AACI Update | June 2021
Headlines
Lerman Takes the Reins as AACI President
Caryn Lerman, PhD, is the new president of AACI. Dr. Lerman is the director of University of Southern California (USC) Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles and the associate dean for cancer programs and the H. Leslie and Elaine S. Hoffman Professor in Cancer Research at Keck School of Medicine of USC. Dr. Lerman will begin her two-year term four months early due to Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD, stepping down to become the new chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society.
Willman Named Director of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center
Cheryl L. Willman, MD, has been named executive director of Mayo Clinic Cancer Programs and director of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. In her new role, Dr. Willman will lead the expansion and strategic development of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center sites in the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Willman will join Mayo Clinic from University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she has served as director and CEO for 20 years.
CRI Meeting Abstract Winners Announced
The AACI Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) Steering Committee, with the assistance of peer reviewers from CRI committees, have selected three abstracts from 62 submissions for formal presentation at the 13th Annual AACI CRI Meeting, July 13-15. Winning abstract authors represent University of Cincinnati Cancer Center; University of Florida Health Cancer Center; and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. The three winning abstracts will be presented individually during a virtual session on Wednesday, July 14.
Register Today for the 2021 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting
Registration is now open for the 2021 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting, which will take place October 19-21 in a virtual format. This three-day event convenes AACI cancer center members with national cancer research and advocacy groups, industry, and government health agencies to develop solutions to common challenges. Continuing Medical Education (CME) is jointly provided by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and AACI.
Write Your Representatives to Support the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act
On March 4—International HPV Awareness Day—Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act (H.R. 1550), which AACI has endorsed. We encourage cancer centers to reach out to their congressional delegations with our customizable advocacy letter to request that they co-sponsor and support the bill.
News from the Centers
DCI Nurse Receives National Recognition
Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center
Jessica Jin, RN, BSN, BMTCN, a clinical nurse III, is the 2021 Blood and Marrow Transplant Certified Nurse of the Year. The annual award by the Oncology Nursing Society recognizes a nurse who has made significant contributions to blood and marrow transplant nursing.
Chief Pharmacy Officer Earns Career Honor From Professional Society
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center congratulates its chief pharmacy officer, Lijian “Leo” Cai, PharmD, who will receive the 2021 Donald E. Francke Medal from the American Society of Health System Pharmacists in recognition of his long record of significant professional achievements.
Rutgers Leader Elected as a Member to the National Academy of Sciences
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Deputy Director Eileen White, PhD, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. She is among 120 members elected this year in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.
Team Science Award Recognizes Pediatric Cancer Researchers
Stanford Cancer Institute
Eight Stanford Medicine scientists are among a group of pediatric cancer researchers being honored with the 2021 Team Science Award from the American Association for Cancer Research.
Daly Receives NCCN Award
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
Mary B. Daly, MD, PhD, FACP, professor in the Department of Clinical Genetics and director of the Risk Assessment Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center, recently received the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s (NCCN) Rodger Winn Award.
Mitchell Honored With Minorities in Cancer Research Lectureship
Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Health
The American Association for Cancer Research has recognized Edith P. Mitchell, MD, with the 2021 Minorities in Cancer Research-Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship. Dr. Mitchell is the associate director for diversity affairs and director of the Center to Eliminate Disparities at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Health.
$17.5 Million in CPRIT Grants Awarded for Cancer Research
Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine has been awarded more than $17.5 million in grants by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to support cancer research and training. CPRIT awarded 25 new grants to institutions across Texas, totaling more than $69 million, including six grants to Baylor.
$9 Million Contract Awarded for New Jersey State Cancer Registry
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
The New Jersey State Cancer Registry, under the direction of the State Department of Health in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has been awarded a seven-year, $9,085,109 contract from the National Cancer Institute to support core infrastructure and research activities as part of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.
CPRIT Renews Funding for Training Program Focused on Education and Research
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has awarded The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center $4 million in continued funding for the MD Anderson Cancer Center CPRIT Research Training Program, which provides fundamental, interdisciplinary, and innovative training in cancer research for basic and translational scientists.
Study to Examine Exosomes in Ovarian Cancer
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
A research team co-led by Andrew Godwin, PhD, deputy director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, and Yong Zeng, PhD, has been awarded a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate better ways to identify ovarian cancer earlier.
Stony Brook Receives Funding Boost to Fight Cancer
Stony Brook Cancer Center
The Stony Brook University Cancer Center has received funding from the New York State budget to help it attain National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Center status. In the past four budgets the center has secured more than $2.6 million for major research activities, especially the development of cutting-edge clinical trials.
Foundation Gives $1.8 Million to Myeloma Center
UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
The Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation has given $1.8 million to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Myeloma Center in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Rodger Riney is the founder of the discount brokerage firm Scottrade. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015.
$1.6 Million Awarded for IBC Research Project
Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center
A large group of Duke Cancer Institute investigators led by researcher Gayathri Devi, PhD, has been awarded a three-year $1.6 million U.S. Department of Defense Breakthrough Level 2 grant for research directed at investigating the mechanisms underlying inflammatory breast cancer metastasis.
Seeking to Expand Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
After reduced smoking rates, drugs that target signature alterations in tumor cells are the main reason that the death rate has dropped for people diagnosed with lung cancer. Recently, Alice Berger, PhD, received a National Institutes of Health MERIT Award that will support her efforts to extend these advances.
McElfish Named Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement
UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
Pearl McElfish, PhD, MBA, has been named associate director of community outreach and engagement at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Site Director For Radiology Appointed
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
Fox Chase Cancer Center announces the appointment of Jordan Anaokar, MD, as the new site director for radiology. She specializes in over a dozen different kinds of cancer with a treatment focus on gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and thoracic imaging, and has been director of the Fox Chase Diagnostic Imaging Protocol Lab since 2020.Rodriguez is First Chief Diversity and Equity Officer for Faculty
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center announces the promotion of Elisa M. Rodriguez, PhD, MS, to chief diversity and equity officer for faculty. The new role provides expanded opportunities for Dr. Rodriguez to apply her deep-rooted commitment to improving the lives of people from underserved communities.
Head of Cardio-Oncology Clinic Named
UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute
Brandon Lennep, MD, a University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) assistant professor of cardiology, has been named to head the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute’s (CCRI) Cardio-Oncology Clinic. The clinic provides on-site services to CCRI's largest outpatient site.
Increased Risk of Mortality Found for Arizona Hispanic, Native American Kidney Cancer Patients
The University of Arizona Cancer Center
Ken Batai, PhD, a health disparities researcher at the UArizona Cancer Center, has documented an increased risk of mortality among Arizona’s Hispanic American and Native American kidney cancer patients compared with national data.
New AI-Based Tool Can Find Rare Cell Populations in Large Single-Cell Datasets
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a first-of-its-kind artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool that can accurately identify rare groups of biologically important cells from single-cell datasets, which often contain gene or protein expression data from thousands of cells.
New Insights Into Androgens' Action Could Boost Battle Against Prostate Cancer
University of Virginia Cancer Center
Researchers at UVA Cancer Center have unveiled new insights into how androgens act on our cells – and the discovery could boost efforts to develop better treatments for prostate, ovarian, and breast cancers. In a new paper, Bryce M. Paschal, PhD, and colleagues describe how a complex signaling system regulates androgen receptor activity.
Breast Microbiome-Immune Interactions May Influence Breast Cancer
Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center
A recent study by Cleveland Clinic researchers suggests that interactions between the breast microbiome and local immune responses may influence breast cancer development and progression. The findings lay the foundation for future investigation into the factors associated with breast cancer initiation and will facilitate improved detection and prevention.
Sugary Drinks Linked to Increased Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Women Under 50
Siteman Cancer Center
Heavy consumption of sugary drinks during adolescence and adulthood might increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer in women under age 50, according to a new study by Washington University researchers at Siteman Cancer Center. Yin Cao, ScD, is senior author on the study.
Frailty in Cancer Patients, Young and Old, is Linked to Inflammation
Wilmot Cancer Institute, UR Medicine
For women with breast cancer, frailty is linked to inflammation levels in the blood, according to a Wilmot Cancer Institute investigation. Higher inflammation prior to chemotherapy can predict frailty after chemotherapy ends.
Studies Connect Mammary Hormone to Breast Cancer Progression, Uncover Potential for Novel Targeted Therapies
VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
Two recent studies conducted at VCU Massey Cancer Center find strong evidence that prolactin acts as a major contributor to breast cancer development and that the hormone could inform the creation of targeted drugs to treat multiple forms of the disease.
