The Imaging Science and Cancer Biology Symposium will showcase the latest technologies and advances in imaging science and will feature world leaders in the field who will highlight current progress and the potential of imaging in cancer diagnosis and therapy.
AACI Update | May 2019
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Register Today for the 2019 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting
The 2019 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting will be held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, from October 20-22. Information on the meeting, including the program and electronic registration, is now available on the meeting website. The three-day event will bring together AACI cancer center leadership with top personnel from national cancer research and advocacy organizations, industry, and government health agencies to share common challenges and best practices.
CRI Meeting Spotlight: Conducting Multicenter Trials
AACI Introduces New Opportunity to Support CRI Meeting
AACI invites you to promote your cancer center by purchasing an ad in the 11th Annual AACI CRI Meeting event program. The program offers an excellent opportunity to showcase your center while supporting the CRI meeting. Your cancer center’s program ad may highlight a conference or a new initiative, or celebrate the success of the center’s clinical trials office.
Hill Day Advocates Present Unified Voice in Support of NIH, NCI Funding
On Tuesday, April 30, AACI co-hosted the 2019 Hill Day with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Ninety-one cancer center directors, researchers, oncologists, survivors, and other advocates, representing 37 cancer centers and 24 states, attended meetings with legislators and staff on Capitol Hill. The group gathered to present a unified voice in support of stable funding increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
News from the Centers
Ashworth Elected to Academy of Arts and Sciences
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Alan Ashworth, PhD, FRS, president of the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and noted cancer biologist, was among three UCSF scientists elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Ashworth is a translational researcher whose work has focused on understanding breast cancer genetics to improve the treatment and care of patients.Ault Appointed to Immunization Committee
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
Kevin Ault, MD, has been appointed to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II. This federal committee is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and formulates vaccine policy for the United States. Dr. Ault will serve a four-year term.Weiner Receives Public Service Award
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has honored Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center director Louis M. Weiner, MD, with a 2019 AACR Distinguished Public Service Award. The award recognizes groundbreaking, innovative work throughout the cancer community.Hepatitis B Foundation Prize for Seeger
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
Christoph Seeger, PhD, is the recipient of the Hepatitis B Foundation’s 2019 Baruch S. Blumberg Prize for excellence in hepatitis B research. Dr. Seeger’s work has focused on the biology of human pathogenic viruses with an emphasis on HBV, and has led to the identification of the signals required for reverse transcription of viral DNA and provided the basis for the current model for HBV replication.Rossi Receives ASGCT Award
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
John Rossi, PhD, was given the Outstanding Achievement Award by the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) in March. This award recognizes an ASGCT member who “has achieved a pioneering research success, specific high-impact accomplishment, or lifetime of significant contributions to the field of gene and cell therapy.” Dr. Rossi is a pioneer in creating highly structured RNA molecules called aptamers that act like antibodies.Saeed Joins National GI Cancer Consortium
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
Anwaar Saeed, MD, has been accepted into the Academic GI Cancer Consortium, which brings together institutions and investigators to design and rapidly complete clinical trials in GI cancers. Dr. Saeed’s clinical research is focused on developmental therapeutics and immune modulatory approaches in patients with advanced gastrcic, esophageal, and colon cancers.
$15.1 Million Awarded for Redesignation as Comprehensive Cancer Center
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Rutgers Cancer Institute has been awarded a $15.1 million grant as part of its successful 2019 redesignation by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a comprehensive cancer center, one of only 50 in the nation. The NCI recognized the institute’s value as a collaborative matrix/consortium cancer center between Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and Princeton University. Steven K. Libutti, MD, FACS is director.
