Holiday Message

Greetings after this long holiday weekend. I hope that all of you who celebrate Easter had a wonderful and meaningful observance. I took a bit of a break late in the past week — a few meetings but lots of writing. The coming week will be busy, and I’ll be off to the annual AACR meeting on Friday, so there will be no blog next week.

Read more.

American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant Recipients Named

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant pilot awards:



- Batsirai Mabvakure, PhD: “The Role of Somatic Evolution in Colorectal Cancer Disparities”

- Robert Suter, PhD: “A Systems Drug-Discovery Approach to Co-target Tumor Cell Heterogeneity and Detrimental TME Interactions in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma”

These one-year, non-renewable $30,000 research grants are intended to help launch promising new projects by early career faculty members.

‘Lombardi Voices’ Now Available for Download

Each year, the Georgetown Lombardi Arts and Humanities Program publishes “Lombardi Voices,” a collection of poems by participants in the expressive writing program. The spring 2024 edition of “Lombardi Voices” is now available for download. This project is made possible with support from the Kathleen A. Beard Endowment for the Arts and Humanities. For more information and to submit poetry for future editions, contact Arts and Humanities Program Manager Noni Ford at nf332@georgetown.edu.

Synchronous Virtual Faculty Orientation and Resource Refresher Sessions

The Office of Faculty and Academic Affairs will host an orientation and resource refresher virtual workshop for all faculty, with sessions specific to university and non-university employed faculty (faculty employed by hospital affiliates such as MedStar Health).

- University Employed: Monday, April 8 at 12:00 p.m. ET

- Non-University Employed: Thursday, April 11 at 12:00 p.m. ET

Whether you are a new faculty member or you are looking for a refresher on the resources available for your faculty development, please consider attending. Presentations will be posted on the OFAA Orientation web page afterward.

RSVP to attend a session. 

Save the Date: 36th Annual Lombardi Gala

Saturday, April 27 

Held at:

The Anthem

901 Wharf Street, SW, Washington DC

6:30 - 7:30 p.m.: Cocktail Reception

7:30 - 9:30 p.m.: Dinner Program

9:30 - 11:00 p.m.: After Hours Party

Black-tie optional. View more information.

Closing Women’s History Month With the Story of the First Two Women Admitted to Georgetown

The first two women admitted to Georgetown University applied to the School of Medicine in 1880. As the Georgetown Lombardi DEI Office continues to empower women to participate in cancer research through information resources and a variety of funding opportunities, we also wanted to share a short documentary from the 2021 archives of the Gender+ Justice Initiative: More to the Story: Documenting the Lives of the First Known Women Students at Georgetown, Dr. Annie E. Rice and Dr. Jeannette J. Sumner. This piece was produced by Jane Varner Malhotra, former Gender+ Justice fellow and Georgetown’s director of medical advancement communications (G’21).

CDI Seminar: “Safe But Not Too Safe — Human Challenge for Tuberculosis”

Tuesday, April 2

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

Presented by Eric Rubin, MD, PhD, editor-in-chief, New England Journal of Medicine, adjunct professor of immunology and infectious disease, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, and associate physician, Brigham & Women's Hospital. Join via Zoom. (+Google Calendar)

Department of Microbiology & Immunology Seminar Series: “Tools and Pathways to Understanding the Human Microbiome”

Tuesday, April 2

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Colm S. O’Huigin, PhD, senior scientist, Frederick National Lab for Cancer Research and head, Microbiome and Genetics Core, Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, National Cancer Institute. Join this seminar in Med-Dent NE301 or via Zoom. (+Google Calendar)

Clinical Research Coordinator Seminar Series

Wednesday, April 3

12:30 - 2:00 p.m.

This series is designed for Clinical Research Professionals and others vested in the care of research participants. The series provides opportunities for professional development as well as updates on GU policies, procedures and operations related to clinical research. Register for the Zoom seminar series.

PhD Thesis Defense

Wednesday, April 3

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Yutong Luo, MS, PhD candidate in Biostatistics, presents “Deconvolution Analysis and Differential Expression Inference for Bulk Tissues and Spatial Transcriptomics.” Mentor: Ruzong Fan, PhD. Join this event in Warwick Evans Conference Room, Building D. (+Google Calendar)

Cancer Research Data Meeting

There will be no meeting on Thursday, April 4.

Computational Biology Working Group Monthly Meeting

Wednesday, April 3

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Featuring a research presentation by Atul Deshpande, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Quantitative Sciences, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, titled “Within You From Without You: Spatial Analysis of the Tumor Microenvironment Inspired by Geographical Information Systems.” View meeting agenda. Join this meeting via Zoom. (+Google Calendar)

Brain Tumor Working Group Meeting

Thursday, April 4

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Featuring the research presentation “IMPACT: Immunotherapy for Malignant Pediatric brain tumors employing Adoptive Cellular Therapy” by Brian Rood, MD, Children’s National Hospital. View meeting agenda. Join this meeting in New Research Building E501 Conference Room or via Zoom. (+Google Calendar)

IO/Heme Working Group Meeting

Thursday, April 4

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Anne Renteria, MD, medical director of the Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, talks about the Cellular Therapy Program. Join this meeting via Zoom. (+Google Calendar)

Oncology Grand Rounds Lecture Series

There will be no lecture on Friday, April 5. Grand Rounds resumes April 12.

