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Stan Gerson, MD
Director, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
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Clinical Research Leadership Transition
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The cancer center is delighted to announce that
Mikkael Sekeres, MD, MS
has been appointed Associate Director for Clinical Research for the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC). As Associate Director, Dr. Sekeres will oversee our entire portfolio of clinical trials, our translation of basic laboratory findings to clinical application and the conduct of clinical investigation. He will be responsible for the
Clinical Research Office, t
he Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee (PRMC) and the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC), which collectively oversee therapeutic cancer clinical trials. He has been a valued member of the Executive Committee since 2014 as Deputy Associate Director for Clinical Research, where he oversees the Clinical Research Operations Committee and was responsible for development and maintenance of policies and procedures that govern clinical research across the consortium.
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Dr. Sekeres is an oncologist at Cleveland Clinic and a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. His research focuses on patients with Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He has held numerous leadership roles locally, nationally, and internationally - too many to name here - so I will just hit the highlights. At the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, Dr. Sekeres is Director of the Leukemia Program and Vice Chair for Clinical Research. He Chairs the Medical Advisory Boards for the Aplastic Anemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes International Foundation and the Dresner Foundation, and has served as Chair of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee of the FDA, Editor-in-Chief for the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Clinical News magazine, and as a Member of ASH’s Executive Committee. In addition to authoring over 400 scientific manuscripts, he writes a regular column for the
New York Times
and has written the book
When Blood Breaks Down: Life Lessons from Leukemia
(The MIT Press 2020). If you haven’t read his medical columns, they are poignant, insightful, and always hit their mark. I encourage you to read his reflections on life as an oncologist.
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Dr. Sekeres will succeed
Mitch Machtay, MD, w
ho has served as Associate Director for Clinical Research since 2017. Dr. Machtay came to Cleveland in 2009 to chair the Department of Radiation Oncology at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University. He has served as co-PI of the
Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS) Grant f
or the National Clinical Trials Network (NCI-NCTN), which was successfully renewed in 2019 with an exceptional merit rating. The LAPS grant supports clinical trials of NCTN studies across our consortium, at University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic, and the MetroHealth System. Dr. Machtay is also co-Director of the Clinical Oncology Research Career Development Program (K12), our long-running interdisciplinary training program for clinical oncology junior faculty physicians interested in pursuing academic research careers as physician-scientists, which was renewed in 2018. At University Hospitals, in 2016 Dr. Machtay played an integral role in the opening of the Proton Therapy Center. This was the first center of its kind in Ohio, making targeted radiation therapy available to patients close to home, and allowing easier access to clinical trials. Nationally, Dr. Machtay is Deputy Chair for Research of NRG. He will leave Cleveland for a senior leadership position at the Penn State Cancer Center and the Penn State College of Medicine. Dr. Machtay is a highly regarded national clinical research leader in radiation oncology, and we will miss his leadership.
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NCI Part of Federal Effort to Evaluate Antibody Tests for Novel Coronavirus
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From the National Cancer Institute: As part of a collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and several other government agencies and academic medical centers, NCI is evaluating commercially available antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
NCI has already assessed several of the tests and has provided the findings to FDA.
While "cancer research and cancer care remain job number one at NCI," said NCI Director Norman Sharpless, MD, "NCI has unique research capabilities and capacities. So, to help in this public health crisis, we believe, is a moral obligation."
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Messages to Faculty/Staff: Ohio’s Updated Order & Our Preparations
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On Friday, May 1, Carolyn Gregory, Vice President for Human Resources, and Sara Lee, MD, Executive Director for University Health and Counseling Services at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) released a message to faculty and staff regarding the April 30 state order and current university health and safety protocols.
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Our fundamental expectation is that
every individual on our campus—faculty, staff, student, vendor or other visitor—will follow university health and safety protocols.
As of now, these protocols include masks, social distancing, hygiene and concern for the health of others on campus. The university will provide more detailed information regarding protocols for supervisors and employees returning to work this month, as well as the additional measures that are being taken to protect their health and safety.
Please review the protocol in the full message using the button below.
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On Wednesday, March 6, Mark Chance, PhD, Vice Dean for Research at the CWRU School of Medicine, also released preliminary SOM Ramp-up Guidelines.
Please review the guidelines in the full message using the button below and scrolling down to, "Messages from Mark Chance."