Rating of 'Exceptional' Earned for Second Consecutive CCSG Review Cycle
Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center of The Wistar Institute
After extensive peer review, The Wistar Institute’s Cancer Center has received an “exceptional” rating on its Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) application from the National Cancer Institute for the second review cycle in a row and the grant has been recommended for renewal, providing $13.6 million to the cancer center scientific enterprise. Dario C. Altieri, MD, is Wistar president and CEO, and director of the cancer center.University of Chicago to Lead the NRG Oncology Statistics and Data Management Center
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
The University of Chicago will lead the NRG Oncology Statistics and Data Management Center, which is receiving six more years of funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). NRG Oncology requested $68.9 million in federal funding for their effort. It is the largest of five groups that comprise the NCI National Clinical Trials Network. Each group has a separate and distinct operations center and statistics and data management center.$10.8 Million Grant to Expand Clinical Trials
Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma
The Stephenson Cancer Center at OU Medicine has been awarded a $10.8 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to expand its clinical trials program. The co-principal investigators for the grant are Kathleen Moore, MD, and Joan Walker, MD. For the past two years, the Stephenson Cancer Center has ranked first among all cancer centers in the nation for the number of patients participating in clinical trials sponsored through the NCI’s National Clinical Trials Network.$8.9 Million Awarded for Clinical Research
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) successfully re-competed for its status as a Lead Academic Participating Site for the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). Through NCTN, cancer patients have access to National Cancer Institute-funded trials that aim to improve upon current treatments. This new, six-year, $8.9M grant, led by co-PIs Mitchell Machtay, MD, and Aaron Gerds, MD, MS, recognizes the Case CCC and its hospital partners as a scientific leader in the conduct and design of clinical trials.$7.5 Million to Develop Better Treatment For a Rare, Incurable Cancer
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
City of Hope recently received $7.5 million in grant awards to study a rare type of blood cancer that affects the skin: cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL). The National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded two grants valued at $6.3 million over five years to City of Hope’s Steven Rosen, MD, and Christiane Querfeld, MD, PhD, so they can develop improved therapies for CTCL. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society also gave the pair two individual grants totaling $1.2 million over three years.Addiction Training Program Awarded $2.1 Million
UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
The Addiction Research Training Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) was recently awarded $2.1 million from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to renew the program another five years. The award marks the second time the program has been renewed by NIDA, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), since it began at UAMS in 2009. The program has received a total of $6 million in NIH funding. The award provides stipends as well as tuition and training-related and travel expenses for eight to 12 trainees in the area of addiction research.Grant Received to Investigate Progression, Relapse of Rare Blood Cancer
Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
Indiana University School of Medicine researcher Reuben Kapur, PhD, has received more than $1.8 million from the National Cancer Institute to research the mechanisms that lead to a rare blood cancer called acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Dr. Kapur will closely examine the interaction between certain cellular mutations believed to contribute to the development and relapse of AML.Bhatia is Interim Director at Alabama
O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
Ravi Bhatia, MD, has been named interim director of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Bhatia was the director of the UAB Division of Hematology and Oncology, and also served as deputy director of the O’Neal Cancer Center. Prior to joining UAB in 2015, Dr. Bhatia was at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Cance Named Interim Director
The University of Arizona Cancer Center
William Cance, MD, deputy director of the University of Arizona Cancer Center (UA) in Phoenix, has been appointed interim director, effective July 1, 2019. Dr. Cance is an oncology surgeon and physician-scientist who joined the UA in 2016. He holds the position of professor in the departments of Interdisciplinary Oncology, Pharmacology & Toxicology, and Surgery for the UA Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy – Phoenix.Maihle Joins UMMC Cancer Institute
UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute
Nita Maihle, PhD, has joined the University of Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Institute as associate director for research. She will lead efforts to further develop basic research programs and help coordinate research among the institute’s three National Cancer Institute-targeted research programs.Zipfel Named Head of Neurosurgery
Siteman Cancer Center
Gregory J. Zipfel, MD, has been named head of the Department of Neurosurgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and neurosurgeon-in-chief at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. In both roles he will partner with Siteman Cancer Center. Zipfel succeeds Ralph G. Dacey Jr., MD, who has led the department since 1989.
