free but required. To register, please email maita.diaz@case.edu.
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Case CCC Clinical Research Retreat
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical Research Retreat will take place Monday, May 16 from 5-7p in the Wolstein Research Building, CWRU Campus. The agenda will focus on Genomic-Based Trials. The retreat will offer 1.5 CME Category 2 hours. Pre-registration is required. |
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NCCN 2016 Congress Series™: Lung Cancer
The NCCN 2016 Congress Series: Lung Cancer is taking place on Tuesday, May 17 in Cleveland, and will be hosted by Case Comprehensive Cancer Center/University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute.
This congress is designed to educate healthcare professionals on current and emerging scientific data to make evidence-based decisions about screening and treatment and to communicate management options to patients effectively in order to make shared treatment decisions and to provide optimal care for patients with NSCLC. Register today to reserve your spot.
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VeloSano Bike to Cure
Did you know that every dollar raised through VeloSano goes directly towards cancer research in Cleveland?
Join the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center team for the VeloSano bike ride, July 29-31. We are looking for riders (both actual and virtual), volunteers for our cheer station, and people to join our planning efforts. We will cover the registration fee for the first 50 bike riders who join our team! Want to know more? Please contact team captain Caroline El Sanadi at cee17@case.edu for details.
Join us for team meet and greets the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at TOLI (Tavern of Little Italy). The next one will be May 12 at 4:30p. See you there, and bring your friends!
We will also be holding a team fundraiser bash Friday, June 10 at TOLI. More details to come.
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Genomic Medicine Institute 4th Annual Genetics and Genomics Education Symposium
The Cleveland Clinic Genomic Medicine Institute, will hold the 4th annual genetics and genomics education symposium, "Genetics and Genomics: Advances Across the Lifespan," on September 15, 2016 at the Intercontinental Hotel and Conference Center.
This activity has been submitted to the Cleveland Clinic CME office and approval of AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ is pending. Additional information regarding registration will be forthcoming once the program is approved by CME. Through the generous support of exhibitors, the symposium is offered free of charge for Cleveland Clinic physicians, though there is a fee for non-CCF physicians. Please contact Peggy Bird, Education Coordinator at birdm@ccf.org with any questions.
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Inaugural Cancer Care Symposium - Call for Abstracts
You are invited to submit an abstract for The MetroHealth System's first Cancer Care Symposium on Friday, September 30, 2016, at MetroHealth Medical Center, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland, OH 44109.
The theme of the symposium is "Survivorship." All cancer-related topics such as medical oncology, palliative care, survivorship, navigation, as well as work in progress, will be considered for inclusion in the symposium. All accepted submissions will be considered for the Poster Session. Nurses and other allied health care providers, residents, fellows and medical students are invited to to submit their original work. Previously presented work may also be submitted.
Abstract Submission Specifications
- Abstracts must be sent directly to Jennifer Prechtel at jprechtel@metrohealth.org no later than August 15, 2016. Abstracts must be submitted as word documents. Abstracts are limited to 400 words.
- Posters should be no larger than 6 feet by 4 feet.
- Include the following:
- Title
- Institution
- Author(s)
- Category (i.e. oncology, palliative care, survivorship, navigation)
- Background
- Methods
- Results
- You will receive an email confirmation within two business days following submission.
- Letters of acceptance will be emailed by August 31, 2016, to the first author/presenter.
Contact Jennifer Prechtel at jprechtel@metrohealth.org or 216-778-2822 with any questions.
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Alex's Lemonade Stand & Babich Family Foundation 2016 Familial RUNX1 Research Grant
LOI Deadline: Jun 30
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) is committed to creating opportunities for new and innovative research into treatments and cures for childhood cancers. The Babich Family Foundation is dedicated to advancing areas of research of particular importance to families affected by familial platelet disorders (FPDs) leading to acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) due to germline RUNX1 mutations with the ultimate goal of developing effective therapies to prevent the onset of AML. ALSF and The Babich Family Foundation have partnered to raise awareness and accelerate research around familial RUNX1 disorders.
The purpose of the grant is to fund research that will develop strategies leading to the development of therapies for the prevention of the transition from pre-leukemia to leukemia for patients with the familial RUNX1 disorder. Projects should focus on familial RUNX1 disorder rather than acquired RUNX1 mutations seen during the evolution of AML. |
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AGA-R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer
Deadline: Aug 12
The AGA-R. Robert & Sally Funderburg Research Award in Gastric Cancer provides $50,000 per year for two years (total $100,000) to an established investigator working on novel approaches in gastric cancer research, including the fields of gastric mucosal cell biology; regeneration and regulation of cell growth (not as they relate to peptic ulcer disease or repair); inflammation (including Helicobacter pylori ) as precancerous lesions; genetics of gastric carcinoma; oncogenes in gastric epithelial malignancies; epidemiology of gastric cancer; etiology of gastric epithelial malignancies; or clinical research in the diagnosis or treatment of gastric carcinoma. The award recipient will be acknowledged at the Research Recognition Celebration at Digestive Disease Week® 2017.
