Celebration of Virtuosity

I just returned from San Diego, which is hosting the annual meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer. On Friday evening, SITC held a black-tie reception and dinner at the iconic Hotel del Coronado to introduce and celebrate its third class of members of the Academy of Immuno-Oncology. The Academy now has 33 members, with six new inductees, including our own Mike Atkins. He was honored for his innumerable contributions in translating immunology into immunotherapy advances, starting with the development of high-dose IL-2 therapy in the 1980s, continuing to the present day, where he has led the charge to identify the proper way to combine immunotherapy with signaling inhibitors in advanced melanoma.

Read more.



Tobacco Regulations Center Receives $20 Million for Tobacco Use Research



The Center for the Assessment of Tobacco Regulations (CAsToR) — a collaboration among Georgetown University, the University of Michigan, and the British Columbia (BC) Cancer Research Institute — recently received $20 million in funding to continue its research on the impact of tobacco regulations on tobacco use patterns and their downstream health effects. Read more about this news.

Atkins Inducted as Academy of Immuno-Oncology Fellow

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) has inducted Georgetown Lombardi Deputy Director Michael B. Atkins, MD, as a Fellow of the Academy of Immuno-Oncology (FAIO). The 2023 class was inducted November 3 at the SITC’s 38th Annual Meeting in San Diego. Read more about this honor.

Thank You, BellRinger 2023 Participants!

Thank you to all who participated in the second annual BellRinger! This year’s ride was one for the books, and its success was a direct result of the dedication of all who rode, volunteered, and provided support. While we all gear down for a bit, peruse an image gallery of moments from BellRinger Weekend.

Luminary Awards in GI Cancers

Join the Ruesch Center for this year’s Luminary Awards in GI Cancers on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at the Westin, Washington, DC, from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, Luis A. Diaz, MD, Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., Edith Peterson Mitchell, MD, and Martha Raymond, MA, will be honored for their GI cancer research and advocacy achievements. View event honorees and more information. For questions, email rueschcenter@georgetown.edu.

14th Annual Ruesch Center Symposium: Innovations in GI Cancer

Register for the 14th Annual Ruesch Center Symposium: Innovations in GI Cancer, held in person on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17 and 18 at 2115 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. Topics include the microbiome and biological basis of early onset GI cancers, young adult cancer survivors' unique needs, and developing prevention strategies for early onset GI cancers.

Presented as part of the symposium: Thomas R. Schafer Memorial Lecture, Friday, Nov. 17, 1:50 - 2:40 p.m., featuring Luis A. Diaz, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, presenting “Immunotherapy and Mismatch Repair Deficiency.”

Registration is free for Georgetown staff and trainees with the promo code HCP23. Learn more at bit.ly/Ruesch2023.

CDI Seminar: “New Insights Into the Pro-Oncogenic Effects of Postmenopausal Estrogen, Estrone (E1) on Breast Cancer and the TME”

Tuesday, November 7

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

Presented by Joyce M. Slingerland, MD, PhD, FRCP(C), professor of oncology, Georgetown, and co-leader, Cancer-Host Interactions Program, Georgetown Lombardi. Join this seminar via Zoom.

GUFaculty360 Class - Updating Your Profile

Tuesday, November 7

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

Department of Microbiology & Immunology Seminar Series: “Recent Advances in Bacterial Cell Wall Biochemistry and New Strategies for Antibiotic Discovery”

Tuesday, November 7

12:15 - 1:15 p.m.

Presented by Atsushi Taguchi, PhD, assistant professor, The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research Osaka University, Osaka, Japan. Join this seminar via Zoom.

Cancer Research Data Meeting

Thursday, November 9

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Luz Ruiz, PhD student in the Tumor Biology Program, presents “The Oncogenic Role of BAIAP2 in SHH Medulloblastoma.” Mentor: Nagi Ayad, PhD. Join the meeting in W302 NRB or via Zoom.

Distinguished Scientist Seminar Series: “Synthesis and Applications of Multicomponent Nanoparticles”

Thursday, November 9

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Presented by Edward Van Keuren, PhD, professor, Department of Physics, Institute for Soft Matter Synthesis and Metrology, and Center for Translational Imaging, Georgetown University. Held in-person in Preclinical Science Building LA4 with Zoom joining option.

Survivorship Research Initiative Seminar Series: “Cognitively-Based Compassion Training for Cancer Survivors and Their Supportive Partners: Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life and Stress-Related Biology”

Friday, November 10

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Presented by Thaddeus Pace, PhD, biopsychologist and associate professor in the Colleges of Nursing (Advanced Nursing Practice and Science Division), Medicine (Department of Psychiatry), and Science (Department of Psychology) at the University of Arizona. Presentation followed by a Meet the Speaker Session at 11:00 a.m. Join this seminar via Zoom.

Center for Metabolomic Studies Seminar Series: “A Manifold Approach to Clustering Multiple -Omics Datasets”

Monday, November 13

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Presented by Debashis Ghosh, PhD, professor and chair, Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado and Colorado School of Public Health.

Join this seminar via Zoom.