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Study Finds Racial Differences in Time it Takes to Treat Melanoma
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From
Newswise
: Black patients with one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer are likely to experience a longer delay from diagnosis to surgery than non-Hispanic white (NHW) patients, according to a new study published in the
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
The time from diagnosis to definitive surgery (TTDS) for melanoma was 23.4 days on average for black patients, compared to 11.7 days for NHW patients. Black patients were twice as likely to have a TTDS of 41 to 60 days, three times as likely to have a TTDS of 61 to 90 days and five times as likely to have a TTDS of 91 days or longer.
The study, led by researchers at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UH), was based on National Cancer Database statistics from 2004-15. It also found that the disparities persisted despite controlling for various demographic characteristics, including insurance type and income level.
The study’s principal investigator is
Jeremy Bordeaux, MD, MPH
director of the Multidisciplinary Melanoma Program at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and a professor of dermatology at the CWRU School of Medicine. The study’s co-authors represent several disciplines and are from the CWRU School of Medicine, UH, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, the University of Minnesota Medical Center, the University of Maryland Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
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Klein receives Richard D. Williams Prostate Cancer Research Excellence Award
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The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center extends congratulations to
Eric Klein, MD, professor of surgery at Case Western Reserve University and Chairman of the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute as he has recently been honored with the Richard D. Williams, MD Prostate Cancer Research Excellence Award. The award, from the Urology Care Foundation, is presented annually to recognize outstanding and impactful work in prostate cancer research over the past 10 years. Dr. Klein is a member of the
GU Malignancies Program at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Recommended Reading: April Is the Cruelest Month
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Jame Abraham, MD, FACP recently wrote an article published in
The ASCO Post, recalling his disdain for the month of April for the past 18 years, and how while the pandemic this April reinforced feelings of helplessness, it has brought out the best of the health profession with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity.
Dr. Abraham is Chairman of the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Taussig Cancer Institute and Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. He is also a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center's Developmental Therapeutics Program.
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Team Case CCC "rides" on into Virtual VeloSano 2020!
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Originally scheduled for July 17-19, 2020 in Cleveland, OH, VeloSano 7 is evolving into
Virtual Velosano
to keep our community safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. While we won't be able to unite in person this summer, we will continue fundraising as the need for cancer research is more important than ever.
Our continuing goal is to bring sustainable funding to cancer research by enlisting the passion and energy of thousands of people who wish to give back... including
YOU! We raised nearly $94,000 in 2019 and every dollar goes directly toward cancer research. In our six years of participation, more than $1,000,000 of VeloSano fundraising totals have come back to the Case CCC to award researchers as
pilot funding for cancer research projects.
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Case CCC COVID-19 Resource Hub
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As the COVID-19 outbreak progresses, the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) has centralized COVID-19 related news and resources for our cancer center community. Content is updated regularly.
To have a cancer-focused resource added to the page, please email
cancer@case.edu.
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Mon, May 11
Shared Resource Directors Meeting
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Tues, May 12
Cancer Center Special Seminar
Xiaoli Sun, PhD
12p Zoom
Ask the CWRU IRB
Changes to IRB Protocols Related to COVID-19 Mandates
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Mon, May 18
Wolstein Research Building Faculty Meeting with Stan Gerson
3:30p
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Tues, May 19
Cancer Drug Discovery and Resistance
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Weds, May 20
Case CCC Clinical Research Retreat
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Cancer Center Seminar Series
TODAY, May 8, 12p
Our 2019-2020 Cancer Center Seminar Series concludes today with
Rafick-Pierre Sékaly, PhD presenting, "From Concept to Treatment: How System Biology can help Improve Cancer Immunotherapy" at noon.
Dr. Sekaly is the Richard J. Fasenmyer Professor of Immunopathogenesis, Co-Director of the Center of Systems Immunology (CSI), and Co-director of the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Proteomics and Systems Biology Core at Case Western Reserve University.
His focus on HIV disease immune pathogenesis, immune virology, and immunotherapies has generated pioneering findings that highlight the impact of HIV infection on thymic output, T cell memory, mechanisms of CD4 and CD8 T cell dysfunction, and on innate immunity and mechanisms of HIV persistence. He has also pioneered the use of transcriptomics and bioinformatics to identify predictors/correlates of immune responses that lead to protection from viral infections, including HIV, SIV and flaviviruses, protection from disease progression and successful immune interventions including adjuvants, licensed preventative and therapeutic vaccines.
