Case CCC News - Jan 11, 2019

January 11, 2019

MEMBER/CENTER HIGHLIGHTS

Applications Open for Cancer-focused Summer Undergraduate Research (CanSUR) Program

The Cancer-focused Summer Undergraduate Research (CanSUR) program is now accepting applications.

The new program plans to welcome 32 undergraduates per year for a 10-week experience that will equip scholars for an exciting career in cancer research.

Selected scholars from colleges and universities across the country will be matched with a mentor and participate in a unique, hands-on research experience that will prepare them for the next stage of their careers. Scholars will receive a stipend for the summer; additional housing and travel allowances are available.

Applications will be accepted through February 1, 2019. Learn more about the program and how to apply.

Department of Defense Awards Gupta Nearly $1M to Study Prostate Cancer Drug Resistance

As part of their Idea Award program, the Department of Defence has awarded Sanjay Gupta, PhD, of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center a total of $962,000 over three years to investigate drug resistance mechanisms in prostate cancer. The program aims to improve quality of life by decreasing the impact of cancer on active duty service members and their communities.

Gupta will use the award and clinically-approved drugs to develop a safe, efficacious and cost-effective combination therapy for castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Gupta is the Carter Kissell Professor and Research Director in the Department of Urology, a research scientist at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center and a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. more>

Reminder: Athymic Shared Resource Fee Change

The Athymic Animal and Preclinical Therapeutics Shared Resource has increased prices for the following services effective January 1, 2019:

NSG (NOD/SCID/IL2Rgamma): $70
NCR nu/nu: $50
NOD/SCID: $60
Cage day care charge: $1.25

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Cancer Center Seminar Series: "Personalized cancer vaccines for hematologic malignancies: A new treatment paradigm"

Jan 11, 12p | WRB Auditorium

The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center's Seminar

Series resumes today at 12p in the WRB Auditorium with guest speaker David Avigan, MD presenting "Personalized cancer vaccines for hematologic malignancies: A new treatment paradigm." This seminar is presented by the Hematopoietic and Immune Cancer Biology Program.

Dr. Avigan's research interest lies in the field of tumor immunotherapy and its incorporation into bone marrow transplantation. His active projects include the

development of dendritic cell tumor fusions to be used as tumor vaccines in a clinical trial for patients with

breast cancer now in progression. He has also been exploring the number of immune reconstitution post-transplant and studying the impact of cytokine therapy with IL-2 and GM-CSF on this process. He is currently leading a new trial in the use of post-transplant Her2Neu antibody therapy, assessing its impact on persistent residual disease. One group is investigating novel approaches to allogeneic transplantation including the use of non-myeloablative approaches.

Click here for a list of upcoming seminars.

Biochemistry Seminar Series presents the Merton F. Utter Distinguished Lecturer:
"Hypoxia, Metabolism, and Tumor Progression"

Jan 31, 4p | BRB 105 Auditorium

The Department of Biochemistry invites you to

hear Celeste Simon, PhD present "Hypoxia, metabolism and tumor progression" on Thursday, January 31 in the BRB Auditorium. Dr. Simon is Scientific Director of the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute and Professor in the department of cell and developmental biology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Her laboratory studies cancer cell metabolism, tumor immunology, metastasis, and cellular responses to oxygen deprivation. A reception will follow in the BRB lobby.

Register Today for the 3rd Annual Cancer Disparities Symposium

Mar 1, 2019 | Tinkham Veale University Center

The Office of Cancer Disparities Research at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

invites you to attend the 3rd Annual Cancer Disparities Symposium on March 1, 2019.

Registration

Registration is currently OPEN for this symposium. Click here for registration information.

2019 Symposium Highlights

Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, MD, Director, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), will discuss cancer disparities research trends and funding opportunities.
Rick Kittles, PhD, Associate Director of Health Equities at City of Hope, will give a research-focused presentation on cancer disparities research.
An entire afternoon session is devoted to research aligned with abstract submissions; this includes oral presentations from selected abstracts, plus a poster session.
The audience for this symposium is diverse in background and field, allowing attendees to interact, network, and expand their knowledge and opportunities for collaboration.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Seed Sprint Pilot Grants
Deadline: Jan 18, 2019

The Case CCC encourages responses to the

Provost's initiative for Seed Sprint grants for new ideas. Academic, co-curricular and administrative/operational proposals are being accepted for these small, short-term grants. Proposals should support the Provost's effort to build new relationships across schools and disciplines.

Give it a go! Click here for details on the Seed Sprint grant process.

Ohio Cancer Research Seed Money Grants
Deadline: March 4, 2019

Grants awarded by Ohio Cancer Research (OCR) are Ohio Cancer Research Logo

made to support research activities broadly related to cancer and leukemia. With the support of people all over Ohio, progressive and innovative ideas are given a chance to help in the fight. OCR's seed money projects often give a researcher the preliminary data needed to secure major funding from other sources.

The organization seeks to fund research that will lead to continued support at the national level. Targeted to junior faculty (full professors not eligible to apply), applicants must be independent and within six (6) years of their first independent research position.

The number of grants awarded is dependent upon available funds. OCR is offering up to $30,000 per year for two years through this competition.

Review grant application details here or call 614.224.1127 for additional information.

CTSC Core Utilization Pilot Grants
Deadline: Feb 1, 2019

The Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) of Case Western Reserve University Core Utilization Pilot Award Program supports investigator use of eligible Core facilities at our partner institutions. This program is designed to collect preliminary data that will lead to extramural sponsored grant funding and/or publications in peer-reviewed journals. Awards up to $10,000 are available. This program is intended to promote the use of technologies and expertise afforded by identified Core Facilities available at all partner institutions.

Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis and must be submitted by 11:59 PM on the first day of every month (if the first falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is extended to the next working day). more>

IN THE NEWS

Sex differences identified in deadly brain tumors

Science Daily - January 2, 2019

For decades, scientists have recognized that more males get cancer and die of the disease than females. This is true for many types of cancer, including the deadly brain tumor glioblastoma. Now, a team of researchers led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has identified distinct molecular signatures of glioblastoma in men and women that help explain such underlying disparities in patients' response to treatment and survival. Cleveland Clinic researcher Justin Lathia, PhD and CWRU's Jill Barnholtz-Sloan, both leaders in the Case CCC, contributed to the research.

New options for breast cancer drug development found in estrogen receptors

CWRU's The Daily - January 9, 2019

"The structures of individual receptor pieces were known, but how they fit together was a mystery. Our study identified a novel interface that bridges the two major functional units of the receptor," says Sichun Yang, PhD a senior author on the study and member, Case CCC.

NIH BULLETIN - Notices and Funding Opportunities

Notices
Notice of Information: Updates and clarifications of several components of the Challenge competition posted within the Federal Register

NIH Policy for Review and Resubmission of New Investigator R01 Applications

Notice of Clarification Regarding Harassment and Discrimination Protections in NIH Training Applications

Requests for Applications

Innovative Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R21 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)(RFA-CA-19-019)

Deadline: Mar 7, 2019; May 7, 2019; Sep 27, 2019