Week of February 22, 2022 |
|
The Value of a Single Life
Presidents’ Day Weekend will always have a special meaning for me. I remember the joyous agony, over a three-day period just one year ago, of saying goodbye to my father and then welcoming our youngest grandchild, who was about to embark on a perilous, life-threatening journey. All this in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, which by then had claimed millions of lives around the globe, each of them equally precious.
|
|
MRI May Lower Breast Cancer Deaths From Variants in Three Genes
Annual MRI screenings starting at ages 30 to 35 may reduce breast-cancer mortality by more than 50% among women who carry certain genetic changes in three genes, according to a comparative modeling analysis newly published in JAMA Oncology. Authors of the study, who include Georgetown Lombardi researcher Jeanne Mandelblatt, MD, MPH, contend that their findings support MRI screening in some of these women earlier than existing preventive-care guidelines propose. Read more about this research.
|
|
METRO Developmental Fund Awardees Announced
The following researchers were awarded funds for their proposals from the METRO Program’s cancer center-supported research program pilot fund. These funds were designated to enhance and accelerate the tempo of program members’ scientific research, and to further the program’s research productivity.
- Nagi Ayad and Sivanesan Dakshanamurthy: “Identification of Brain Penetrant Small Molecules for the Treatment of Brain Cancer”
- Sreejith Nair: “ERα Signaling for the Development of Experimental Model to Further Expand Understanding of Therapeutic Resistance”
- Johannes Zakrzewski: “Combination of B-cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA)/Cluster of Differentiation 3 (CD3) Bispecific Antibody Therapy with NexImmune’s Artificial Immune Modulation (AIM) Platform in Multiple Myeloma”
- Jaemin Byun and Rachel Rosenstein: “Investigation of a Role for CDH11 in Sclerotic cGVHD”
- Sivanesan Dakshamurthy and Louis Weiner: “Discovery and Development of CD8+ and CD4+ T Cell Epitope-Based Personalized Cancer Vaccines”
|
|
Monday, March 21 - Friday, March 25
Afternoons in The Research Building
In-person and hybrid/virtual format, by appointment
|
|
Tuesday, February 22
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Joseph V. Bonventre, MD, PhD, Samuel A. Levine Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, chief of the renal unit and chief of the Engineering in Medicine Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, director of health sciences and technology, Massachusetts General Hospital, presents “Human Kidney Organoids and Organoid Derived Cells to Interrogate Kidney Biology.” Sponsored by the Department of Biochemistry, Office of the Dean for Research, and the Center for Cell Reprogramming. Join the Bhussry Seminar via Zoom.
|
|
Thursday, February 24
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Zoe Malchiodi, PhD student in the Tumor Biology Program, presents “Understanding the Functions of Natural Killer Cells in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.” Mentor: Lou Weiner, MD. Join the meeting via Zoom.
|
|
Thursday February 24
10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Jerry Xiao, MD-PhD candidate in Tumor Biology, defends his thesis, “Investigating the Mechanisms of Cancer Metastasis Through Zebrafish Xenografts and Circulating Tumor Cells.” Mentors: Seema Agarwal, PhD, and Richard Schlegel, MD, PhD. Join via Zoom (Meeting ID: 94456403112).
|
|
NHS Values Based Lecture
Thursday, February 24
3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Father Michael Rozier, SJ, Visiting Jesuit Chair, delivers this year’s talk, “Health Systems and Human Dignity: Moral Imagination as a Tool for Reform,” part of the celebration of the Ignatian Year. Sponsored by the Committee on Mission and Values at the School of Nursing & Health Studies. Register for this lecture.
|
|
Thursday, February 24
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Jonathan Schneck, MD, PhD, professor, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Translational Immunology, JH-TIE, Director, The Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering, presents “Engineering Artificial Antigen Presenting Cells, aAPC, for Cancer Immunotherapy: From Bench to Bedside.” Sponsored by the Office of the Dean for Research. Join this seminar via Zoom.
|
|
Friday, February 25
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Learn how to upload your CV, add your personal website information, upload a syllabus, publications and more. Register for this class.
|
|
Friday, February 25
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Elana Fertig, PhD, associate professor of oncology, director of the Division/Research Program in Quantitative Sciences, co-director of the Convergence Institute, associate director of quantitative sciences, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, presents “Pattern Detection for Precision Cancer Immunotherapy From Spatial Profiling and Single-cell Data.” Join the lecture via Zoom.
|
|
Friday, February 25
4:00 p.m.
