Celebration Time

Amidst all of the uncertainty, we still have so much to celebrate. On Sunday, Harriet and I hosted my lab group at our home to celebrate Rachael Maynard’s recent successful defense of her PhD thesis. Her thesis work demonstrated the potential of using proteases that can be transduced into NK cells and T cells to promote the invasion of those cells into fibrotic solid tumor microenvironments. Rachael begins her formal clinical years for her MD degree on Monday, so this was the perfect time to celebrate her accomplishment as she heads into the next chapter of her training. Congratulations, Rachael! Read more.

Lombardi Lectures & Meetings

Held in the New Research Building Auditorium (Zoom option).

Held in W302 (Zoom option).

Faculty Mentors Needed for the 2024 Summer Research Volunteer Program

The Summer Research Volunteer Program is currently accepting applications from high school and undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing summer research opportunities with Georgetown Lombardi for summer 2025 (June - August). If you would like to mentor students for this summer internship, please email Dr. Mira Jung (jungm@georgetown.edu) to indicate your interest and provide the following information:

• Specify the number of students you can accommodate.
• Indicate whether you intend for students to work in-person or virtually.

After the application period closes on March 31, more information will be provided only to the investigators who have expressed interest about student/mentor matching and a list of applications for review and selection.

Sign Up to Receive Funding Opportunity Newsletters

Fill out this form to receive a biweekly email newsletter with various private institutional funding opportunities curated by the Office of Institutional Partnerships.

The newsletter will be sent using Pivot-RP, a funding opportunities database that contains more than 22,000 records, representing over 400,000 funding opportunities. We encourage you to sign up for a free Pivot account using your Georgetown email in order to have full access to the funding opportunity information (view instructions here). You do not need a Pivot account to receive the newsletter, but if you do not have an account, your access to the full funding postings will be limited. The newsletter will be sent from the following address: pivot.support@proquest.com.

If you are interested in applying for one of the newsletter funding opportunities or would like to know more about how to find funding for your projects, please contact the Office of Institutional Partnerships (guoip@georgetown.edu) and the Joint Office for Research Administration (jora@georgetown.edu).

BellRinger Training Rides are Back

Riders are registering, teams are forming, and momentum is building for BellRinger 2025. Training rides have started for this year’s ride. These are open to anyone who wants to join — registered or not. Just bring a bike and a helmet. For more detailed information on each ride and to RSVP, visit the BellRinger Training Page.

You can register for the October ride now and use code LOMBARDI25 to waive the $100 registration fee.

Register for the Research & Education Symposium

Register now through May 9 for the 2025 MedStar Health–Georgetown University Research & Education Symposium. Reserve your place at this event offering professional workshops, research presentations, networking opportunities, an exhibit hall and special guest Norah O’Donnell. All MedStar Health and Georgetown University community members are invited to attend the symposium, held on Monday, May 19, at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. View more information.

Call for Applications: GUMC Faculty Mentoring Program Fall 2025 Cohort

The GUMC Faculty Mentoring Program for New and Early Career Faculty is open for applications for a new cohort of 20 mentees and five pod leaders.

• Join an information session on Tuesday, April 8 at 4:30 p.m. to learn about the program, what mentees and pod leaders can expect, and have your questions answered. RSVP for this information session.

Learn more about the mentoring program and apply on the GUMC Faculty Mentoring Program webpage by April 11. Contact gumcmentoring@georgetown.edu with any questions.

Synchronous Virtual Faculty Orientation and Resource Refresher Sessions

The Office of Faculty and Academic Affairs hosts orientation and resource refresher virtual workshops for all faculty, both university and non-university employed (faculty employed by hospital affiliates such as MedStar Health). Suitable for new and current faculty members. RSVP.

• Non-University Employed: Wednesday, April 9, 12:00 p.m. ET
• University Employed: Tuesday, April 15, 12:00 p.m. ET

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Department of Microbiology & Immunology Seminar: “Defective ‘Zombie’ HIV-1 Proviruses: Implications for Immune Activation and Viral Persistence”

Presented by Timothy Newfield, PhD, associate professor, Departments of History and Biology, Georgetown University. Join this seminar in NE301 Med-Dent Building or via Zoom.

1:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Research and Innovation Showcase 2025

This half-day event highlights discoveries, celebrates innovation, features new ventures, and connects academia with industry and investors. It includes research presentations, an industry panel discussion, and a venture fair presenting new entrepreneurial companies and teams from the Georgetown community. Sponsored by the Office of Technology Commercialization and Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative. Join this event in Lohrfink Auditorium, Hariri Building. Register by 3/24.

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Research Presentation: “Tobacco Control Research in the Era of Big Data”

Presented by Thuy Le, PhD, assistant research scientist, School of Public Health, University of Michigan. Join this presentation in Room G001, 2115 Wisconsin Ave. or via Zoom.

12:30 - 2:00 p.m.