Next Week

Distinguished Scientist Seminar Series: “A Fireside Chat with Dr. Fauci”

Monday, April 8

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Presented by Anthony Fauci, MD, Georgetown University Distinguished University Professor in the School of Medicine and the McCourt School of Public Policy. In-person, New Research Building Auditorium, with Zoom option. (+Google Calendar)

Rapid Qualitative Data Analysis Workshop

Tuesday, April 9

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Georgetown Lombardi researchers Randi Williams, PhD, MPH, Lisa Carter-Bawa, PhD, MPH, and Alejandra Hurtado de Mendoza, PhD, will conduct a training on rapid qualitative data analysis, which offers an expeditious approach to evaluate dynamic and time-sensitive topics. Join this training in Conference Room G-308, 2115 Wisconsin Ave. or via Zoom. (+Google Calendar)

GUFaculty360 Class - Updating Your Profile

Tuesday, April 9

1:00 - 2:00 p.m. 

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

Cancer Research Data Meeting

Thursday, April 11

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Presented by Tumor Biology PhD student Giselle Burton Sojo. Join the meeting in W302 or via Zoom. (+Google Calendar)

Distinguished Scientist Seminar Series: “Chaperones Play Hot Potato With Unfolded Proteins in the Periplasm”

Thursday, April 11

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Presented by Karen Fleming, PhD, professor of biophysics, Johns Hopkins University. In-person, New Research Building Auditorium, with Zoom option. (+Google Calendar)

Oncology Grand Rounds Lecture Series: “Leveraging Immune Metabolism to Improve Cancer Therapy”

Friday, April 12

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Presented by Greg Delgoffe, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Join this lecture in the New Research Building Auditorium or via Zoom. (+Google Calendar)

Healthcare Hackathon with AI (H2AI) 

Friday, April 12, 6:00 p.m., to Sunday, April 14, 2:00 p.m.

More than 250 clinicians, engineers and students in the DMV area (Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia) with backgrounds in computer science, medicine, and business come together for a 36-hour hackathon to create innovative ideas in Al and medicine for better patient care. Join this event in the Copley Formal Lounge, Copley Hall. Register.

In the News

NPR A Cancer Diagnosis is a Shock. Here's Advice on How To Share the News



CURE Biomarker Testing ‘Vital’ to Identify Best Treatments for Lung Cancer

Publications

Transcription Elongation Defects Link Oncogenic SF3B1 Mutations to Targetable Alterations in Chromatin Landscape

Tissue-Specific Thresholds of Mutation Burden Associated With Anti-PD-1/L1 Therapy Benefit and Prognosis in Microsatellite-Stable Cancers

A Scoping Review of Web-Based, Interactive, Personalized Decision-Making Tools Available to Support Breast Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Care

Tumor Intrinsic Subtypes and Gene Expression Signatures in Early-Stage ERBB2/HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of CALGB 40601, NeoALTTO, and NSABP B-41 Trials



Disparities, Aging and Childhood Cancer

AACR Funding Opportunities



The following AACR funding opportunities are open for applications. View a complete list of current and upcoming AACR funding opportunities. Please direct questions to the Research and Grants Administration Department: grants@aacr.org.

Breast Cancer:

AACR-Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance-Deborah Mueller Foundation Fund Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Innovation and Discovery Grants

Funding: $50,000 over one year; Eligibility: Applicants must be independent investigators affiliated with an academic, medical or nonprofit research institution; Application Deadline: April 12

Cancer Disparities:

AACR Cancer Disparities Research Fellowships

Funding: $130,000 over two years; Eligibility: Applicants must be working under the auspices of a mentor and have completed their doctoral degree or medical residency (if applicable) within the past five years of the grant start date; Application Deadline: April 16

Kidney Cancer:

AACR-Exelixis Renal Cell Carcinoma Research Fellowship

Funding: $130,000 over two years; Eligibility: Applicants must be working under the auspices of a mentor and have completed their doctoral degree or medical residency (if applicable) within the past five years of the grant start date; Application Deadline: April 11

AACR-KidneyCAN Kidney Cancer Innovation and Discovery Grants

Funding: $50,000 over one year; Eligibility: Applicants must be independent investigators affiliated with an academic, medical or nonprofit research institution; Application Deadline: April 11

The Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Awards

The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research Emerging Leader Awards are granted to outstanding early career investigators to support high-impact, high-risk projects that are distinct from their current research portfolio. Applicants must be an MD, PhD, or equivalent and three to eight years from the start of an independent faculty research appointment (start date must fall within 2016-2021). The awards are $750,000 total over a three-year term, beginning January 1, 2025. Letters of intent must be submitted through the online application system by 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday, April 29. View complete details and submission guidelines.

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 young 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. View full application information. Direct questions to Kelli Lozada Reese, pbp.2vp@gmail.com. Applications for grants must be submitted electronically as well as mailed to the office of the National Second Vice President by Monday, June 10.

Federal Grants Digest: Colleges & Universities Edition

A weekly curated digest of federal funding opportunities of interest to colleges and universities to support programming, research, infrastructure and other efforts, provided by Thorn Run Partners. View current issue (for March 27, 2024).

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 - none | 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 Lecture Series | none | New Research Building Auditorium / Zoom

12:00 PM | Dr. Rapisuwon - ABIM Melanoma/Skin Questions | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)

1:00 PM | Dr. Gibney - Melanoma | 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 | Dr. Gibney - Other Skin Cancers | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)