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Clinical Research Retreat
May 20, 5-7 pm
Zoom
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center invites members, clinicians and research staff to join us for our first virtual Clinical Research Retreat on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 from 5-7 pm. Two keynote speakers will be addressing exciting topics in clinical research. The retreat agenda is below.
5:00 – Welcome Address
Special Topic: Effectively Communicating Informed Consent in Disparate Population
5:15 – "We've gone over a lot of things today - can you tell me in your own words what your options are?" - Writing and Speaking for Understanding
Speaker:
Lydia Furman, MD, Chair, University Hospitals Institutional Review Board
5:50 – Discussion and Questions
Special Topic: Translational Research Cycle, Bedside to Bench to Bedside
6:00 – "From the concepts to the bed-side: steps to follow"
6:35 – Discussion and Questions
6:45 – Closing Remarks
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Virtual Race for The Place 2020
May 29 - June 7, 2020
Facebook and Instagram Live
The Gathering Place is hosting its annual "Race for the Place" 5K and 1-mile run/walk virtually from Friday May 29 to National Cancer Survivors Day, Sunday, June 7. Proceeds from Race for the Place help support their
free programs and services.
For the safety of participants and the community and in light of the ongoing concerns around COVID-19, The Gathering Place has made the decision to hold a virtual Race for the Place.
They have compiled virtual race ideas and will host their Cancer Survivor Ceremony at 9:00 am Sunday, June 7 on
Facebook and
Instagram Live.
Race for the Place is a particularly important event for The Gathering Place. It is their
only annual fundraiser and provides significant financial support to keep their programs and services
free of charge to help individuals and families cope with the impact of cancer in their lives. COVID-19 has not stopped the needs of our participants and they continue to provide free programs every day through GoToMeeting, Zoom, the telephone and Facebook Live.
The Gathering Place is a caring community that supports, educates and empowers individuals and families currently coping with the impact of cancer in their lives through programs and services provided
free of charge.
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Save The Date: Annual Scientific Retreat (Members and Trainees Only)
July 23-24, 2020
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center invites all
members and trainees to mark their calendars for Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24, 2020 for our
annual scientific retreat!
We hope to once again host TED talks from prominent Cleveland researchers and advocates late Thursday afternoon at Tinkham Veale University Center accompanied by poster presentations from students, postdocs, and fellows, and continue the retreat on Friday at Corporate College East. As in past years, Friday's agenda features an update from Director Stan Gerson and highlights research from across each of our scientific programs.
We are also looking forward to a keynote presentation from
Timothy Rebbeck, PhD, the Vincent L. Gregory, Jr. Professor of Cancer Prevention at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Rebbeck is founding director of the Zhu Family Center for Global Cancer Prevention at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and leads the Cancer Outreach and Engagement activities for the Dana-Farber Harvard Cancer Center.
Mindful that we must do everything we can to keep our cancer center community safe and healthy, we are also planning an alternate abridged virtual agenda should we not be able to gather in-person in July. Please save the dates at this time, and we will provide additional details of the retreat's format and agenda in the weeks to come.
Please contact Mary Wright (
maw143@case.edu) should you have any questions about the retreat.
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Save The Date: Artificial Intelligence in Oncology Symposium 2020
October 19-20, 2020
Tinkham Veale University Center, CWRU
The second annual Artificial Intelligence in Oncology Symposium will bring together experts in AI and machine learning this October at Case Western Reserve University.
Geraldine McGinty, MD, MBA, FACR will present the symposium keynote, "Fostering a Strong Ecosystem for AI in Medical Imaging." Dr. McGinty is an internationally recognized expert in imaging economics, Chair of the American College of Radiology Board of Chancellors and Chief Strategy and Contracting Officer at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.
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Additional Upcoming Events
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AACR Virtual Annual Meeting: Part II
June 22-24, 2020
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The AACR Virtual Annual Meeting II, June 22-24, will feature the originally planned Opening Plenary Session that explores the range of impactful cancer research and clinical translation; award lectures from individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the cancer field; a special talk from National Cancer Institute Director Ned Sharpless, MD; and thousands of proffered papers in minisymposia and on an e-poster platform.
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12th Annual AACI Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) Meeting
July 7-8, 2020
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Registration is now open for the 12th Annual AACI CRI Meeting,
Cancer Clinical Research: Focus on the Future.
Registration for the two-day, virtual meeting is free for AACI cancer center members and sustaining members. AACI is working to ensure that the online meeting, scheduled for July 7-8, will still deliver the innovative, quality education that its members have enjoyed at prior CRI annual meetings.
