Paul
A. Marks, MD, Scientific Advisory Board Chairman
The American-Italian Cancer Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board recommended that the Board of Directors renew the two Pancreatic Cancer Research Initiative grants awarded in 2009-2010 for a second year. Giulio Draetta, MD, PhD, Presidential Scholar and Deputy Director for Science in the Center for Applied Cancer Science at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will continue his work on the project Identification of Novel Drug Targets in Pancreatic Cancer with William C. Hahn, MD, PhD and Massimo Loda, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Giovanni Tonon, MD, PhD, San Raffaele del Monte Tabor Scientific Institute, Milan; and Chiara Conti, PhD, Belfer Institute. Mark Bloomston, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, will continue to pursue the project MicroRNAs as predictors of (pre)malignant phenotype in cystic neoplasms of the pancreas, with Aldo Scarpa, MD, PhD, University of Verona and Carlo M. Croce, MD, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Eleven first-year and nine second-year International Post-Doctoral Research Fellows have been awarded stipends for 2010-11. These talented young scientists are pursuing advanced study and research under the guidance of seasoned mentors in the United States.
The winners of 2010 Prize for Scientific Excellence in Medicine are Mina J. Bissell, PhD, Distinguished Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Life Sciences Division, Berkeley, California and Joseph F. Fraumeni, Jr., MD, Director, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute. Dr. Bissell has literally changed the accepted paradigms in cancer research, for pioneering to create the field of Tumor Microenvironment, and for the courage to persist not only until it is well accepted but also put to clinical use. Dr. Fraumeni was nominated to receive the 2010 Prize for Scientific Excellence in Medicine based on the discovery of environmental and genetic determinants of cancer through epidemiologic and interdisciplinary strategies that have provided new insights into the biology and prevention of cancer. The scientists will receive their awards at the 30th Anniversary Benefit Dinner & Auction on Monday evening, November, 8, 2010, at The Racquet & Tennis Club in NYC. They will present their research on Tuesday, November 9th at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 12:00 to 2:00 pm.
We are a global community concerned with eradicating cancer, and we have made real progress. Now is the time to accelerate progress through increased research activity worldwide. If the global cancer research community is adequately funded, we will shorten the time period to cancer’s elimination. This noble goal will benefit all of mankind.