Biomarker Discovery for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis Using Untargeted Metabolomics and Lipidomics Studies

Characterization of Age-Associated, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Systemic Immune-Inflammatory Index (SII) as Biomarkers of Inflammation in Geriatric Patients with Cancer Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Impact on Efficacy and Survival

Unraveling Vulnerabilities in Endocrine Therapy-Resistant HER2+/ER + Breast Cancer

Reactive Oxidant Species Induced By Antifungal Drugs: Identity, Origins, Functions, and Connection to Stress-Induced Cell Death

Diabetes-Associated Breast Cancer is Molecularly Distinct and Shows a DNA Damage Repair Deficiency

Early Biochemical Outcomes Following Neoadjuvant/Adjuvant Relugolix with Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Intermediate to High Risk Prostate Cancer



Emicizumab: The Hemophilia A Game Changer

The Hoya Georgetown’s BellRinger Bike Ride for Cancer Raises Over $1.2 Million

VIP Alexandria Magazine Getting a Few Things Off Their Chest: The Dr. John and Liza Marshall Story

AJMC Epidemiology of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Yale News Yale-Led Study Shows That E-Cigarette Bans Boost Traditional Cigarette Sale

The Brink Racism, Sexism, and the Crisis of Black Women's Health

OncLive Dr. Liu on the Significance of T-DXd For Patients With HER2-Mutant NSCLC and Brain Metastases

Cision PR Newswire Octapharma AG: Indirect Comparison Data Indicate That Personalised Prophylaxis With Nuwiq® May Lead to fewer Patients With haemophilia A Having Bleeds Than With Other Recombinant Factor VIII Products

DEADLINE APPROACHING: 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. View full eligibility criteria, application, and submission instructions. Application deadline: Monday, November 13, 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.

NEW: Mary Kay Ash Foundation Innovative/Translational Cancer Research Grant

The Mary Kay Ash Foundation, a funding source for cancer research, is currently accepting applications for innovative grants for translational research for cancers affecting women, including but not limited to ovarian, uterine, breast and/or cervical cancer. Principal Investigator must be appointed a full-time assistant professor or higher at the time of application submission and commit a minimum 5% effort. Grants will be awarded in the amount of $100,000 over a two-year period. View more information. Please submit grant documentation to Sharon Levy (sgl5@georgetown.edu) by Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

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 Nov. 2, 2023).

AACR Clinical Oncology Research (CORE) Training Fellowships Program

The AACR Clinical Oncology Research (CORE) Training Fellowships Program is designed for early career clinical scientists who hold a medical degree (MD, DO, or MD/PhD) and are interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills related to clinical trial design and execution from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry. Each fellowship provides $100,000 over one year for the fellow to work on site at the facility of one of the AACR’s pharmaceutical industry partners. Application deadline: 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 30. View more information, including eligibility requirements, program guidelines and application instructions.

Cancer Research Institute Clinic and Laboratory Integration Program Grants

The Cancer Research Institute offers Clinic and Laboratory Integration Program (CLIP) grants to qualified scientists who are working to explore clinically relevant questions aimed at improving the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies. These grants support pre-clinical and translational research that can be directly applied to optimizing cancer immunotherapy in the clinic. Applicants must hold a faculty appointment as a tenure-track assistant professor (or higher rank) at the time of award activation. Funding: up to $150,000 per year for two years. LOI deadline: Friday, December 1. Full application deadline: March 1, 2024. View more information and application guidelines.

Damon Runyon Quantitative Biology Fellowship Award

The Damon Runyon Quantitative Biology Fellowship Award supports computational scientists who are deeply connected to biology labs so that they can bring their computational skills to bear on important biological questions, particularly in cancer. The proposed mentored research training must reflect the individual's potential to develop into a productive, independent cancer research scientist. (Note: Applicants must not have been in their mentors’ labs for more than 24 months prior to the application deadline date.) The award provides up to $240,000 over three years in stipend and expense allowances for the award recipient. Application deadline: 4:00 p.m. on Friday, December 1. View more details and application guidelines.

Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award

In an effort to confront the growing dearth of physician-scientists, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has created this award program, which is designed to recruit outstanding U.S. Specialty Board-eligible physicians (MD/DOs only) into cancer research careers by providing them with the opportunity for a protected research training experience under the mentorship of a highly qualified and gifted mentor after they have completed all of their clinical training. The award will provide up to $460,000 over four years in financial support for the award recipient. In addition, the Foundation will retire up to $100,000 of medical school debt still owed. Application deadline: 4:00 p.m. on Friday, December 1. View more information and application guidelines.

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: 937 7707 3374; CME code: 80044)

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 - “The Oncogenic Role of BAIAP2 in SHH Medulloblastoma” | Speaker: Luz Ruiz | 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 | Amy DeZern - Myelodysplastic Syndromes | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)

1:00 PM | Mycal Casey/Rivero - Journal Club (Hematology-GUH) | 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. Rivero - Assigned Previewing Lecture: AML - Diagnosis, Treatment Included Targeted Therapy Cases | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)