Personalized Cancer Vaccine Shows Potential Benefit Against Multiple Tumor Types
The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai
A personalized cancer vaccine developed with the help of a Mount Sinai computational platform raised no safety concerns and showed potential benefit in patients with different cancers, including lung and bladder, that have a high risk of recurrence.
Research Team Takes Gene Mutation Detection in Blood to the Next Level
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers have developed a new technology to overcome the inefficiencies and high error rates common among next-generation sequencing techniques that have previously limited their clinical application.
Study Suggests Path to Blocking Common Genetic Driver of Lung Cancer
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
While new inhibitors are demonstrating some success against a type of KRAS, new paths are needed. A study from the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center found that a protein called AGO2 could be a key to slowing tumor growth in non-small cell lung cancer.
Targeting Abnormal Cell Metabolism Shows Promise Against Pediatric Brain Tumors
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
Two experimental drug approaches that target vulnerabilities in cancer cell metabolism may extend survival and enhance the effectiveness of standard chemotherapies for a highly aggressive type of pediatric brain cancer.
Changes in Approach to Cervical Cancer Examined Following Publication of Trial Results
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
In a new article, researchers from University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital – Weill Cornell Medicine in New York found a substantial reduction in the use of minimally invasive surgery for cervical cancer after publication of the results of a major study, called the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer, in 2018.
A Calculator That Predicts Risk of Lung Cancer Underperforms in Diverse Populations
Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Health
Researchers at Jefferson have found that a commonly used risk prediction model does not accurately identify high-risk Black patients who could gain life-saving benefit from early screening.
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer More Deadly for African American Women
Siteman Cancer Center
Non-Hispanic African American women with triple-negative breast cancer do not fare as well as non-Hispanic white women with this type of breast cancer, according to new research from Washington University researchers at Siteman Cancer Center. The study demonstrates the need for additional research to address disparities in cancer care.
Bisphosphonates in Breast Cancer
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Breast cancer patients, particularly those with metastatic disease, take bisphosphonates to prevent and treat bone lesions. A new analysis by scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center suggests the drugs might keep people diagnosed with the very earliest form of breast cancer from developing invasive disease.
Researchers Discover an Entirely New Kind of Biomolecule
Stanford Cancer Institute
Stanford researchers have discovered a new kind of biomolecule that could play a significant role in the biology of all living things. The novel biomolecule, dubbed glycoRNA, is a small ribbon of ribonucleic acid (RNA) with sugar molecules, called glycans, dangling from it. Carolyn Bertozzi, PhD, is the study's senior author.
Researchers Discover First Immune Stimulating Long Noncoding RNA Involved in Body's Response to Cancer
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
A long noncoding RNA whose function was previously unknown turns out to play an important role in promoting the body’s immune response against cancer and holds promise for enhancing the efficacy of anti-cancer immunotherapy.
Fluorescent Dye Helps Guide Pediatric Liver Tumor Resection
Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine
When resecting tumors, surgeons aim to spare as much healthy tissue as possible while ensuring removal of the entire tumor. Pediatric surgeons at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital believe a fluorescent dye called indocyanine green paired with a near-infrared camera may be useful tools in achieving that goal.
No Level of Smoke Exposure is Safe
VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
Nearly a quarter of pregnant women say they’ve been around secondhand smoke—in their homes, at work, around a friend or relative—which, according to new research, is linked to epigenetic changes in babies that could raise the risk of developmental disorders and cancer.
Distinguished Scientist, Mentor and Uro-Oncology Research Pioneer Dies at 80
Cedars-Sinai Cancer
Leland W. Chung, PhD, who served as director of the Urologic Oncology Research Program at Cedars-Sinai Cancer for 12 years, died May 10 of kidney cancer. He was 80.
Internship Program Aims to Boost Diversity in Cancer Care Workforce
Wilmot Cancer Institute, UR Medicine
The University of Rochester has been selected by the American Society of Clinical Oncology as one of five host schools to participate in the inaugural Oncology Summer Internship (OSI) program for medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine.
Researchers Develop Direct-Acting Antiviral to Treat COVID-19
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
An international team of scientists from City of Hope and the Menzies Health Institute Queensland at Griffith University have developed an experimental direct-acting antiviral therapy to treat COVID-19.
Massive Negative Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Screenings Quantified
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
Nearly 10 million cancer screenings in the U.S. failed to happen because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study. Researchers, including the first author on the study, Ronald Chen, MD, MPH, are calling for public attention to this problem to prevent cancer deaths.