The 19th-annual John Collins Harvey Lecture, presented by the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics, features a conversation with Farr A. Curlin, MD, Josiah Trent Professor of Medical Humanities and co-director of the Theology, Medicine and Culture Initiative at Duke University. The conversation will be moderated by Myles Sheehan, MD, SJ, director of the Pellegrino Center. Register for the Harvey Lecture.
|
|
Monday, February 28
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Gary J. Patti, PhD, Michael and Tana Powell Professor of Chemistry in Arts & Sciences, professor of medicine, and director, Center for Metabolomics and Isotope Tracing, Washington University in St. Louis, presents “Mechanisms for Co-opting Healthy Tissue Metabolism to Drive Tumor Growth.” Sponsored by the Center for Metabolomic Studies. Join this seminar via Zoom.
|
|
Funding and Award Opportunities
V Foundation 2022 Translational Adult Cancer Research Grant Program (Early Detection of Cancer)
The V Foundation seeks to support translational research projects within the scope of adult cancer research, specifically in the focus area of early detection of cancer. We encourage cross disciplinary research, including expertise from other disciplines (for example: bioinformatics, computational scientists, or engineers) as applicable to the research. We are also interested in, but do not require, that the application evaluate the biological basis of cancer disparities experienced by patients from minority ethnic or racial populations related to cancer causes, aggressiveness, treatment or relapse. The total amount of this grant is $600,000, paid in three annual installments of $200,000. An invited institution may submit one nominee to apply. Read the full RFA. Those interested should submit a letter of intent to Sharon Levy (sgl5@georgetown.edu) by Feb. 23.
_______________________________
Gilead and Kite Research Scholarships in Oncology
Gilead Sciences and Kite Research Scholars Programs support innovative research from early career investigators around the world to advance scientific knowledge in areas of unmet medical need and improve the lives of patients everywhere. The Research Scholars Program offerings in the fields of hematology and oncology are designed to support innovative basic, translational, and/or clinical research projects in hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Each award is funded up to $130,000 for two years, to be paid in annual installments of up to $65,000 USD per year. Junior faculty and early career scientists from the United States and Canada are eligible to apply. Gilead and Kite currently offer two Research Scholars Programs in oncology:
_______________________________
Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program
The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program (BMSF DCTCDP) is a two-year program designed to support the career development of early-stage investigator (as defined by NIH) physicians underrepresented in medicine, or physicians who have a demonstrated commitment to increasing diversity in clinical research, to become independent clinical trial investigators who are engaged in advancing health equity through their research and mentoring. Awardees receive $120K/year for two years; requires at least 40% of the scholar’s time. View more information. LOI deadline extended to March 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
_______________________________
MDS Research Fund
The Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation founded the MDS Research Fund to advance the understanding and treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) and related blood disorders. The foundation is now accepting Letters of Inquiry for its 6th annual MDS Research Fund. A total of three new grants, two Early Career Awards and one Established Investigator Award, will be awarded.
- Early Career Investigator Awards will provide funding of up to $125,000 per year for two years
- Established Investigator Awards will provide funding of up to $250,000 per year for two years.
|
|
Meetings in italics should be attended by all fellows.
|
|
9:00 AM | Breast Research Meeting | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 528212194)
11:00 AM | GU/Melanoma Research Meeting | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 796253566)
12:15 PM | Dr. Cunningham – Iron Deficiency Anemia | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 987 3224 3543)
4:00 PM | GU Tumor Board (on 1st/3rd Mondays of the month) | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 869742463)
|
|
9:00 AM | Hematology Path Conference - Inpatient Heme fellows + Outpatient Heme + BMT fellow | Podium A / Microsoft Teams (CME code: 80737; phone: 202-796-7323)
12:15 PM | Dr. Burman – Thyroid Cancer | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 987 3224 3543)
4:00 PM | Liver Tumor Board | WebEx (dial 844-302-0362; Meeting number (access code): 711 507 430, password: Mse4mGSA2N5)
5:00 PM | Breast Tumor Board | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 93777073374; CME code: 80044)
|
|
8:00 AM | Thoracic Tumor Board – Thoracic Fellow | Podium A / Zoom
9:00 AM | Thoracic Research Meeting – Thoracic Fellow | Podium A / Microsoft Teams
12:15 PM | Dr. Barac – Cardiac Function and HER 2/Anthracycline Treatment | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 81006565631)
|
|
9:00 AM | Cancer Research Data Meeting | Speaker: Zoe Malchiodi | Zoom
9:30 AM | Head and Neck Tumor Board - Thoracic Fellow attendance encouraged as clinic allows | Microsoft Teams
12:15 PM | TBD | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 987 3224 3543)
12:30 PM | GI Research Meeting | WebEx (dial 844-302-0362, Meeting Number (access code): 712527865, HOST PIN: 5514)
|
|
7:00 AM | CNS Tumor Board | Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 378 807 316)
12:00 PM | Oncology Grand Rounds Lecture Series: Elana Fertig, PhD | “Pattern Detection for Precision Cancer Immunotherapy From Spatial Profiling and Single-cell Data” | Zoom
12:15 PM | No lecture. May have Dr. Jain talk about research at VA. TBD. | Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 987 3224 3543)
1:00 PM | Pancreas Tumor Boar d | WebEx (dial 844-302-0362, Meeting Number (access code): 712527865, HOST PIN: 5514)
|
|
Connect with Georgetown Lombardi on Social Media |
|
If you would like to share news or updates from your department, please get in touch with Sarah Riehl. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
