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February 22, 2018
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dr. Stan Gerson Stan Gerson, MD
Director, Case CCC

Updates from NCI Board of Scientific Advisors
The NCI Board of Scientific Advisors met November 29, 2017, and the slide decks were recently released.  The slides provide a snapshot of the direction of the NCI, and include funding opportunities and access to NCI resources that are useful for many investigators across the Case CCC. 

Please review the slide deck of new NCI Director, Ned Sharpless, and note the following:
  1. The new genomic data commons portal is now operational and easy to use. Try it for your favorite gene!
  2. The NCI has discontinued the K23 career development mentored award for clinical investigation; it will now be under the K08. Greater salary support is possible, though the competition for awards will likely be considerable. But, all junior investigators who can develop a research training program are urged to discuss this with their mentoring team.
  3. Moonshot: Funding in 2018 will continue and the RFAs are identified in the slide deck. A number of us have submitted applications. Please keep these in mind since funding rates are higher (See slide 20)
  4. Clinical investigators should note slides 24-26 - Partnership to Accelerate Cancer Therapy (PACT). This describes lab support for immune monitoring, PK and PD, and an extensive list of Pharma linked in to the NCI support. This should facilitate collaborative support for IIT trials with NCI CTEP.
  5. NCI MATCH update (slide 28) as of November. 689 of 6396 patients accrued to MATCH enrolled on a treatment trial - around 11%. This continues to be an option, and should frame your next IIT biomarker/genomic based clinical trial.

Shared Resource Survey
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center has 13 Shared Resources that provide valuable services to Case CCC members and affiliated investigators. To ensure we are meeting the needs of our members, we ask that you complete the Case CCC Shared Resource Survey

We thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey and provide your feedback. Survey participants will be entered into a drawing for $100 off their next service. 
NEWS FROM NCI
New MERIT Award: Early Stage Investigators May Be Eligible for Grant Extension
The NCI recently revised an existing grant mechanism, the Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) R37 Award Program, by extending the length of time Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) can receive funding under their first independent NIH grant.

Under this award program, ESIs who receive an R01 award beginning in FY 2018 will be eligible to have their grant transitioned to an R37 award. This transition gives ESIs an opportunity to extend funding for up to 2 years. This means a 5-year R01 grant may be eligible to become a 7-year R37 grant. more>
MEMBER/CENTER HIGHLIGHTS
Case Western Reserve and Sangamo Therapeutics Announce $11 million NIH Grant for Study of Gene-edited T Cells for the Viral Eradication of HIV
Case Western Reserve University and Sangamo Therapeutics Inc. r ecently announced the award of an $11 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for a planned study of gene-edited T cells designed to eradicate persistent HIV infection in patients receiving anti-retroviral therapy, a combination of medicines that slows the rate at which HIV replicates.

Rafik-Pierre Sekaly The principal investigator of the new study will be Rafick-Pierre Sekaly, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Richard J. Fasenmyer Professor of Immunopathogenesis at CWRU School of Medicine and one of the world's leading scientists in AIDS research, human immunology and immunotherapy. Sangamo Therapeutics will contribute materials, equipment and manufacturing expertise for the study, which is expected to begin in 2018. more>
New imaging technology may help predict aggressiveness of lung cancer
velcheti-vamsidhar Case Comprehensive Cancer Center members Anant Madabhushi and Vamsidhar Velcheti are leading development of a computerized tissue-imaging program that could soon help identify which lung cancer patients are likely to face an earlier recurrence of the disease.  With that information, cancer experts could more accurately determine which lung cancer patients should undergo aggressive post-surgery chemotherapy-and which are unlikely to benefit from it.

The National Cancer Institute recently awarded Madabhushi and his colleagues a $3.16 million grant to advance the promising project.

Co-investigators on the new project are Michael Yang, an assistant professor of pathology at Case Western Reserve and pathologist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center; Pingfu Yu, an associate professor of biostatistics at Case Western Reserve; Kurt Schalper, assistant professor of pathology and director of the Translational Immuno-oncology Laboratory at the Yale School of Medicine; and Mark Lloyd and James Monoco from private partner Inspirata Inc. more>
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Cancer Center Seminar Series
February 23, 2018 | Wolstein 1-413
CCSS - Huang - 2018Feb23
Click image to view larger.
Join us Friday, February 23 at noon in Wolstein Research Building Room 1-413 for the weekly Cancer Center Seminar Series to hear Jiaoti Huang, MD, PhD, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pathology at Duke University School of Medicine, discuss " The role of cellular heterogeneity in therapeutic resistance and disease progression of prostate cancer."

Dr. Huang is a nationally and internationally renowned surgical pathologist. His clinical expertise is in the pathologic diagnosis of genitourinary tumors. His laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer, particularly neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancr and molecular pathogenesis of prostatic small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Dr. Huang has published over 200 research papers, review articles and book chapters. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program, Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Stand Up to Cancer.
Case CCC Clinical Research Retreat
Feb 27, 2018 | Wolstein Research Building
Registration is open for the next Case Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical Research Retreat, Tuesday, Feb 27 from 5-7p in the Wolstein Research Building.