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Internal LOI deadline: Sunday, June 21, 2020
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The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center has been invited to submit applications from junior faculty for the Gabrielle's Angel Foundation 2020 Medical Research Awards. Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation funds cutting-edge research in the fields of leukemia, lymphoma, and related cancers of the blood.
The awards provide $75,000 of support per year over three years, not to exceed $225,000. Applications in conventional and integrative research are being accepted.
Interested candidates are asked to submit an LOI (including PI contact information and an abstract/project summary) and biosketch to
casecccpilots@case.edu
by Sunday, June 21, 2020. Contact casecccpilots@case.edu with questions.
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Proposals accepted on a rolling basis subject to fund availability
Available award: $50,000
Deadline: May 8, 2020
Available award: $50,000
Deadline: May 8, 2020
Available award: $75,000
Deadline: May 18, 2020
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- Idea Development Award
- Investigator-Initiated Translational Research Award
- Career Development Award
- Clinical Translational Research Partnership Award
- Breakthrough Award (Levels 1-4)
- Era of Hope Scholar Award
- Innovator Award
- Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award (New!)
- Idea Award
- Mid-Career Accelerator Award (New!)
- Technology Development Partnership Award (New!)
- Team Science Award
- Translational Research Award
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Deadlines: July 1 and December 1, 2020
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The mission of SWOG Cancer Research Network is to significantly improve lives through cancer clinical trials and translational research.
Awards are made from The Hope Foundation SEED Fund to encourage preliminary research that will potentially translate to future clinical trials or trial-associated projects (translational medicine studies) within SWOG and the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). These awards may assist investigators with projects that support the following types of studies: pre-clinical data, secondary data analysis from clinical trials, pilot and feasibility studies (including early stage clinical trials), small, self-contained research projects, or development of research methodology/technology. Direct application to future SWOG research, larger in scope, is critical and will be a metric of success for this funding program.
The Hope Foundation SEED Fund encourages well-defined projects which have strong potential to direct future SWOG research and which realistically can be completed in 1-2 years. Individual projects may be funded for up to $50,000 (direct costs) and may be spent over a 1- or 2-year award period.
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Deadline: July 1, 2020
The Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award provides support for the next generation of exceptionally creative thinkers with "high-risk/high-reward" ideas that have the potential to significantly impact our understanding of and/or approaches to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This award is specifically designed to provide funding for extraordinary early career researchers who have an innovative, new idea but lack sufficient preliminary data to obtain traditional funding. The research supported by the award must be novel, exceptionally creative and, if successful, have the strong potential for high impact in the cancer field.
Eligible applicants (including non-U.S. citizens) must be conducting independent research at a U.S. institution. Institutional nominations are not required and there is no limit to the number of applications that can be received from a particular institution. Basic and translational/clinical projects will be considered and individuals with a background in multiple disciplines are especially encouraged to apply.
The initial award will be for two years, $200,000 per year ($400,000 total), with the opportunity for up to two additional years of funding (up to four years total for $800,000). Continued support for years three and four will be granted to those awardees who demonstrate significant progress on their proposed research during years one and two of the award.
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Crain's Cleveland Business - May 1, 2020
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center is now open open as the first clinical site for what the company calls the MACOVIA (MultiStem Administration for COVID-19 Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) trial. University Hospitals is one of three partner institutions that make up the
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Elemental - May 4, 2020
Mark Cameron, PhD comments, "We have not bent the curve enough to travel down the other side of this pandemic and release precautions in a rapid manner. I share some of the optimism in planning a return to some everyday activities, but to do this at the peak of an outbreak, no matter how flat the curve has become in some states, is inviting a second wave." Dr. Cameron an associate professor in the department of population and quantitative health sciences at Case Western Reserve University and a member of the
Case CCC's Hematopoietic and Immune Cancer Biology Program.
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Weekly NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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Notices
Funding Opportunities
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 12, 2020
Standard dates apply. The first standard due date for this FOA is June 5, 2020
Standard dates apply. The first standard due date for this FOA is June 5, 2020
Standard dates apply. The first standard due date for this FOA is June 5, 2020
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 12, 2020
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 12, 2020.
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 12, 2020.
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 12, 2020.
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 12, 2020.
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 12, 2020.
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 12, 2020.
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 12, 2020.
Standard dates apply. The first standard application due date for this FOA is June 16, 2020
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Use the button below to submit all your news, events, announcements and communications requests to the Case CCC Marketing and Communications team!
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