The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, will partner with Cancer Research UK to fund Cancer Grand Challenges, an international initiative to address profound and unanswered questions in cancer research. Through Cancer Grand Challenges, NCI and Cancer Research UK will seek novel ideas from multidisciplinary research teams from around the world that offer the potential to make bold advances in cancer research and improve outcomes for people affected by cancer.

The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) extends congratulations to Sudha Chakrapani, PhD as she was recently appointed Director of the Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology (CCMSB).

Dr. Chakrapani is the Joseph T. Wearn, MD, University Professor in Medicine, Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, Director of the Cryo-Electron Microscopy Core at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine, and member of the Case CCC's Developmental Therapeutics Program.

From The Daily: A novel BAFF target for use in CAR-T constructs, discovered by Reshmi Parameswaran, MS, PhD was recently included in a formal license agreement between Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and Luminary Therapeutics.

Dr. Parameswaran is an assistant professor of pathology, pediatrics and medicine at CWRU School of Medicine and a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center's Hematopoietic and Immune Cancer Biology Program.

Luminary intends to conduct IND-enabling non-clinical studies to support two clinical trials with its novel and proprietary non-viral autologous BAFF CAR-T (LMY-920) to treat Mantle Cell Lymphoma and Sjogren’s Syndrome. This BAFF target is unique in that it binds to three distinct receptors (BAFF, BCMA, and TACI). Additionally, this BAFF target avoids early B-Cells while targeting more mature B-Cells that express one of three antigens.

On Tuesday, September 8, Cleveland Clinic's Hetty Carraway, MD will chair a webinar with updates on hematologic malignancies from 5:30-7:00 pm ET, as part of the Institutional Perspectives in Cancer (IPC) series, presented by OncLive.

Topics will include polycythemia vera, chronic myelogenous leukemia, CAR-T and CAR-T therapy (non-lymphoma directed therapy). Webinar registration is complimentary.

To-date, the 44 members that comprise Team Case Comprehensive Cancer Center have raised $19,882 and counting for lifesaving cancer research at Cleveland's top-tier hospitals and research institutions.

Despite the shift to Virtual VeloSano, our team pressed on and remained committed to participating in their chosen activities - biking, hiking, walking and yes, even gardening. Fundraising for this year's event will continue through October 1, 2020. Thank you to our committed team members, those who have donated to the cause and all who have cheered them on!

Health officials in Cuyahoga County are using a mathematical model developed by researchers at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and the University of Akron (UA) to forecast the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The research team, comprised of Daniela Calvetti, PhD, Johnie Rose, MD, PhD, and Erkki Somersalo, PhD of CWRU and Alexander Hoover, PhD of UA, uses census population and mobility data to model traffic and predict transmission of the virus, including transmission by infected-but-asymptomatic individuals. Dr. Rose is an assistant professor in the CWRU school of medicine and a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center's Cancer Prevention, Control, & Population Research Program. The group, who has been collaborating on various COVID-19 projects since early April, recently published a paper detailing the model's theories and calculations in Frontiers in Physics (Calvetti, 2020, Front Phys).

These forecasts assist the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, local hospitals and other institutions in planning for the rise, and recent downturn, of new daily infections in the region.

Earlier this week, University Hospitals (UH) announced plans to be one of about 120 global clinical investigation sites participating in the Phase II/III study of an investigational vaccine, known as BNT162b2, recently given Fast Track designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The study site is sponsored by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE and aims to enroll non-pregnant adults aged 18-85, with plans to ensure people of color, shown to be disproportionately affected by COVID-19, are well-represented in the study's enrollees.

The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center is now accepting applications for the Fall 2020 pilot funding opportunities:

Questions? Contact casecccpilots@case.edu or Julie DeJager Glavic at 216.368.5780.

The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) has budgeted funds for the conduct of early phase clinical trials of relatively short duration. The objectives are to identify and fund investigator-initiated trials, which meet the Cancer Center Support Grant and Case CCC requirements, entertain highly innovative and novel ideas, and which directly foster the mission of the Case CCC. These may be new trials under development or an existing investigator-initiated trial that is unfunded/underfunded. Priority will be given to trials that have been developed jointly between investigators at both hospital systems (University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic), with planned accrual at both sites.

The NCI has announced a Request for Applications for the Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition (F99/K00) Award for 2020, to support outstanding PhD candidates as they complete their dissertation research training (F99 phase; 1-2 years) and transition to a mentored, cancer-focused postdoctoral career development research positions (K00 phase – up to 4 years).

The F99/K00 award is open to 3rd or 4th year PhD students, including F31 Fellowship applicants and current awardees (note that 3 rd or 4 th year students would have matriculated in 2017 or 2018). International students may also apply. Students Matriculated in a dual-degree program (e.g.) MD/PhD, DO/PhD, DDS/PhD, or DVM/PhD) are not eligible for the F99/K00 program. Projects must be clearly focused on cancer.

To apply for this award, an applicant must be nominated by their institution. As each institution is allocated only one nomination, the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) requires potential applicants to assemble a pre-application.

Click here to download nomination application instructions. Contact Damian Junk at damian.junk@case.edu for additional information.

With the generous support from VeloSano Bike to Cure, the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) is providing funding for Case CCC Trainee Associate Members to perform their “dream experiment.”

The experiment should catalyze highly innovative and impactful projects and help strengthen fellowship and career development grant applications. The intent of the award is to support a single or limited set of innovative experiments, not for general laboratory supplies/projects or maintenance of the trainee’s project.

Up to five (4) projects will be funded at $10,000/award. Research projects must be completed within one (1) year, with funds expended by June 30, 2021.

The Clinical and Translational Pilot Award Program is funded through the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, which defines translation as “the process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public — from diagnostics and therapeutics to medical procedures and behavioral changes.” (https://ncats.nih.gov/translation) The program is a component of the UL1 TR002548 Clinical and Translational Science Awards from the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Annual Pilots will be prioritized for projects that have the potential for moving ideas and/or technologies towards patients.  This includes drug and device development, interventions, and research methods and processes in the translational space, including implementation science.

The Department of Defense and its Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) have announced program details and application instructions for the following FY2020 Programs: