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Spring 2013 | cancer.uchicago.edu
National Cancer Institute Reviews the UCCCC’s
Comprehensive Cancer Center Status
T
he University of Chicago Medicine CompreNCI designation, institutions must successfully meet
hensive Cancer Center (UCCCC) completed
rigorous competitive standards associated with scientific
a successful review for a 5-year P30 Cancer
and organizational merit. Centers are evaluated on the
Center Support Grant (CCSG) and was recommended
innovativeness and impact of their research in clinical,
for renewal as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the
basic, translational, and population sciences. In addition,
National Cancer Institute (NCI). The UCCCC is one of
the following six essential characteristics are assessed:
only 41 Comprehensive Cancer Centers nationwide, and
facilities; organizational capabilities; transdisciplinary
one of only two in Illinois, to have earned this prestigious collaboration and coordination; cancer focus; institutional
status. The designation represents the highest mark of
commitment; and the center director. The UCCCC
excellence in basic, clinical, and population research, and
received accolades in numerous areas, including its innoan institution’s dedication to developing more effective
vative research on epidemiology and the genetic basis
treatments for cancer.
of cancer, the molecular mechanisms of transformation,
“The outstanding work of our Cancer Center is
tumor immunology, hematological malignant diseases, and
central to our missions of research, education, and
imaging sciences, as well as its innovative clinical trials
advanced clinical care to improve the options and
portfolio and exceptional pharmacogenomics research.
outcomes of patients diagnosed
The UCCCC devoted one
with cancer and to prevent these
full year in preparation of
diseases,” said Everett Vokes, MD,
the CCSG grant, which
John E. Ultmann Professor of
concluded with a site visit
Medicine and Radiation Oncolthat showcased the past 5
ogy, chair of the Department of
years of research for the NCI
Medicine.
review committee.
When the National Cancer
At this most recent review,
Act was signed into law in
the UCCCC was awarded its
1971, the NCI created a Cancer
best score, and was rated as
Centers Program to support the
exceptional-outstanding. The
work of centers that excel at
areas that received particular
Habibul Ahsan, MBBS, MMedSc
making scientific discoveries and
recognition were institutional
applying them to new approaches to cancer prevention,
commitment and transdisciplinary collaboration and
diagnosis, and treatment.
coordination, according to UCCCC Director Michelle
Although individual investigators at these institutions
M. Le Beau, PhD, Arthur and Marian Edelstein Professor
receive grant support for specific research projects, the
of Medicine.
funding provided by the CCSG extends their capability
“For a center of our size, we have a remarkable
through the provision of the necessary infrastructure, and, number of multi-investigator grants, which highlights the
as a result, maximizes productivity. For example, a large
collaborative nature of our faculty and how they bring
portion of the CCSG at the UCCCC sustains core facili- unique skills to push the field of cancer research forward
ties, which are shared research resources that house stateas a team,” she said.
of-the-art technologies and expertise that investigators
“Under Dr. Le Beau’s leadership, the UCCCC fosters
could not otherwise afford.
truly multidisciplinary research, providing an outstand The grant also supports the UCCCC’s strategic leading platform for new cancer discoveries,” said Habibul
ership to coordinate and promote the growth of research
Ahsan, MBBS, MMedSc, Louis Block Professor of Health
programs and initiatives, as well as to recruit new faculty.
Studies, Medicine, and Human Genetics, and associate
Additionally, the CCSG provides pilot project funddirector for population research. “The UCCCC’s successing, which allows investigators to develop some of their
ful competitive grant review and recommendation for
newest ideas and generate the preliminary results needed
re-designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center is a
to apply for national grant funding.
testament of its achievement.”
To qualify for the CCSG award and accompanying
Under Dr. Le Beau’s leadership, the UCCCC fosters
truly multidisciplinary
research, providing an
outstanding platform for
new cancer discoveries.
UCCCC Director Michelle M. Le Beau, PhD, Arthur and Marian Edelstein
Professor of Medicine, and UCCCC Associate Director for Population
Research Habibul Ahsan, MBBS, MMedSc, Louis Block Professor of Health
Studies, Medicine, and Human Genetics.
From the Director
In this issue, we are delighted to report on some exciting developments that have occurred at the University of Chicago Medicine
Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC).
Michelle M. Le Beau, PhD
In the early winter, the National
Cancer Institute (NCI) recommended renewal of our designation
as a Comprehensive Cancer Center,
a title shared by only 41 centers in
the nation. This status distinguishes
the UCCCC as a center with the
highest level of scientific excellence
in our efforts to translate laboratory discoveries into prevention
and treatment strategies to reduce
the devastating effects of cancer. I
am tremendously grateful for the
hard work and accomplishments
of our staff and physicians and
physician-scientists. After many
months of preparation, we were not
only recommended for renewal of
our Cancer Center Support Grant
and comprehensive status, but we
garnered the highest score in our
history from the NCI.
In February, after 3 years of
construction, our brand-new flagship hospital opened its doors
to patients. The Center for Care
cancer.uchicago.edu
and Discovery provides state-ofthe-art cancer care to patients
in an environment that fosters
close collaborations between our
clinicians and researchers. The
hospital houses some of the most
sophisticated medical technology
and diagnostic tools available, and
its flexible design allows for the
integration of emerging technologies and future innovations. The
new facility expands our ability to
deliver comprehensive cancer care
to residents of the Chicago area
and surrounding communities.
Inside this issue, you will also
learn about the discovery of a new
gene that contributes to acute
myeloid leukemia, as well as the
development of a new approach
that may soon improve the success
of radiation therapy. We also relay
the stories of one parent’s efforts
to expand pediatric cancer research
in Illinois and the importance of
peer support to help survivors cope
during their cancer journey.
Regards,
Michelle M. Le Beau, PhD
Director, The University of Chicago
Medicine Comprehensive Cancer
Center; Arthur and Marian Edelstein
Professor of Medicine
Pathways to Discovery
UCCCC Researchers Pinpoint Tumor Suppressor
Gene Involved in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
R
esearchers at the University of
Chicago Medicine Comprehensive
Cancer Center (UCCCC) have identified a gene that contributes to the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This
pivotal finding follows 40 years of University
of Chicago research that has slowly unraveled the genetic basis of leukemia.
In 1973, Janet Rowley, PhD, Blum-Riese
Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine,
Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, and
Human Genetics, was examining the DNA
of leukemia cells and observed that one copy
of chromosome 7 was missing. She deduced
that one out of the more than 1,000 genes
found on chromosome 7 could possibly be
responsible for keeping the growth of leukemia cells in check.
The search for a tumor suppressor gene
continued among Dr. Rowley’s colleagues
at the University of Chicago. In the 1990s,
Michelle M. Le Beau, PhD, UCCCC director and the Arthur and Marian Edelstein
Professor of Medicine, used a high-resolution technique called fluorescence in situ
hybridization (FISH) to define the segment
of chromosome 7 that was commonly
deleted. She narrowed the region of interest
to about 50 genes.
Most recently, in 2009, Kevin White, PhD,
professor of human genetics and director
of the Institute for Genomics and Systems
Biology (IGSB), and his research team
harnessed advanced technology to further
Megan McNerney, MD, PhD, instructor of pathology, and Kevin White, PhD, professor of human genetics and
director of the Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology.
map the genes. Specifically, they used single
nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays to
detect variations in the genes, as well as
next-generation sequencing to analyze gene
expression at high sensitivity.
Because these techniques generate an
overwhelming amount of information, Dr.
White teamed with IGSB Director of Informatics Robert Grossman, PhD, to develop
a large computing infrastructure that could
meet the processing and storage demands of
the biological data being generated.
The analyses indicated that the CUX1
gene was the most significantly differentially expressed gene in cells that had lost
chromosome 7. Interestingly, the researchers
also identified a CUX1 fusion transcript, in
other words, part of CUX1 fused to another
gene. They hypothesized that this disruption
in CUX1 may contribute to the growth of
abnormal blood cells, a hallmark of AML.
Next, the researchers tested the gene’s
activity in the fruit fly. When they knocked
out the CUX1 gene, some of the fruit flies
developed leukemia. Collaborating with John
Cunningham, MD, professor of pediatrics,
the investigators carried out similar studies in
mice and again observed that deficient levels
of CUX1 contributed to abnormal growth
of blood cells. They described their findings in an article1 published in the February
7 issue of Blood, the American Society of
Hematology’s journal.
The first author of the paper, Megan
McNerney, MD, PhD, instructor of pathology and fellow in Dr. White’s laboratory, said,
“This is a uniquely University of Chicago
story, starting with findings from Janet
Rowley and continuing over the years with
an excellent group of clinicians and scientists
using different technologies who worked
collaboratively on myeloid leukemias.”
She added that further studies that reveal
how CUX1 regulates other genes will help
find a potential pathway that can be targeted
with drugs.
This study was supported by the Cancer Research
Foundation, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the
Chicago 1000 Cancer Genomes Project, and grants
CA150631 and CA40046 from the National Cancer
Institute of the National Institutes of Health.
1
Town Hall Meeting Fosters Discussions
to Shape Cancer Disparities Education
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC) has
partnered with the largest minority-serving institution in the Midwest, Chicago
State University (CSU), to develop a new cancer disparities concentration within the
CSU’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program and the University of Chicago Pritzker
School of Medicine (PSOM). A
town hall meeting was held
in January on the University
of Chicago campus to gather
feedback and generate content for the curriculum that will
prepare students for addressing cancer disparities in the
Southside community. A 4-year
National Cancer Institute grant
is funding this effort, known as Students and faculty from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
the Chicago Southside Cancer discuss planning a curriculum that will prepare students for addressing cancer
disparities in the Southside community.
Disparities Initiative1.
The principal investigator is Karen E. Kim, MD, professor of medicine and director of the UCCCC’s Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Disparities. Dr.
Kim led the discussion at the town hall meeting where nearly 40 faculty, students,
and health professionals from PSOM gave their input on curriculum development.
Two additional town hall meetings will take place this spring at CSU and in the
Southside community to gather more information about the community’s needs
and the capacity for cancer disparities research, outreach, and education.
This project is being supported by grant numbers CA165582 and CA014599 from the National Cancer Institute of
the National Institutes of Health.
1
Pathways to
Executive Editor
and Writer
®
Hoyee Leong, PhD
managing editor
and Writer
Pathways to Discovery is a quarterly publication of
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive
Cancer Center.
Spring 2013, Volume 8, Number 2
Jane Kollmer
The University of Chicago Medicine
5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC1140, H212
Chicago, IL 60637
Michelle M. Le Beau, PhD
Marcy A. List, PhD
Patient enrollment is under way for more than 350 clinical trials at
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center.
A few of our newly launched clinical trials include:
ompassionate use of veliparib for treatment of refractory fallopian tube/
C
ovarian cancer–Gini Fleming, MD, principal investigator.
n A
Phase II study evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of everolimus in
combination with trastuzumab and vinorelbine in the treatment of progressive HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases–Rita Nanda, MD,
principal investigator.
n A
Phase II study of sunitinib in recurrent, refractory, or progressive high
grade glioma and ependymoma tumors in pediatric and young adult
patients–Charles Rubin, MD, principal investigator.
n T
PF induction chemotherapy and veliparib–a Phase I/Randomized Phase II
study in patients with locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma
of the head and neck–Jonas De Souza, MD, principal investigator.
To learn more about these or any other UCCCC clinical trial, call toll-free
1-855-702-8222 for adult clinical trials or 1-773-702-6808 for pediatric clinical trials, or go to cancer.uchicago.edu and click on Search Clinical Trials in
the blue box.
n
Gr aphic Designer
Photos
Adam Indyk
Lois Bernstein Photography
Serena Dawn Boggs
David Christopher
Lloyd DeGrane
Diane Ostrega
Bruce Powell
C. Saville Photography
Printing
G Thomas Partners LLC
Editorial Advisors
Phone: 1-773-702-6180 • Fax: 1-773-702-9311
[email protected]
© 2013 by The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive
Cancer Center. All rights reserved.
2
Open Cancer Clinical Trials
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At the Forefront of Discovery®
Expanding Childhood Cancer Research in Illinois
(from left) John Cunningham, MD, professor of pediatrics, Dina Manzo, founder of
Project Ladybug and reality TV star, and 5-year-old pediatric cancer survivor Atia
Lutarewych with her mother Laura, brother Asher, and father Steve.
(from left) Illinois District 4 Representative Cynthia Soto, the Lutarewych family, and John Cunningham, MD, professor of pediatrics.
Illinois taxpayers now have the option to contribute
to childhood cancer research, thanks to the dedicated
efforts of the mother of a pediatric cancer survivor.
Today, advances in research and treatment have led to
an 80% cure rate for pediatric cancers. However, the
small percentage of national funds allotted to pediatric
cancer research is declining, and cancer remains the
number one disease-related cause of death for children.
Laura Lutarewych knows firsthand about the
importance of pediatric cancer research because her
daughter was treated for leukemia at the University of
Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital. Now
in full remission, 5-year-old Atia is the inspiration
behind Laura’s charity, Atia’s Project Ladybug Fund, the
Chicago chapter of the nonprofit organization founded
by reality television star Dina Manzo to support families
and children dealing with childhood cancer. The group
delivers “Comfort Baskets” filled with thoughtful necessities to families at Comer.
Although Project Ladybug has provided resources
to individual families, Laura wanted to raise money for
pediatric cancer on a larger scale. Last year, opportunity knocked when she learned that childhood cancer
research is not among the funds that taxpayers can
make charitable donations to on Schedule G of the
state income tax return. With sponsorship from Illinois
District 4 Representative Cynthia Soto, Laura appealed
to lawmakers in Springfield and received overwhelming
support. In August 2012, Governor Pat Quinn passed
legislation adding the Childhood Cancer Research
Fund to the state’s income tax program.
With this change, academic centers throughout
Illinois can apply for state funds to advance the study of
pediatric cancers. “The primary hope is that we find a
cure but, in the meantime, we need to find better therapies that spare survivors from side effects,” Laura said,
referencing the complex and long-term health issues
faced by childhood cancer survivors, such as infertility,
heart disease, and secondary cancers.
Professor of Pediatrics John Cunningham, MD, said,
“Given that our pediatric cancer research program has
over 50 people who are focused on understanding the
basis of pediatric cancer and developing new therapies,
we’re very excited about the opportunities that these
additional resources will create.” He is also chief of the
Section of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and the
vice-chair for research in the Department of Pediatrics.
“In the current funding climate, these state funds are
critical for supporting, maintaining, and enhancing
pediatric cancer research.”
A New Kitchen for Comer Patients
and Families
In December, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to dedicate the
newly remodeled family kitchen on the pediatric oncology floor at
the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital. The
kitchen was remodeled to provide a warm, welcoming retreat where
patients, their families, and guests can escape, recharge, and congregate. The project was funded by Atia’s Project Ladybug Fund, a charity run by Laura Lutarewych, the mother of a little girl named Atia,
who was treated at Comer for leukemia. Laura said, “As we all know,
the kitchen is the heart of the home, and when a child battles cancer,
often the hospital becomes the family’s new home.”
Renovations made to the kitchen space include: new pendant lighting above
the island, new side lamps beside the couch, new flooring, new paint colors,
new bar stools, a new couch, new end tables, new art work, a new clock, a new
flat-screen TV, and more.
Gala Held to ‘Light the Way to a Cure’ for Cancer
The University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Auxiliary Board (UCCRFAB) held its annual dinner in February at the Michigan Shores Club in Wilmette and raised almost
$160,000, the highest amount in the event's history. More than 200 people attended the gala, which featured dinner, dancing, and a live and silent auction. The UCCRFAB is
dedicated to raising funds to aid in the prevention and cure of cancer. For the second year, it is supporting the work of clinician scientists Jill de Jong, MD, PhD, assistant professor
of pediatrics, Peter O’Donnell, MD, assistant professor of medicine, and Michael Spiotto, MD, PhD, assistant professor of radiation and cellular oncology. The emcee was NBC5
News anchor Rob Stafford, and the auctioneer was Alyssa Quinlan.
(from left to right) Michael Spiotto,
MD, PhD, Jill de Jong, MD, PhD,
UCCRFAB President Annette Hickman, UCCCC Director Michelle Le
Beau, PhD, and UCCRF Executive
Director Mary Ellen Connellan.
Members of the UCCRFAB.
(from left to right) Midge Wegener,
Julie Sullivan, Magda Springuel,
and Georgia Heisinger chaired the
auction and benefit.
cancer.uchicago.edu
3
Pathways to Discovery
State-of-the-Art Hospital Expands Cancer Care at the UCCCC
I
n February, the University of Chicago
Medicine Center for Care and Discovery
(CCD) welcomed its first patients. The
10-story “hospital for the future” delivers complex specialty care with a focus on
cancer, gastrointestinal disease, neuroscience,
advanced surgery, and medical imaging.
With an entire floor devoted solely to
cancer, patients from the Chicago area and
beyond have access to customized care
provided by experts at the University of
Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer
Center (UCCCC).
“It is really exciting for us to have a
modern, sophisticated hospital with leadingedge technology where our exceptional
doctors and talented researchers can make
discoveries that accelerate the pace of
medicine,” said Michelle M. Le Beau, PhD,
Arthur and Marian Edelstein Professor of
Medicine and UCCCC director.
The new hospital is committed not only
to providing innovative care, but also to
enhancing the patient experience. Its 240
inpatient rooms are all private and spacious,
with sweeping views of the Chicago skyline
and UChicago campus.
“The capability of providing state-ofthe-art cancer care in a patient- and familycentered environment is tremendously
exciting,” said Walter Stadler, MD, Fred C.
Buffett Professor of Medicine & Surgery
and interim chief of the Section of Hematology/Oncology.
two dedicated research facilities housing
the basic science laboratories of UCCCC
researchers. The close proximity of the
buildings facilitates the translation of scientific discoveries into life-saving treatments.
Unlike most hospitals, the spacious CCD
houses specialists side-by-side in a collaborative environment. “The ability to have clinicians from multiple fields sharing resources
and working in the same place toward a
common purpose is unique to our new
hospital,” said Chair and Professor of Radiology David Paushter, MD. Collaborations
are often as easy as walking down the hall.
Collaboration
The hospital connects by walkway bridges
to Comer Children’s Hospital and the
outpatient Duchossois Center for Advanced
Medicine (DCAM), and is strategically
located across the street from the Gordon
Center for Integrative Science and the
Knapp Center for Biomedical Discovery,
Technology
Clinicians in the new hospital utilize sophisticated technologies and the most advanced
diagnostic tools available, such as surgical
robots to treat prostate cancer more precisely
and procedural rooms that are outfitted with
leading-edge imaging equipment.
These rooms feature CT (computed
At many medical centers, Dr. Waxman
added, integration is an afterthought.