Clinical Research Coordinator Seminar Series

Designed for clinical research professionals and others vested in the care of research participants, this series provides opportunities for professional development and updates on Georgetown policies, procedures and operations related to clinical research. Register for this Zoom seminar series.

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Breast Cancer Interest Group Meeting

Agenda includes the presentation “Estradiol and Estrone Govern Different ER Cistromes and Transcriptomes Relevant to Cancer Progression in Obesity” by Joyce Slingerland, MD, PhD, professor, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, co-leader, Cancer Host Interaction Program, Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Join this meeting in-person, E501 conference room, New Research Building, with Zoom option.

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Cancer Research Data Meeting

Prerna Singh presents “DEAD-box RNA Helicases as Regulators of the Wnt Signaling Pathway.” Join this meeting in-person in W302 New Research Building with Zoom option.

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

PhD Thesis Defense

Arthur Patrick McDeed IV, MS, PhD candidate in Biostatistics, presents “Cell-Type Deconvolution of Liquid Biopsy Samples Using Methylated cfDNA: Methods and Clinical Applications.” Join this event in Proctor Harvey Amphitheater, North, Med-Dent Building.

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Brain Tumor Working Group Meeting

Agenda includes the presentation “Navigating Cellular Therapy in the CNS: Hurdles and Future Directions” by Jessica Foster, MD, Assistant Professor, Division of Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Join this meeting in E501, New Research Building or via Zoom.

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Distinguished Scientist Seminar Series: “Mind the Gap (Junction): Imaging the Dynamics of Hormone Secretion in the Pancreas”

Presented by Richard Benninger, PhD, professor of bioengineering and pediatrics, Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus. Join this seminar in the New Research Building Auditorium or via Zoom.

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Oncology Grand Rounds Series: “Epigenetic Regulators of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Pathways in Melanoma”

Presented by Ze’ev Ronai, PhD, director, Translational Research Institute, professor, Departments of Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. Join in-person, New Research Building Auditorium, with Zoom option.

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Center for Metabolomic Studies Seminar Series: “PKM2 Mediated Modulation of Mitochondrial Epigenome in CD8 T cells Enhances Outcomes of Cancer Immunotherapy”

Presented by Vivek Verma, PhD, assistant professor, immunology, cancer immunotherapy and immune metabolism, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota. Join this seminar via Zoom.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

GUFaculty360 Class - Updating Your Profile

Learn how to upload your CV, add your personal website information, upload a syllabus, publications and more. Register for this Zoom workshop.

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Cross Cultural Challenges in Healthcare and the Learning Environment

This Equity Forward Faculty Workshop is presented by Patrick D. Herron, DBe, adjunct professor at the School of Medicine and associate professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center. Register for this Zoom workshop.

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Cancer Research Data Meeting

Presentation by Emily Stahl. Join this meeting in-person in W302 New Research Building with Zoom option.

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Radiation Sciences Working Group Seminar

Featuring the presentation “Glial Signaling Mechanisms of Radiation-Induced Cognitive Decline” by Munjal M. Acharya, MS, PhD, associate professor, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine. Join this seminar via Zoom.

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Distinguished Scientist Seminar Series: “Precision Nanomedicine with Image Guidance for Cancer Therapy”

Presented by Anna Moore, PhD, professor, Departments of Radiology, Physiology and Bioengineering; director, Precision Health Program; associate dean for research development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University. Join this seminar in the New Research Building Auditorium or via Zoom.

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Oncology Grand Rounds Series: “The Road to Cure for Myeloma”

Presented by Ken Anderson, MD, director, Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Kraft Family Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Join in-person, New Research Building Auditorium, with Zoom option.

Publications

Prognostic Value of Residual Disease (RD) Biology and Gene Expression Changes During the Neoadjuvant Treatment in Patients with HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer (EBC)

SOHO State of the Art Updates and Next Questions | Latest Advances in the Management of Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma

Impact of Endocrine Therapy Regimens for Early-Stage ER+/HER2-Breast Cancer on Contralateral Breast Cancer Risk



GNNSeq: A Sequence-Based Graph Neural Network for Predicting Protein-Ligand Binding Affinity

In the News

The Georgetowner 37th Lombardi Gala Honors Those Who Made Transformative Contributions in Cancer Research

Targeted Oncology SUNLIGHT Findings Emphasize Role of VEGF Inhibition in Refractory CRC

The Daily Pennsylvanian Penn Student Awarded Leadership Award for Nonprofit Book Drive

National Cancer Institute Zenocutuzumab Approved to Treat Lung and Pancreatic Cancers with Rare Genetic Change

The Hoya Lombardi, Northern Ireland Celebrate Cancer Research Partnership

DEADLINE THIS WEEK: FY26 Toulmin Pilot Project Awards

The Toulmin Pilot Projects are designed to target innovative multidisciplinary biomedical research that will lead to grant funding submission in the next fiscal year. Apply by Tuesday, April 1, at 5:00 p.m. ET. The program is open to full-time research faculty at GUMC.