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| Request for Proposals for Case CCC Funding for Pilot/Phase I Clinical Trials
Rolling Deadline
The Case CCC is encouraging investigators to submit Letters of Intent (LOI) for Early Phase Clinical Research Support (EPCRS) funding. These in-house funds are available for the conduct of early phase clinical trials of relatively short duration. Priority will be given to trials which are developed jointly between UH and CCF with planned accrual at both institutions.
The proposals are being accepted on a rolling basis subject to availability of funds.
Please direct any questions and/or submit LOIs to Katarzyna Karelus, Case CCC Clinical Research Office, katarzyna.karelus@case.edu, 216.844.4176. |
ASH Clinical News - May 2016
A warning against "research parasites" may open the door to better data sharing. It all started with an editorial published by the editors of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), innocuously titled, "Data Sharing."...Discussing the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors' (ICMJE) proposal in a recent editorial, ASH Clinical News' Editor-in-Chief Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, MS, and Brian J. Bolwell, MD, noted important caveats to the call to share clinical trial participants' data: "the threat to patient privacy and the ability to conduct cancer clinical trials." Drs. Sekeres and Bolwell, both from the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, Taussig Cancer Institute, explained, and some smaller centers might not have the resources to meet these mandates. "Introducing a requirement that clinical trial data be made publicly available requires infrastructure in the form of databases, computer servers, and personnel, which adds to the price tag for these studies. At a certain financial inflection point, studies may not be conducted, even when they ask important research questions for patients who desperately need new therapies."
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Primary care physicians tend to a wide range of needs for their patients, and new payment models must be structured to recognize the value of such care, according to speakers at a recent policy forum.
Speakers at the Graham Center Primary Care Forum titled "Achieving Effective Team-Based Primary Care in an Age of MACRA & Measurement"held at the U.S. Capitol on April 26 said the new payment models are only beginning to address the need for greater overall spending on primary care and a sharper focus on team-based care. Kurt Stange, MD, PhD, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, editor of Annals of Family Medicine and a professor of family medicine, community health, epidemiology, biostatistics, oncology and sociology at Case Western Reserve University, talked about the complexity involved in caring for his patients. Stange described one patient, a man who spent a lot of time working on his car. He went with his wife to see Stange about pain in his shoulder. Stange advised him to cut back on tinkering under the hood, prescribed medication and a stretching regimen, and told the man to return in three weeks if the pain persisted.
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FOLLOW US
 
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Mon, May 9
Neurosciences Special Seminar Series
Hongjun Song, PhD
Professor, Neurology and Neuroscience
Director, Stem Cell Program
Johns Hopkins Medical Institute
"Plasticity in the Adult Mammalian Brain"
11a BRB 105
Distinguished Lecture Genomic Medicine Institute
James Connor, PhD
Professor and Vice-Chair of Neurosurgical Research
Department of Neurosurgery
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
"The Role of HFE Genotype in Neurodegenerative Disease and Cancer"
12:30p NE1-205 Cleveland Clinic
DPB Seminar
Zhiyong Lin, PhD
Assistant Professor, Medicine, Case Cardiovascular Research Institute
CWRU/UH
"An emerging role for matricellular protein CCN3 in vascular biology"
4p SOM / Robbins Building, E-501
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Tues, May 10
Cellular & Molecular Medicine - Staff Candidate
Praveen Sethupathy, PhD
Assistant Professor, Genetics
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"microRNAs and diabetes: from genomics to therapeutics"
10a NC1-202 Cleveland Clinic
Pathobiology Seminar Series
Richard Bucala, MD, PhD
Professor, Medicine (Rheumatology), Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases), Pathology
Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
"Approaching the Gene-specific Treatment of Autoimmunity at the MIF Locus"
11:30a NE1-205 Cleveland Clinic
Cancer Biology Seminar
Kelvin Lee, MD
Professor, Chair, Immunology
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
"Food and Shelter and Cancer Progression"
2p NC1-202 Cleveland Clinic
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Wed, May 11
Hem/Onc Div Res Conf
8a Lerner B-151
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Thur, May 12
Molecular Biology & Microbiology Seminar
Mary Ann Checkley Luttge and Benjamin Luttge
Molecular Biology & Microbiology
CWRU