In addition to technology that streamlines medical procedures, the new hospital
also functions as a state-of-the-art platform
for teaching the next generation of cancer
surgeons. Students at the Pritzker School
of Medicine can watch procedures via the
hospital’s video streaming and teleconferencing capabilities. “The hospital is set up to
integrate our clinical and research excellence
with our teaching,” said Mitchell C. Posner,
MD, Thomas D. Jones Professor of Surgery.
The new Center for Care and Discovery.
tomography) techniques that obtain
images from many angles, enabling imageguided procedures that are faster and more
comfortable for the patient. For example,
a two-part treatment interventional radiology approach for liver cancer that involves
embolization of the tumor’s blood vessels
using chemotherapy combined with radiofrequency ablation of the tumor can now be
performed in the same room. In addition,
two neurointerventional biplane suites allow
expanded capability for the non-invasive
treatment of strokes, brain aneurysms, and
tumors by the neurointerventional team.
Procedural rooms are also equipped with
monitors that integrate multiple inputs of
data, such as the patient’s radiologic images
and tumor cytology reports. “Seeing all
the information on one screen makes the
procedure much more efficient,” said Irving
Waxman, MD, professor of medicine. Piloted
at DCAM for the past 2 years, this technology is now the standard of care at the CCD.
A New Age of Radiation Therapy
A Conversation With…
Stephen Kron, MD, PhD
Professor of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology
Nearly half of all cancer patients receive
radiation therapy, yet why some patients
benefit but others do not remains poorly
understood. A team of scientists at the
University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC) hope to
improve the success of radiation therapy by
studying how cancer cells respond to radiation. Stephen Kron, MD, PhD, professor of
molecular genetics and cell biology, has been
collaborating for over a decade with Ralph
Weichselbaum, MD, professor of radiation and cellular oncology, to advance new
concepts in radiation therapy.
If you were not a scientist, what would your
profession be?
Other options have come up along the way, but
nothing has struck my fancy other than maybe
trying science in another country. My friend at
the University of Bordeaux has it pretty good!
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
As a mentor, I get to help students become successful. It more than makes up for getting only
half as much done as if I could just tell them
what to do.
Is there a professional goal that you have not
yet accomplished?
Senescent Cells
Dr. Weichselbaum and his colleagues had
recently shown that patients whose cancer
Stephen Kron, MD, PhD, professor of molecular genetics and cell biology
has begun to spread often respond well to
treating the metastasis with a few, high doses
of radiation therapy. At the same time, Dr. Kron was studying
exciting, inoculating the vaccine and then treating the tumor
radiation using microscopy to follow chromosome damage and with radiation had dramatic effects, apparently curing the mice.
repair. Working together, they found that high radiation doses
Dr. Kron said, “Our studies indicate that the advantage
cause DNA damage that cannot be repaired. As a result, cancer of using PARP inhibitors to enhance the effects of radiation
cells stop dividing and instead age prematurely. Whether aging
therapy may result from both intensifying the damage to the
the cells in a tumor is a good idea or not continues to be
cancer cells, as well as stimulating the host’s immune system to
controversial. Although the aged, senescent cells can no longer
recognize the tumor as a foreign invader.” These observations
divide, there is concern that they may create inflammation that fit well with an emerging trend where patients receiving radiaaccelerates the recovery and growth of nearby cancer cells.
tion therapy are also treated with drugs and vaccines meant to
activate the patient’s immune response.
A Cancer Vaccine
Kron and Weichselbaum envision applying their new
Drs. Kron and Weichselbaum hypothesized that if they could
insights by using a patient’s own cancer cells to form a senesselectively age cells within a tumor but manage the inflammacent cell vaccine. They hope to dramatically improve the benetory signal, the radiation might bolster antitumor immunity
fits of radiation therapy, particularly in patients whose cancer
rather than enhance cancer growth. They found that treating
has recurred and spread. “Our hunt-and-kill idea combining
cancer cells concurrently with poly-ADP ribose polymerase
the new immune stimulating drugs and perhaps our vaccine
(PARP) inhibitors and radiation not only promotes senescence, with image-guided radiotherapy to tackle metastasis could be
but modulates inflammation so that the cells adopt the proper- quite powerful,” said Dr. Weichselbaum. “We have submitted
ties of a vaccine. Injected into mice, the senescent cells actigrants in the hopes that we will be able to investigate these
vated an anti-tumor immune response. The vaccine prevented
concepts further and progress to clinical trials in the near
new tumors and slowed the growth of existing tumors. Most
future.”
4
Future
The CCD was designed to accommodate
innovations and changing medical needs for
decades to come. New cancer interventions
will be based on ever-advancing technologies, such as high-intensity frequency
ultrasound, which uses sound waves to treat
tumor masses. Aytekin Oto, MD, professor
of radiology and surgery, and colleagues
have been investigating the technology as
a potential treatment for prostate cancer,
in addition to the current offering of laser
ablation of prostate cancer guided by MRI
(magnetic resonance imaging). Over time,
the technology may be incorporated into
practice at the CCD.
Also likely in the future are hybrid
procedures in which surgeons operate on a
patient from both an endoscopic and traditional surgery approach. Dr. Waxman said
such minimally invasive procedures could
spare tissue and provide better outcomes for
patients with cancer. The CCD is one of
few hospitals with operating rooms that are
set up for such procedures. “The CCD is
very progressive in terms of planning for the
innovations that lie ahead,” he said.
cancer.uchicago.edu
Any goals I’ve set and actually accomplished
were just too realistic for me to know at the
time.
Where have you been that you feel everyone
should go?
An ocean beach on a windy day with no one
else in sight.
If you had one piece of advice for someone
considering your field, what would it be?
Think twice, then think again. It’s too easy to
confuse a love for learning about discoveries
with a desire to join the struggle to make them.
Who inspires you?
I try hard to be someone my mentors would be
proud of.
Where would you like to go on your next
vacation?
My wife Beth and I still have a long list of wine
regions we hope to visit or return to.
What is your favorite way to relax?
Changing out of work clothes, starting on cooking our dinner, and the first glass of wine for the
evening.
What was the last book you read?
Maybe “Kitchen Confidential,” a few years ago?
At the Forefront of Discovery®
Member News & updates
1 Effective Jan. 1, Walter Stadler, MD,
Fred C. Buffet Professor of Medicine and
Associate Dean for Clinical Research,
assumed the role of Interim Chief of the
Section of Hematology/Oncology in the
Department of Medicine. He took over
the position after the departure of Richard L. Schilsky, MD, professor of medicine, who is now serving as the inaugural
chief medical officer for the American
Society of Clinical Oncology.