Mullighan Named Deputy Director
Comprehensive Cancer Center St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center has appointed Charles G. Mullighan, MBBS, MD, deputy director. In this new position, Dr. Mullighan will help guide precision medicine, preclinical and other strategic research initiatives for the center. He joined the St. Jude Department of Pathology faculty in 2008, and serves as co-leader of the cancer center’s Hematological Malignancies Program.Famiglietti Appointed DCI Chief Administrator
Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center
Robin Famiglietti, PhD, MBA, FACHE, has been appointed chief administrator of Duke Cancer Institute and associate vice president of Oncology Services for Duke University Health System. Previously, Dr. Famiglietti served as division administrator for Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center and provided consulting services to the radiation oncology industry.Fields Named Chief of Section of Surgical Oncology
Siteman Cancer Center
Ryan C. Fields, MD, has been named chief of the Section of Surgical Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. Fields, who treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center, also is associate program director of the General Surgery Residency Program and director of resident research in the Department of Surgery at the School of Medicine.
Ovarian Cancer Patients Undertested for Mutations That Could Guide Clinical Care
Stanford Cancer Institute
Fewer than a quarter of breast cancer patients and a third of ovarian cancer patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2014 in two states underwent genetic testing for cancer-associated mutations, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and several other organizations. The findings indicate that substantial gaps exist between national guidelines for testing and actual testing practices.How Immune Cells Help Tumors Escape Body's Defenses
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center sheds light on how tumors use the body’s regulators of immunity for their own benefit. “While cancer immunotherapy drugs that block inhibitory cell surface molecules like PD-1 have revolutionized cancer care, only about 20 percent of patients clear their tumors,” said senior author Dario Vignali, PhD. “Our findings uncovered a previously unknown biological mechanism that reveals new therapeutic approaches to promote anti-tumor immunity.”Turning Silenced Cancer Genes Back Into Fighters
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
Working with human colon cancer cells and mice, researchers led by experts at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center say they have successfully blocked the activity of portions of a protein known as UHRF1 and restored the function of hundreds of cancer-fighting genes that became “misregulated” by the disease. The investigators say the findings could lead to an entirely new strategy to fight a broad range of cancers.New Role Uncovered for Tamoxifen in Triple-Negative Breast Cancers
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Seeking to better understand triple-negative breast cancer's (TNBC) ability to disarm proteins that suppress tumors and mutate them into tumor drivers, a team from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center found, in collaboration with international researchers, that tamoxifen can turn the ER-beta protein into a double agent capable of disrupting the processes that typically make TNBC tumors so devastating.Genetic Testing in Women with Breast Cancer Decreases Cost of Care Nationwide
Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
A new study by Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Cancer Institute researchers suggests that Oncotype DX-guided treatment could reduce the cost for the first year of breast cancer care in the U.S. by about $50 million (about 2 percent of the overall costs in the first year).Tarloxotinib Shows Promise Against NRG1-Fusion Cancers
University of Colorado Cancer Center
A study by University of Colorado Cancer Center and Rain Therapeutics, Inc., shows that the clinical-stage drug, tarloxotinib, is active against NRG1-fusion cancers, in addition to the HER2/EGFR cancers for which the drug was originally designed. Though tumors with NRG1 alterations represent only 0.2 percent of all cancers, laboratory results suggest the drug’s action is consistent across cancer sites, representing approximately 3,500 new cases per year.UPMC Joins National Acute Myeloid Leukemia Trial
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center is one of just 15 cancer centers nationwide to take part in a groundbreaking collaborative clinical trial for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The Beat AML Master Clinical Trial, led by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, will test multiple targeted therapies for patients with AML, one of the most deadly forms of blood cancer and the most commonly diagnosed form of leukemia in adults.Single Agent Umbralisib Effective for Relapsed Slow-Growing Lymphoma
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
A study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed the investigational drug umbralisib as an effective treatment for patients with relapsed marginal zone lymphoma. Findings from the Phase II trial were presented by study co-lead Nathan Fowler, MD.Neurotransmitter Identified That Helps Cancers Progress
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University
Using human cancer cells, tumor and blood samples from cancer patients, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have uncovered the role of a neurotransmitter in the spread of aggressive cancers. The work found that this neurotransmitter, called N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG), is more abundant in cancers with a tendency to grow and spread rapidly—or so-called higher grade cancers—than in lower grade tumors, making it a potential marker for tumor progression or regression during cancer therapy.Artificial Intelligence Nearly Equal to Experienced Radiologists in Detecting Prostate Cancer