• View the RFP for eligibility and application details.
• Submit applications via Google Form.

The Toulmin Pilot Projects are supported through the philanthropy of Harry and Virginia Toulmin.

Request for Applications — American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant Pilot Project Grants

Up to three American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant (IRG) Pilot Project Grants will be funded to help launch promising new projects by early career faculty members. These are one-year, non-renewable $30,000 research grants that are funded through Georgetown Lombardi’s IRG, which is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Open to early career faculty (e.g., assistant professor or equivalent), who are eligible to apply for independent national competitive research grants (e.g. NIH R-level grants, ACS Research Scholar Grants, and similar), but who do not currently hold and have not previously held such a grant, with the exception of an R00, which is allowed. Download full eligibility criteria, application and submission instructions. Application deadline: Monday, May 5, at 11:59 p.m. For scientific or eligibility questions, contact Dr. Rebecca Riggins (PI of the ACS IRG), rbr7@georgetown.edu. For application download or upload questions, contact Denise Harley, flessatd@georgetown.edu, or Karen Howenstein, khowenst@georgetown.edu.

Winn Career Development Award for Early Stage Physician Investigators

The Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award for Early-Stage Investigator Physicians (formerly known as the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award) is now accepting applications for its fifth cohort of scholars. This a two-year program designed to support the career development of early-stage investigator physicians who are underrepresented in medicine (URiM) or who have a demonstrated commitment to increasing diversity in clinical research and whose research focuses on cancer, cardiovascular disease or immunologic disorders. The program prepares participants to become independent clinical trial investigators engaged in advancing health equity through their research and mentoring. Read more about this program. Apply via this portal. Application Deadline: May 12. Submit questions to winncda@vcu.edu

Phi Beta Psi Grant Proposal Invitation

The goal of the Phi Beta Psi Charity Trust is to advance cancer research nationwide to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment by providing research grants to qualified investigators addressing original questions and hypotheses to be explored in basic and clinical studies in the field of cancer. Research applications must be focused on brain, breast, colorectal, endometrial, lung, ovarian, pancreatic or prostate cancer. Preference is given to early-career investigators with documented evidence of potential for conducting novel research of either basic or clinical aspects of cancer and cancer-related problems. Applications from established investigators exploring new and innovative areas of cancer research also will be considered. Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible. Two proposals from Georgetown Lombardi will be considered for what is anticipated to be six grants. View full application information. Direct questions to Kelli Lozada Reese, pbp.2vp@gmail.com. Applications must be submitted via email as well as mailed to the office of the National Second Vice President by Tuesday, June 10.

8:00 AM | Division Weekly Update Meeting | Podium A / Microsoft Teams

8:30 AM | Monday Morning Oncology Report | Inpatient Oncology Fellow | Podium A / Microsoft Teams

9:00 AM | Breast Research Meeting | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 528 212 194)

11:00 AM | GU/Melanoma Research Meeting | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 796 253 566)

4:00 PM | GU Tumor Board (on 1st/3rd Mondays of the month) | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 869 742 463)

9:00 AM | Hematology Path Conference - Inpatient Heme fellows + Outpatient Heme + BMT fellow | Podium A / Microsoft Teams (CME code: 80737; phone: 202-796-7323)

4:00 PM | Liver Tumor Board | Microsoft Teams

5:00 PM | Breast Tumor Board | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 932 1012 3816; CME Code: 87253)

8:00 AM | Thoracic Tumor Board | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 993 7680 5192; Passcode: 4231; CME 86693)

12:00 PM | Melanoma Tumor Board | Podium A / Microsoft Teams (CME: 80988)

5:00 PM | GI Tumor Board | Podium A / Microsoft Teams

9:00 AM | Cancer Research Data Meeting | Prerna Singh: “DEAD-box RNA Helicases as Regulators of the Wnt Signaling Pathway” | W302 New Research Building or Zoom

9:30 AM | Head and Neck Tumor Board | Microsoft Teams

12:30 PM | GI Research Meeting | WebEx (dial 844-302-0362, Meeting Number (access code): 712527865, HOST PIN: 5514)

5:00 PM | Lymphoma Tumor Board - every other week | Microsoft Teams

5:00 PM | Myeloma Tumor Board - every other week | Microsoft Teams

7:00 AM | CNS Tumor Board | Microsoft Teams (Meeting ID: 298 285 483 265, Passcode: rJWpmU)

12:00 PM | Oncology Grand Rounds | Ze’ev Ronai, PhD: “Epigenetic Regulators of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Pathways in Melanoma” | New Research Building Auditorium / Zoom

12:00 PM | TBA | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)

1:00 PM | TBA | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)

1:00 PM | Pancreas Tumor Board | Microsoft Teams (Meeting ID: 299 996 740 910, Passcode: z7j7Rc)

2:00 PM | TBA | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)