2 The American Cancer Society has
presented Yu-Ying He, PhD, assistant
professor of medicine, with a Research
Scholar Award. This 4-year award supports investigator-initiated projects
across the cancer research continuum.
Dr. He’s research will explore the molecular mechanisms of skin carcinogenesis
in organ transplant recipients. She is
studying how Cyclosporin A, an immunosuppressive drug used to prevent
rejection following organ transplantation, increases the risk for skin cancer by
inhibiting the repair of and the response
to DNA damage from ultraviolet B (UVB)
exposure, and promoting cell survival
and growth.
3 Michael R. Bishop, MD, has been
appointed professor of medicine and
director of the hematopoietic stem cell
transplant program at the University of
Chicago Medicine, effective November
15. Dr. Bishop is an authority on the use
of stem cell transplantation as a treatment for lymphoma, leukemia, and
multiple myeloma.
4 Victoria Villaflor, MD, was promoted
to associate professor of medicine. Her
research aims to understand the clinical
and molecular characteristics of upper
aerodigestive tract malignancies. She is
an expert in novel cancer therapies and
is also involved in the development of
molecularly targeted agents for the treatment of these cancers.
5 Bakhtiar Yamini, MD, was promoted
to associate professor of surgery. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Yamini studies cellular DNA damage response and
the treatment of malignant brain tumors
in children and adults.
6 Karen E. Kim, MD, was promoted
to professor of medicine. Her research
interests include chemoprevention and
screening for populations at high risk for
colorectal cancer. As the director for the
UCCCC Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Disparities, Dr. Kim is
developing culturally adapted awareness
and screening programs for underserved
and minority populations in the UCM
surrounding communities.
7 Glenn Randall, PhD, was promoted
to associate professor of microbiology.
His laboratory investigates the roles of
virus-host interactions in replication and
pathogenesis, focusing on the hepatitis
C virus.
8 Samuel Volchenboum, MD, PhD,
assistant professor of pediatrics, has
received $40,000 from the University
of Chicago Office of Technology and
Intellectual Property’s Innovation Fund
to improve the efficiency of clinical trials.
The Innovation Fund, which supports
proof-of-concept projects, will allow Dr.
Volchenboum to build a prototype webbased system that will generate clinical
trial protocols, streamline the process of
opening studies at treatment centers,
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integrate studies with electronic medical
records, issue work orders, and automatically create the reports required by hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
A book co-edited by
Patrick La Riviere, PhD,
associate professor of
radiology, was published
by Taylor & Francis in
December. Emerging
Imaging Technologies in
Medicine surveys emerging
technologies that have potential clinical
use in the future.
9 Anna Di Rienzo, PhD, professor of
human genetics, has been elected to
the board of directors for the Genetics
Society of America. She will serve a
3-year term.
10 Chuan He, PhD, professor of chemistry, was selected to receive a $400,000
grant from Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation
for Cancer Research through its new
Collaborative Research grant program.
Working with Ari Melnick, MD, of Weill
Cornell Medical College, and Ross Levine,
MD, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer
Center, Dr. He is searching for the molecular basis of acute myeloid leukemia
and developing targeted therapies to
help patients.
11 Kay Macleod, PhD, associate professor in the Ben May Department for
Cancer Research, was named as a senior
editor of the American Association for
Cancer Research’s journal, Molecular
Cancer Research.
The Cancer Research Foundation has
awarded Young Investigator Awards to
five scientists at the University of Chicago, all of whom are UCCCC members.
The awards are designed to nurture
young scientists in the pursuit of independent hypotheses and to enable
them to develop the preliminary data
necessary to successfully compete for
major research grants. The awardees
and their research proposals are as
follows:
• Jane Churpek, MD, assistant professor
of medicine, “Characterizing the Contribution of Mutations in Cancer Predisposition Genes to Therapy-related Myeloid
Neoplasms”
• James L. LaBelle, MD, PhD, assistant
professor of pediatrics, “Defining the
Mechanism and Therapeutic Targets of
BIM BH3-Mediated Cell Death in Diffuse
Large B-cell Lymphoma”
• 12 Hongtao Liu, MD, PhD, instructor of
medicine, “Prophylactic Donor Lymphocyte Infusion after T Cell Depleted
Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant in
High-Risk Patients with Hematologic
Malignancies”
• 13 Manish Sharma, MD, assistant professor of medicine, “Disease Progression
Models for Biomarkers and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Cancer Patients”
• 14 Fabrice Smieliauskas, PhD,
assistant professor of health studies,
“Off-Label Drug Use in Oncology: Policy,
Unintended Consequences, and Comparative Effectiveness”
cancer.uchicago.edu
Four UCCCC members received funds
from the American Cancer Society
Institutional Research Grant, which was
awarded to the institution to provide
seed money for newly independent
investigators for pilot projects. The
awardees and their research proposals
are as follows:
•1
5 Alexander Langerman, MD, assistant professor of surgery, “Patient
Centered Treatment Decisions in Oropharyngeal Cancer”
•1
6 Aasim Padela, MD, MSc, assistant
professor of medicine, “The Influence
of Religious Concepts and Values upon
the Decision to Pursue Breast Cancer
Screening among American Muslims”
(Dr. Padela also received the 2012 Ibn
Sina Award from the Compassionate
Care Network for his contributions to
the field of Islamic medical ethics.)
•1
7 Gordana Raca, MD, PhD, assistant
professor of medicine, “Genomic Profiling of Myeloid Sarcoma”
• Fabrice Smieliauskas, PhD, assistant
professor of health studies, “Off-Label
Drug Use in Oncology: Policy and
Unintended Consequences for Clinical
Research”
5
Pathways to Discovery
Research Highlights
authors. (Gamazon et al., J Natl Cancer Inst
105:302-9, 2013)
The following represent some of the research accomplishments of
UCCCC members published November 2012–January 2013.
MicroRNA-30c Sensitizes Breast Cancer
Cells to Chemotherapy
Researchers identify a new micro-RNA
that regulates chemotherapy response in
breast cancer. Micro-RNAs are small RNA
molecules that influence gene expression.
The molecular mechanisms underlying
chemotherapy resistance are poorly understood. Geoffrey Greene, PhD, Virginia
and D.K. Ludwig Professor of the Ben May
Department for Cancer Research, Olufunmilayo Olopade, MBBS, FACP, Walter L.