Retreat themes:

"Implicit bias, cultural humility, and appropriate communication with racial/ethnic minority cancer patients"
Presented by  Monica Webb Hooper, PhD Director, Office of Cancer Disparities Research Case CCC

"Accrual of patients of minority race and ethnicity: The provider's role"
Presented by Smitha Krishnamurthi, MD, Associate Professor, Hematology and Medical Oncology, CWRU/Cleveland Clinic; Member, Case CCC

1.5 CME Category 2 hours and 4 CRECs will be offered to attendees. Pre-registration is required. Parking passes will be provided. 

Contact Mary Wright (maw143@case.edu) with questions. 
CANCER CENTER SCIENTIFIC SERIES: Research Innovation Fund Pilot Projects
Mar 1, 2018 | 5-7 p | Wolstein Research Bldg

We invite you to join us as fellow Case CCC researchers present the findings  of their Research Innovation Fund Pilot Projects. Researchers will offer an overview of their scientific discoveries and outlines of what comes next for their projects. Presentations will be followed by a reception. 

Please RSVP: conta.cc/2GCdziM

Jill Barnholtz-Sloan, PhD Jill Barnholtz-Sloan, PhD 
Sally S. Morley Designated Professor in Brain Tumor Research; Associate Director for Bioinformatics and Member, Case CCC
"Profiles of protein heterogeneity and invasiveness in glioblastoma"

Scacheri, Peter Peter Scacheri, PhD 
Professor, Genetics and Genome Sciences, CWRU; Member, Case CCC
"Targeting metastasis in osteosarcoma by inhibiting tissue factor" 

William Schiemann Bill Schiemann, PhD 
Isador Goodman-Ruth Goodman Blum Professor in Cancer Research; Member, Case CCC
"Regulation of breast cancer metastasis and dormancy by the lncRNA BORG"

Bingcheng Wang, PhD 
John A. and Josephine B. Wootton Endowed Chair of Research; Co-Leader and Member, Molecular Oncology Program, Case CCC 
"Targeting EphA2-HSP27 signaling axis in glioblastoma"
2nd Annual Cancer Disparities Symposium
Mar 23, 2018 | Wolstein Research Building
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and Office of Cancer Disparities Research will host the " 2nd Annual Cancer Disparities Symposium: Taking it to the Streets: Where Cancer Disparities Research and Community Intersect," on  Friday, March 23, 2018
 
This event will showcase cutting-edge research, with a focus on reducing and eliminating disparities in cancer, going from bench-to-bedside-to-community and back. This important symposium will also feature two keynote addresses, including a key leader in our community, and an internationally-recognized cancer disparities researcher. We will promote the exchange of ideas and collaborative opportunities among scientists, clinicians, government, and community representatives.

This event is FREE to attend, but pre-registration is required. 
Midwest DNA Repair Symposium
May 5-6, 2018 | Thwing Center
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University will host the 20th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium May 5-6, 2018 . This symposium is a great opportunity for people working on DNA damage and repair in the midwest area to gather together and discuss science! The agenda promises exciting science and opportunities for networking, poster presentations, and keynote presentations from field experts  Stephen Kowalczykowski and Lee Zou

Call for Abstracts
The 20th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium will feature oral and poster presentations.  All graduate students, postdocs, research technician, faculty and fellows conducting related research are invited to submit abstracts. Monetary Prizes will be awarded.

Abstracts must be 500 words or less and fit on an 8 ½ x 11" paper with 1" margins on all sides. Please use Arial 11 font. 

Include the title and authors at the top, acknowledgements at the bottom. You may include figures or illustrations, but they must fit on the same page as the abstract text.  Please indicate whether you prefer oral or poster presentation.

Abstract submission deadline is Monday, April 2 at 5pm to maw143@case.edu
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Pilot Projects for RNAi Screening
DEADLINE: February 26, 2018
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center is providing collaborative support for projects that focus on the use of RNAi-based screens to identify novel mechanisms underlying cancer biology. RNA-targeted screens have proven to be an effective approach for identifying new pathways involved in cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance. To facilitate the adoption of such methodologies by its members, the Case CCC will support new projects to be conducted in collaboration with the Small Molecule Drug Development Shared Resource. The Case CCC will supply the requested targeted RNAi library through the screening core and assume screening core costs. Awardees will be expected to commit substantial effort of a lab member to facilitate development of an assay, validate hits, and generate mechanistic data (supported by funds from the Case CCC member). 

Full instructions are posted on the Case CCC website.
Limited Submission: V Foundation for Cancer Research 2018 V Scholar Award
Internal Deadline: March 10, 2018 at 5p ET
Nomination Deadline: April 2, 2018 at 5p ET
Application Deadline: May 1, 2018 at 5p ET
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center is invited to submit ONE nominee for consideration for the V Scholar Award Award.