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
UCLA researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence system to help radiologists improve their ability to diagnose prostate cancer. The system, called FocalNet, helps identify and predict the aggressiveness of the disease evaluating magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, scans, and it does so with nearly the same level of accuracy as experienced radiologists.How Estrogen Drives Brain Metastasis in Non-Estrogen-Dependent Breast Cancers
University of Colorado Cancer Center
A University of Colorado Cancer Center study shows that while estrogen doesn’t directly affect triple-negative breast cancer cells, it can affect surrounding brain cells in ways that promote cancer cell migration and invasiveness. Importantly, the study also suggests ways to stop the activity of estrogen in the brain that fertilizes triple-negative breast cancer metastasis.Study Finds Physicians, Patients Talking Less About Lung Cancer Screening
University of Florida Health Cancer Center
Smoking rates are down nationally, but so are discussions among physicians and smokers about lung cancer screening, University of Florida researchers have found. However, the study also found these patient-physician conversations did not affect current smokers’ intent or attempts to quit.Chronicling How a Cancer Drug Works by Triggering the Immune System
Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center
A new paper shows for the first time how 5-azacytidine (AZA), a drug commonly prescribed to treat myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia, causes cancer cell death and identifies several therapeutic targets that may help to amplify the drug’s already powerful disease-fighting effects. Robert Silverman, PhD, led the research team.Modified Immune Cells Issue Alert When Detecting Cancer in Mice
Stanford Cancer Institute
Immune cells imbued with the power to detect tumors could be a new method of diagnosing cancer, according to a Stanford University School of Medicine study performed in mice. Researchers modified a specific class of immune cells to patrol the body for cancer and signal trouble through blood or urine. Senior author Sanjiv “Sam” Gambhir, MD, PhD, directs the Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection.Promising New Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Moves Forward
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
A study led by researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah describes a new therapeutic approach with potential for patients with pancreatic cancer. These researchers discovered a combination drug therapy that may effectively combat the disease. HCI researchers first observed anti-cancer impacts in a laboratory setting and, subsequently, in its first use in a human patient.Blood Tests Predict Effectiveness of Hormonal Therapies
Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center
A multi-institutional group of clinical researchers, led by the Duke Cancer Institute’s Andrew Armstrong, MD, McS, FACP, published a new report that describes results from the PROPHECY study, which prospectively compared two blood tests to assess how well they predicted the effectiveness of hormonal therapy in men with metastatic prostate cancer.Exploring Immunotherapy in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Janice M. Mehnert, MD, director of the Phase I/Investigational Therapeutics Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, is among the investigators collaborating on research examining the anti-PD-1 therapy drug pembrolizumab in small cell lung cancer. The work was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in April.Oral Contraceptives Protect Against Most-Fatal Types of Ovarian Cancer
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Researchers have observed that people with a history of using oral contraceptives are less likely to develop ovarian cancer. A team from Roswell Park and the University at Buffalo, led by Kirsten Moysich, PhD, MS, analyzed those connections more deeply, reporting for the first time that the protective benefit of oral contraceptives is most pronounced with the most aggressive and fatal subtypes of ovarian cancer.Study Aims to Increase Diversity in Cancer Clinical Trials
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
UC San Francisco is collaborating with the nonprofit Lazarex Cancer Foundation on a three-year study to identify ways to improve cancer clinical trial participation among medically underserved populations, including low-income individuals and racial and ethnic minorities. The study aims to increase trial enrollment, access, and minority participation by determining the most significant financial barriers for enrollment and identifying ways to mitigate them.Blood Clots Get Renewed Attention and Potential New Therapies
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Blood clots are the next leading cause of death in cancer patients after cancer itself. Gary Lyman, MD, MPH, is studying how best to prevent blood clots in cancer patients at highest risk. The recently published CASSINI trial tested a new oral blood thinner among high risk cancer patients.Synthetic DNA-Based Cancer Immunotherapy Approach Shows Tumor-Clearing Ability
Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center of The Wistar Institute
Wistar scientists have developed a novel synthetic DNA approach for patient-specific production of cancer-targeting molecules called bispecific T cell engagers. DNA-encoded bispecific T cell engagers designed against the HER2 protein were tested in preclinical models of ovarian cancer and induced tumor regression, demonstrating the potential of this novel approach for immunotherapy.Triple-Negative Breast Cancers Can Adopt Reversible, Chemotherapy-Resistant State
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells can develop resistance to frontline chemotherapy, not by acquiring permanent adaptations, but by transiently turning on molecular pathways that protect the cells. Helen Piwnica-Worms, PhD, is corresponding author on the study.