1p Rottman Seminar Room W203
Happy Hour to Benefit Case CCC Team VeloSano
4:40-7:30p TOLI (12117 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106)
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Fri, May 13
Hem/Onc Fellows
8a Breen Conf Room
TCI Grand Rounds Tatiana Prowell, MD
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
"Capturing What Matters: Assessment of Efficacy in Oncology Drug Development" 8a R3/002-003 Cleveland Clinic
Graft-versus-Host Disease National Symposium
8a-5:30p UPMC Shadyside, 5230 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
Pre-Registration required
Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics Symposium
8:30a- 3:30p Tinkham Veale Ballroom A
WHIG Seminar
Brian Grimberg, PhD
Assistant Professor of International Health
CWRU
"Advancements in P. Vivax Cultivation in Vitro"
9a BRB 105
Cancer Center Seminar Series David N. Wald, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pathology and Medicine
CWRU
Member, Developmental Therapeutics Program
Member, Hematopoietic and Immune Cancer Biology Program
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
"Targeting GSK3 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia"
12p BRB 105 Cancer Center Research in Progress Seminar Shigemi Matsuyama, DVM, PhD
Associate Professor,
Medicine-Hem/Onc CWRU
"Mechanism of Cell Death/Survival Regulation by Bcl-2 Family Proteins" 4p WRB 3-136
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Mon, May 16
Case CCC DNA Damage
and Repair Meeting
Junran Zhang, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology
CWRU
12p Wearn 137
Cancer Center Research Chalk Talk
Eli Bar, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurological Surgery
CWRU
1p WRB 3-136
Case CCC Clinical Research Retreat
5-7p WRB
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Tues, May 17
NCCN 2016 Congress Series™: Lung Cancer
8a - 12p Tudor Arms Hotel Cleveland
THOR Seminar
Ulrich Steidl, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
"Focus on Pre-leukemic Stem Cells in Acute Myeloid Leukemia"
1p R3-027 Cleveland Clinic
LRI Seminar
Ke Shuai, PhD
UCLA School of Medicine
"A Novel Epigenetic Signaling Mechanism in the Regulation of Immunity and Stem Cells"
12p NE1-205 Cleveland Clinic
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Wed, May 18
Hem/Onc Div Res Conf
8a Lerner B-151
LRI Seminar
Parameswaran Ramakrishnan, PhD
CWRU
"Novel Role of NF-kB c-Rel in Regulating Autoimmune Diabetes"
12p NC1-202 Cleveland Clinic
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Thurs, May 19
Cancer Trainee Seminar
Kevin Choong, MD
General Surgery PGY2, Surgical Oncology, Kim/Ammori Lab
CWRU/UH
"The Clinical Manifestations and Management of Pancreatic Cancer"
and
Neetha Parameswaran, PhD
Research Associate, Pathology, Jackson lab
CWRU
"A KRAS-ERK-FAM83A Regulatory Loop as a Novel Therapeutic Target for
Pancreatic Cancer"
12p WRB 3-136
Stem Cell Biology Seminar
Richard Lehner, PhD
Professor, Pediatrics
Director, Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids Research Group
University of Alberta, Canada
"Carboxylesterases: Novel Therapeutic Targets in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease"
1p NE1-205 Cleveland Clinic
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Fri, May 20
Hem/Onc Fellows
8a Breen Conf Rm
Cellular and Molecular Medicine Guest Speaker
Keigo Machida, PhD
Associate Professor, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
University of Southern California School of Medicine
"NANOG-mediated metabolic reprogramming and epithelial mesenchymal transition in liver tumor-initiating stem-like cells",
10a NC1-202
Cancer Center Seminar Series
Kornelia Polyak, MD, PhD
Professor, Medical Oncology
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Harvard Medical School
"Breast Tumor Evolution"
12p BRB 105
Cancer Center Research in Progress
4p WRB 3-136
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VELOSANO 2016
Jul 29-31
Support Team Case CCC: Join us for monthly happy hours at the Tavern of Little Italy on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month [May 12; May 26; Jun 9; Jun 23].
Team Fundraiser Bash
Jun 10
TOLI
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ADDITIONAL UPCOMING SYMPOSIUMS & EVENTS
GvHD National Symposium 2016
May 13
NCCN 2016 Congress Series™: Lung Cancer
May 17
Tudor Arms Hotel Cleveland
LUNGevity Foundation's Breathe Deep Cleveland
Jun 18
VeloSano 2016
Jul 29-31
Palliative Medicine and Supportive Oncology 2016
Aug 4-6
Marriott Key Center
Great Lakes Breast Cancer Symposium 2016
Sep 8-9
Pittsburgh, PA
Cancer Stem Cell Conference
Sep 20-23
Hilton Cleveland Downtown
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PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED OPPORTUNITIES
Deadline: May 13
Deadline: Jun 1
Pre-Application Deadline: Jun 9 Application Deadline: Sep 14
Pre-Application Deadline: Jun 9Application Deadline: Sep 14
Pre-Application Deadline: Jun 9
Application Deadline: Sep 14
Pre-Application Deadline: Jun 9
Application Deadline: Sep 14
Deadline: Jul 1 Deadline: Open Deadline: Open Deadline: Open
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