A number of happenings of interest to University of Arizona Health Sciences faculty and staff involved in cancer care and cancer research are of note coming weeks and months, beginning with today’s Science Exchange Collaborative with Ventana Medical Systems at noon.
Speaking will be Nimmi Ramanujam, PhD, a professor of biomedical engineering, pharmacology and cell biology and director of the Center for Global Women’s Health technologies at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Her topic: "Improving Patient Outcomes and Access in Cancer Care Through Technological Innovations." The lecture will be in Auditorium 5104 ABCD, Ventana Medical Systems, 1910 E. Innovation Park Dr., in Oro Valley north of Tucson.
IN OTHER NEWS
UACC Newsletter
The July edition of the UACC Newsletter was released July 10 with the following highlights:
- “Pancreatic Cancer Patients with BRCA Mutation May Benefit from Targeted Drug”
- “Cervical Cancer May Be Driven by Imbalance in Vaginal Bacteria”
- “UA Cancer Center Fondly Remembers Dr. Tim Bowden”
- “Unlocking Cancer’s Secrets Using the ‘Social Networks’ of Cells”
- “Surveys: ‘Rebuilding the UACC Website’ and ‘Help Educate the Community about Cancer’”
- “Shared Resources: UA College of Medicine Quantitative Proteomics Laboratory”
For the UACC Newsletter archive webpage, click here. Other issues for this year were released in May, March and January.
Visiting lecturer Nzhde Agazaryan, PhD, a professor of physics and biology in medicine and radiation oncology and chief of clinical medical physics at the University of California, Los Angeles/UCLA Health, will provide two lectures on Thursday, July 19:
- "Recent Experience and Future Directions with MRI Guided Radiotherapy" — noon, Kiewit Auditorium, UA Cancer Center
- "Trigeminal Neuralgia and Thalamotomy Simultaneous Radiosurgery for Multiple Cranial Targets" — 5 p.m., Room 2920, UACC
On Monday, July 23, a UA Cancer Center candidate for associate director of basic sciences Joann B. Sweasy, PhD, the Ensign Professor of Therapeutic Radiology and professor of genetics, vice chair for basic research and associate director of basic science at the Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Conn., will speak on “DNA Repair Variants and Cancer” in UACC Room 2920, noon-1 p.m.
The UA Cancer Center will host, along with the UA College of Pharmacy, Tomi K. Sawyer, PhD, a distinguished scientist in discovery chemistry modalities with Merck & Company Inc., for a special guest lecture Friday, Aug. 3, noon-1 p.m., in Drachman Hall, Room B109.
Dr. Sawyer’s topic: “Macrocyclic Peptide Antagonists of MDM2 and MDMX: Drug Design, Cell Permeability and Translational Medicine.”
His previous positions include chief scientific officer at Aileron Therapeutics, senior vice president of drug discovery at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, and senior director at Pfizer. He is credited with more than 500 publications, patents and presentations.
Finally, the deadline for abstracts for the 2018 UA Cancer Center Fall Scientific Retreat, hosted Friday, Sept. 28, at the Westward Look Resort, was extended. Washington University in St. Louis’ Dr. Graham A. Colditz will be give the keynote address. He'll speak on “Narrowing the Gap: Dissemination and Implementation Science to Reduce Disparities in Cancer Center Catchment Populations.”
EXTRA INFO
American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant Funding Available
Qualified faculty from the University of Arizona and its affiliates are encouraged to apply for cancer research funds made available through an American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant (ACS-IRG). IRG pilot project grants are intended to support independent, self-directed investigators early in their careers to help them start their research programs and to obtain preliminary data in support of more extensive proposals.
Up to three awards of $30,000 each are available.