Palmer Distinguished Service Professor
of Medicine and Human Genetics, Eileen
Dolan, PhD, professor of medicine, and
colleagues including Huiping Liu, MD,
PhD, demonstrated that microRNA-30c,
a prognostic biomarker for breast cancer,
sensitized breast cancer tumors in animals
to various chemotherapeutic drugs. Their
research also defined the microRNAmediated signaling network responsible for
regulating chemoresistance.
These findings will help facilitate the
development of novel therapeutic strategies
to combat chemoresistance in breast cancer.
(Bockhorn et al., Nat Commun 4:1393,
2013)
This study was supported by The University of Chicago
Cancer Research Foundation Women’s Board, National Institutes of Health (NIH) T90 Regenerative Medicine Training Program (DK070103-05); Department of Defense Breast
Cancer Research Program (W81XWH-09-1-0331); Paul
Calabresi K12 Award (1K12CA139160-02); National Cancer
Institute (K99 CA160638-01); the Chicago Fellows Program
at the University of Chicago; the University of Chicago
Clinical and Translational Science Award (UL1 RR024999);
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer
Center Pilot Project Funds; BSD Imaging Research Institute
Pilot Research Projects Using Animal Imaging; UCMC/
Northshore Collaborative Funds; a Segal Grant and the
Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Fund; funds from the Sociedad
Española de Oncología Médica (SEOM); the Breast SPORE
at University of North Carolina (5-P50 CA5822317); NIH
grants 1R21 CA159066, R21 CA139278, U54 CA126524,
and P01 CA139490; the Pharmacogenetics of Anticancer
Agents Research Group (UO1 GM61393); the Breast Cancer
Research Foundation; the Breast SPORE (P50 CA12518305); the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; and the Cancer
Center Support Grant (CA014599).
Researchers Define How a Signaling
Complex Regulates Cell Death
A new study reveals how the IκB kinase
complex (IKK) prevents cell death. IKK is
a key regulator of inflammation, immune
responses, and tumorigenesis.
Anning Lin, PhD, professor of the Ben
May Department for Cancer Research, and
colleagues studied the signaling mechanisms by which IKK regulates programmed
cell death, known as apoptosis. The
researchers discovered that IKK inhibits
tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α)-stimulated
apoptosis by at least two distinct mechanisms involving activation of a survival
factor, NF-κB, and inhibition of a proapoptotic protein, BAD.
These results change the prevailing
paradigm of how IKK regulates apoptosis,
which for the past 15 years was thought
to function only through NF-κB. Since
directly targeting IKK or NF-κB will have
severe side-effects in clinic, the new finding
may provide novel strategies in combating
cancer and other diseases. (Yan et al., Cell
152:304-15, 2013)
This work was supported by the National Basic Research
Program of China (2012CB910801), National Natural Science
Foundation of China (31130035), Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIBS2010CSP001), and National Institutes of Health
grant numbers CA100460, CA128114, and GM081603. Genetic Variation Contributes to Ethnic
Disparities in Neuroblastoma
A team of UCCCC investigators identified a
genetic variation that contributes to ethnic
disparities in high-risk neuroblastoma and
survival.
African American patients with neuroblastoma have a higher prevalence of highrisk disease and poor survival compared
with white patients. To identify genetic
variants that may account for this observation, the researchers examined DNA from
more than 2700 children diagnosed with
neuroblastoma who were enrolled in a
Children’s Oncology Group clinical trial.
They found that a genetic variant within
the sperm associated antigen 16 (SPAG16)
gene was associated with high-risk disease
in patients of both African and European
ancestry.
Results from this study emphasize
the role of genetic variation in predicting
disease outcome in patients with neuroblastoma. Susan Cohn, MD, professor of
pediatrics, Nancy Cox, PhD, professor of
medicine, M. Eileen Dolan, PhD, professor
of medicine, Navin Pinto, MD, instructor
of pediatrics, and colleagues including Eric
Gamazon, PhD, were among the study
This work was supported by the National Institutes of
Health grant numbers U01 GM61393, R01 MH090937, U01
HG005773, R01 MH090937, and R01 CA078545; Alex’s Lemonade Stand; Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation;
Elise Anderson Fund; Neuroblastoma Children’s Cancer
Society; Little Heroes Cancer Research Foundation; St. Baldrick’s Foundation; and the Cancer Research Foundation.
Researchers Identify Gene Involved in
Hormone Therapy-Resistant Prostate
Cancer
Elevated expression levels of the embryonic
stem cell regulator, Sox2, lead to prostate
cancer relapse after hormone therapy.
Androgen deprivation therapy is the
mainstay of prostate cancer treatment, yet
cancer relapse is a significant problem due
to the growth of hormone therapy-resistant
prostate cancer cells. Donald Vander
Griend, PhD, assistant professor of surgery,
Russell Szmulewitz, MD, assistant professor of medicine, and colleagues discovered
that elevated expression levels of Sox2 result
from loss of androgen receptor-mediated
repression during hormone therapy and
subsequently lead to cancer re-growth and
metastasis of prostate cancer cells.
Inhibiting the function of Sox2 has the
potential to aid in the treatment of prostate
cancer and prevent relapse after hormone
therapy. (Kregel et al., PLoS One 8:e53701,
2013)
This work was supported by a Pilot Award from the National
Cancer Institute (P50 CA090386); SPORE in Prostate Cancer
at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of
Northwestern University and the University of Chicago
Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center; an American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant (ACS-IRG, #IRG58-004); Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA14599); The
Brinson Foundation; the Alvin Baum Family Fund; the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Women›s
Board; an HHMI: Med-into-Grad Fellowship (56006772);
a Cancer Biology Training Grant (T32-CA09594); and an
Immunology Training Grant (AI07090-31).
MicroRNA-495 Functions as a Tumor
Suppressor in Leukemia
New research shows that microRNA-495
acts as a tumor suppressor by targeting
leukemia-related genes in acute myeloid
leukemia (AML) with mixed lineage
leukemia (MLL) rearrangements.
Jianjun Chen, PhD, assistant professor
of medicine, and colleagues demonstrated
that the expression of microRNA-495 is
significantly lower in MLL-rearranged
AML compared with non-MLL-rearranged
AML and normal tissue samples. Forced
expression of microRNA-495 inhibited
leukemogenesis by preventing expression of
the PBX3 and MEIS1 genes.
These results broaden our understanding
of the mechanisms underlying MLLrearranged leukemia, a disease associated
with poor survival, and facilitate the
development of new therapeutic strategies.