The V Scholar Award supports young tenure-track faculty early in their cancer research career by funding projects that are either laboratory-based fundamental research or translational research. The total amount of the grant is $200,000 awarded in two annual installments of $100,000 each. Only direct costs of the research are supported by this award. 

To be considered for the nomination, submit a one-page LOI and biosketch to casecccpilots@case.edu by March 10, 2018. 
IN THE NEWS
OncLive - Feb 19, 2018
In October 2017, acalabrutinib (Calquence) joined ibrutinib (Imbruvica) as another FDA-approved BTK inhibitor for patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Questions remain on which agent physicians should administer first to their patients, as there are currently no head-to-head comparison data. However, results with acalabrutinib appear to be similar to that of ibrutinib but with better tolerability, according to Brian T. Hill, MD, PhD, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic.
Web-Based Intervention Helps Childhood Cancer Survivors With Physical Activity
Cure - Feb 16, 2018
"There are many different types of benefits that are derived from increasing physical activity," said press cast moderator Timothy Gilligan, MD, MSc, FASCO, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, an ASCO expert in survivorship care and a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute. 
NIH BULLETIN- Notices and Funding Opportunities
rfas 
Program Announcements
Oral Anticancer Agents: Utilization, Adherence, and Health Care Delivery (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)(PA-18-004)
Deadline: Standard dates apply

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Senior Fellowship (Parent F33)(PA-18-672)
Deadline: Standard dates apply

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30)(PA-18-673)
Deadline: Standard dates apply

Research on the Health of Women of Understudied, Underrepresented and Underreported (U3) Populations - An ORWH FY18 Administrative Supplement (Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)(PA-18-676)
Only one application per parent award may be submitted
Deadline: Apr 16, 2018

U.S. Tobacco Control Policies to Reduce Health Disparities (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)(PAR-18-674)
Deadline: Jun 13, 2018; Oct 11, 2018; Jun 13, 2019; Oct 11, 2019; Jun 15, 2020

U.S. Tobacco Control Policies to Reduce Health Disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)(PAR-18-675)
Deadline: Jun 13, 2018; Oct 11,2018; Jun 13, 2019; Oct 11, 2019; Jun 15, 2020
EVENTSevents
Fri, Feb 23
Taussig Cancer Institute Grand Rounds
8a CA5-120

Cancer Center Seminar Series
Jiaoti Huang, MD, PhD Professor and Chairman, Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine
"The role of cellular heterogeneity in therapeutic resistance and disease progression of prostate cancer" 
12p WRB 1-413
Mon, Feb 26
Pathology Seminar Series
Jedd Wolchok, MD, PhD
Professor, Microbiology & Immunology; 
Chief, Melanoma & Immunotherapeutics Service  Director, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy;  Associate Director, Ludwig Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
"Immunotherapy for Melanoma: The end of the beginning"
12p WRB 1-413

Cancer Center Research Chalk Talk
Stan Gerson, MD
Director, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
1p WRB 3-136

Physiology & Biophysics Seminar
Nami Tajima, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Furukawa lab, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
"Molecular mechanisms of NMDA receptor function and regulation"
4p SOM E501
Tues, Feb 27
Cancer Imaging Monthly Meeting
12p B-37

Immunology Seminar
Markus Müschen, MD, PhD
Chair, Systems Biology; Director of Basic Science,  City of Hope
"Central tolerance checkpoints in B cell malignancies"
12p WRB 1-413

THOR Seminar
Anna Woloszynska-Read, PhD
Assistant Professor, Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute
1p NE1-205

Cancer Center Research In Progress Seminar
3p WRB 3-136

Case CCC Clinical Research Retreat
5-7p WRB 1-413
Details & Registration
Thurs, Mar 1
Developmental Therapeutics Journal Club
9a R4-013

Molecular Biology and Microbiology Seminar
David Alvarez-Carbonell 
Molecular Biology and Microbiology, CWRU 
"Ex-vivo modeling of HIV-induced neurodamage"
1p SOM W203

Cancer Center Scientific Series: Research Innovation Fund
5-7 WRB 1-413
Fri, Mar 2
Hematology and Oncology
Grand Rounds
Andre De Souza, MD
Fellow, Division of Hematology/ Oncology, Roger Williams Medical Center
"A translational landscape of target agents and adoptive cell therapies in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma"
Wearn 137 8a

Taussig Cancer Institute Grand Rounds
8a CA5-120

Cancer Center Seminar Series
Lawrence Fong, MD
Efim Guzik Distinguished Professor in Cancer Biology; Leader, Cancer Immunotherapy Program, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Division of Hematology/Oncology Department of Medicine University of California, San Francisco
12p WRB 1-413

Open House/Happy Hour to Benefit VeloSano Team Case CCC 
Tavern of Little Italy (TOLI) 4-6p 

ADDITIONAL UPCOMING SYMPOSIUMS & EVENTS
prev-funding
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED OPPORTUNITIES

Deadline: Open

Deadline: Open

Case Comprehensive Cancer Center 
11100 Euclid Avenue, Wearn152
Cleveland, OH 44106-5065