Barbershops Will Play a Role in Reducing Colon Cancer Disparities Among Black Men
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
With a grant from the National Cancer Institute, HCI researcher Charles R. Rogers, PhD, MPH, MS, CHES®, will implement and evaluate culture-specific interventions with a goal of eliminating cancer disparities among African-American men, who are more likely than men of other races to die from colon cancer. Barbershops will be a key recruitment venue for the five-year study.A UVA Doctor Reflects on Her Work with NASA
University of Virginia Cancer Center
When NASA astronaut Scott Kelly returned from a yearlong stay on the International Space Station on March 3, 2016, a young physician-scientist, Francine Garrett-Bakelman, MD, PhD, was standing by to receive samples of Kelly’s blood to compare to samples from his twin brother on Earth. Today Dr. Garrett-Bakelman is a cancer doctor and researcher at the UVA Health System.
New Name for UMMC Cancer Center
UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute
The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Cancer Institute is changing its name to the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute (CCRI). The CCRI offers adult cancer care through 10 interdisciplinary teams of doctors and conducts basic, translational, and population research through scientists from UMMC, the University of Mississippi, and Mississippi State University.
Cancer Control Collaborations Extended to the Caribbean
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple Health
For more than a decade, Camille Ragin, PhD, MPH, has been working to eliminate cancer disparities among people of African ancestry. The first step is understanding the problem. With support from the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Ragin and colleagues are building a cancer research infrastructure in the Caribbean to prepare the region to reduce its cancer burden.Washington Governor Signs Tobacco 21 Legislation
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed the state’s new Tobacco 21 legislation into effect on April 5 in a ceremony at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Starting January 1, 2020, it will be illegal under Washington law to sell or give tobacco or vaping products to people under age 21. Washington is the tenth U.S. state to raise the age for legal purchase of tobacco and vaping products from age 18 to 21.Cancer Center Jobs
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Meeting Announcements
11th Annual AACI CRI Meeting
July 9, 2019
The CRI annual meeting creates opportunities for peer-to-peer networking and collaboration among clinical trials office staff at AACI's member cancer centers.
SITC Women in Cancer Immunotherapy Network Leadership Institute
August 19, 2019
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Women in Cancer Immunotherapy Network (WIN) Leadership Institute seeks to empower emerging female leaders in cancer immunotherapy.
Wendy & Emery Reves International Breast Cancer Symposium
September 20, 2019
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
The Wendy & Emery Reves International Breast Cancer Symposium provides information on the latest laboratory-based translational discoveries and new technologies, while exploring developments in treatment options, clinical trials, and population sciences.
Multidisciplinary Approaches to Cancer Symposium
October 10, 2019
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
This intensive program will provide participants with an enhanced ability to interpret and apply best treatment options into their individual cancer practices.
Cancer and Inflammation: From Micro to Macro
October 17, 2019
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
This two-day national symposium hosted by the CCR Center of Excellence in Immunology addresses recent advances in the field through discussion and debate on the current understanding of cancer and inflammation.
2019 AACI/CCAF Annual Meeting
October 20, 2019
The CME-accredited annual meeting of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) and the Cancer Center Administrators’ Forum (CCAF) provides an opportunity to network with and learn from peers at AACI cancer centers. The meeting will cover topics of both scientific and operational value, providing attendees with practical solutions.