Additional UCCCC researchers involved in
the study include Janet Rowley, MD, DSc,
Blum-Riese Distinguished Service Professor
of Medicine, UCCCC Director Michelle Le
Beau, PhD, Arthur and Marian Edelstein
Professor of Medicine, Richard A. Larson,
MD, professor of medicine, and Sandeep
Gurbuxani, MBBS, PhD, assistant professor of pathology. (Jiang et al., Proc Natl
Acad Sci USA 109:19397-502, 2012)
This work was supported by the National Institutes of
Health grant numbers R01 CA127277, R01 CA118319
Sub-Award, P01 CA40046, and P30 CA014599 Cancer
Center Support Grant (CCSG); a Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society Translational Research Grant; an American Cancer
Society Research Scholar grant; the G. Harold and Leila Y.
Mathers Charitable Foundation; the Fidelity Foundation;
the University of Chicago Committee on Cancer Biology
Fellowship Program; a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Special Fellowship; and Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for
Cancer Research.
Molecular Profile of Head and
Neck Cancer Predicts Sensitivity to
Chemotherapy
Researchers find that a specific mutation
in squamous cell carcinoma of the head
and neck (SCCHN) predicts sensitivity
to gefitinib, a chemotherapeutic agent
that targets the epidermal growth factor
receptor (EGFR).
The majority of patients with SCCHN
who undergo therapy with EGFR inhibitors
become resistant to treatment over time.
Ezra Cohen, MD, associate professor of
medicine, Tanguy Seiwert, MD, assistant
professor of medicine, Olufunmilayo
Olopade, MBBS, FACP, Walter L. Palmer
Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics, and colleagues
evaluated the sensitivity of SCCHN cell
lines to the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib. They
found that cells harboring mutations that
result in constitutively active AKT, a downstream signaling protein, were resistant to
treatment.
Although these results need to be
validated in tumor tissue, the findings may
potentially help refine patient selection and
treatment decisions for SCCHN. (Young
et al., Mol Oncol published online ahead of
print, November 2012)
This work was supported by an ASCO Career Development Award and National Institutes of Health CTSA award
(UL1 RR024999).
CT Imaging Predicts Prognosis in
Patients with Mesothelioma
A new study shows that changes in disease
volume from CT scans collected during
treatment are associated with survival in
patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Samuel Armato, PhD, associate
professor of radiology, Hedy Kindler,
MD, associate professor of medicine, and
colleagues obtained serial CT scans during
the course of standard chemotherapy for
81 patients. They showed that increases in
disease volume, extracted by segmentation
using a semiautomated process, predicted
poor patient survival and were associated
with clinical factors, including disease
histology.
These results demonstrate that continuous measurements of disease volume are
prognostically significant in patients with
mesothelioma. This study is complementary to the team’s work on correlating CT
measurements of tumor thickness with
patient survival (Labby et al., J Thorac
Oncol 7:1728-34, 2012 and Labby et al.,
Ann Oncol published online ahead of
print, November 2012)
This work was supported by the University of Chicago
Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center; the Raine Medical
Research Foundation; the US National Institutes of Health
grant numbers T32 EB002103 and R01 CA102085; the
Simmons Mesothelioma Foundation; the Kazan Law Firm’s
Charitable Foundation; the National Health and Medical
Research Council, Australia; and the Cancer Council Western Australia.
6
cancer.uchicago.edu
At the Forefront of Discovery®
Drawing Strength from Cancer Survivors
Amalia Rigoni of Olympia Fields thought
life was going well until she was diagnosed
with breast cancer. Under the mentorship
of a breast cancer survivor, combined with
world-class treatment from experts at the
University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC), she
faced her disease with courage and determination. She would later use her experience
to help others overcome the shock and
confusion of a cancer diagnosis.
Dodging a Bullet
In 2000, Amalia noticed a thickening in her
right breast, but her mammogram results
appeared normal. She still felt something
was wrong, so she sought advice from the
medical director at the insurance company
where she worked. He advised her to insist
on undergoing a fine-needle aspiration
biopsy to investigate the suspicious tissue.
“As someone who worked in health
insurance, I was used to advocating for
people; now it was my turn,” she said.
This time, Amalia got an answer. At 42,
she had advanced breast cancer. Although
the news changed her world instantly, she
Having the support of
other survivors often
helps cancer patients
process the emotions
and navigate through
the health system.
Amalia Rigoni
felt she had dodged a bullet. She wondered
what would have happened if the cancer
was not discovered. While she was still reeling from the news, she received a call from
Joyce, her brother’s coworker and a breast
cancer survivor, who offered support during
her journey.
Amalia had many decisions to make,
so she sought a second opinion from the
UCCCC. Seeing that a team of multidisciplinary specialists discussed her case, she
knew she was in good hands.
“As scared as I was in the beginning
about breast cancer, when I got to the
[UCCCC], it was like the weight was lifted
off my shoulders,” Amalia recalled. She
had surgery to remove the tumor and 10
cancerous lymph nodes. She also underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy,
followed by anti-estrogen therapy.
Helping Others
Thirteen years later, Amalia is still cancerfree.
“Amalia is a shining example of a young
patient with high-risk cancer who was
treated aggressively and has done great,” said
Nora Jaskowiak, MD, associate professor of
surgery, who cared for Amalia, along with
Gini Fleming, MD, professor of medicine.
“She beat a poor prognosis.”
Amalia said she was able to get through
breast cancer because of Joyce, her doctors,
her loved ones, and other survivors. She
became passionate about helping women
realize that a diagnosis of breast cancer
is not an automatic “death sentence.” In
2003, she joined the Y-ME National Breast
Cancer Organization as a bilingual outreach
educator and hotline coordinator.
“Having the support of other survivors
Amalia Rigoni is a 13-year survivor of breast cancer.
often helps cancer patients process the
emotions and navigate through the health
system,” Amalia said. “My experiences with
the thousands of women I have spoken
with on the hotline and met in person have
helped me understand that advocacy is the
best weapon we have to fight this disease
until a cure is found.”
Focus on:
Core Facilities
Facility Supports Development of New Immune-Based Therapies for Cancer
I
mmunotherapy, which
harnesses the patient’s immune
system to fight disease, provides a promising avenue
for effective cancer treatments. However, many of
these new treatments require specialized testing, as well as
special expertise and facilities for manufacturing. At the
University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer
Center (UCCCC), investigators interested in conducting
novel immunotherapy clinical trials can take advantage of
the unique services provided by the Human Immunologic
Monitoring-current Good Manufacturing Practice (HIMcGMP) Facility.
The HIM-cGMP Facility manufactures clinical-grade
immunotherapy products, including cell-based cancer
vaccines that boost a patient’s immune response against their
tumor. These products are made in a special “clean room”
environment where the air quality is regulated and staff
are required to dress in sterile gowns. A major role of the
Facility is to ensure compliance with U.S. Food and Drug
Administration regulations known as current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) on safety, identity, purity, and
strength of the manufactured products being administered
to patients.
“Using cells as drugs follows similar safety requirements
as pharmaceuticals, but the challenges are different,” said
Amittha Wickrema, PhD, associate professor of medicine
and scientific co-director of the HIM-cGMP Facility.
The Facility also offers custom The Facility also helps researchized assistance to investigators who are
ers perform assays, including
interested in translating their laboratory
analyses of cytokines in serum, and
ideas into clinical research protocols.
gene expression analyses in tumor
To date, immunotherapy trials have
biopsies, to measure the immune
been explored in melanoma, pancreresponse induced by various
atic cancer, leukemia, prostate cancer,
therapeutic interventions in patients
and kidney cancer. Dr. Gajewski said
participating in clinical trials. The
the portfolio is expanding. He added
specialized analyses for these studies
that the recruitment of a national
benefit from interfacing with other
expert, Michael Bishop, MD, profesUCCCC shared core facilities,
sor of medicine, to lead the University
such as the Genomics Core Facilof Chicago Medicine hematopoietic
ity, the Cytometry and Antibody
stem cell transplant program will result
Technology Facility, and Human
in novel treatments for lymphoma,
Tissue Resource Center, to analyze
leukemia, and multiple myeloma. One
and correlate the data with clinical
of Dr. Bishop’s research interests is to
outcomes. This information helps
determine, for example, the optimal A suited-up technician prepares a peptide vaccine for find ways to enhance immune effects of
transplanted cells against cancer.
dose of a vaccine needed to elicit
melanoma patients in the HIM-cGMP Facility.
By manufacturing therapeutic
the appropriate immune response.
cancer vaccines and measuring biological responses, the
“There are a lot of questions to ask within the frameHIM-cGMP Facility plays a central role in developing new
work of personalized medicine,” said HIM-cGMP Facility
targeted immunotherapeutics for cancer.
Scientific Co-Director Thomas F. Gajewski, MD, PhD,
professor of pathology and medicine. “We are always searching for biomarkers that can tell us which patients respond
to which therapy and if they don’t, then why not.”
UCCRF Associates Board
Holds Annual Ball in the
Style of ‘Gatsby’
The University of Chicago Cancer
Research Foundation (UCCRF)
Associates Board held its annual
fundraising event in March. More
than 250 people attended the
“Gatsby Gala” at Room 1520 in
Chicago. The evening featured
cocktails, appetizers, dancing,
and a silent auction, raising nearly
$49,000 to support cancer research
at the UCCCC. The UCCRF Associates Board is an organization of
young philanthropists dedicated to
raising the funds necessary to aid in
the prevention and cure of cancer.
Gala co-chairs Stephanie Werner,
Margaux Harrold, Ruthie Neumeier,
and Associates Board President
Katherine Crouch
Christine Castro, Natalie Platt, and Mallory DeHaven Gala attendees were dressed up
in 1920s fashion.
Laurel Buchi-Fotre, Carrie Leman, Palmer Conti, Gwendolyn Smith, Danielle Quivey,
and Allisha Benjamin
cancer.uchicago.edu
7
Pathways to Discovery
UCCRF Women’s Board Supports the Early Work of
Talented Cancer Researchers
save the dates!
The University of Chicago
Cancer Research Foundation
(UCCRF) presents a list of
upcoming fundraising events:
The University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation (UCCRF) Women’s Board has raised over $14 million to
support cancer research at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC) since it was
founded in 1947. The Women’s Board is one of the UCCRF’s three fundraising boards.
T
he Board consists of 73
women from a wide range of ages
and geographical locations who
volunteer their time and generosity for
the various fundraising events that take
place throughout the year.
“What makes us different from other
organizations is that our funds go solely
for research,” said Women’s Board President and melanoma survivor Jill Pollock.
“Most members have been personally
affected or touched by cancer, and they
are interested in the research aspect.”
Some of the Board’s fundraising initiatives include the Chicago Hunter Derby,
a world-class equestrian competition, and
the Annual Appeal mailing. In the past,
they hosted the Dream Home Preview at
the Merchandise Mart, featuring rooms
decorated by Chicago’s top designers.
The annual Grand Auction and gala
is the largest fundraising effort of the
Women’s Board, raising $700,000 in
2012. Featured in publications such as
Town and Country magazine and with
sponsors that have included Verdura and
Ralph Lauren, this perennially sold-out
gala is considered to be one of the finest
charity events in the country. Pollock said
one of the Board’s goals for the coming
years is to gradually increase its membership and identify new ways of raising
funds in advance of the Grand Auction’s
50th anniversary celemechanisms underlying
bration in 2016.
the promotion of breast
Philanthropic
cancer by estrogen and
support serves as a
targeting the estrogen
significant source of
receptor protein for the
funding to researchtreatment and preveners at the UCCCC
tion of breast cancer.
who need seed money
The Women’s Board
to start their projects.
has also supported
Funds provided by the
the Committee on
Women’s Board have
Cancer Biology, which
enabled new scientists
is training our future
to generate enough
generation of cancer
research data to compete
researchers. In addition,
for federal research grant
the Board has invested
funding.
in several shared research
“We look to support Jill Pollock, UCCRF Women’s Board
facilities that provide
President
projects that would not
UCCCC researchotherwise have funding,” said Pollock.
ers with leading-edge technologies and
“This is the investigator who needs
expertise to perform innovative research
$20,000 or $30,000 just to get their idea
and drug discovery, including the Human
started.”
Tissue Resource Center, which collects,
The Board has been a longtime
stores, and distributes research-quality
supporter of research by new faculty in
human biospecimens.
the Ben May Department for Cancer
The dedication and support of the
Research, which was created by Nobel
Women’s Board has been instrumenLaureate Dr. Charles Huggins, a pioneer
tal in advancing UCCCC laboratory
in hormonal therapy for prostate cancer.
research which is essential for guiding the
Researchers have continued to build
development of personalized and more
on Dr. Huggins’s work in basic cancer
effective cancer prevention and treatment
biology research. For example, Professor
strategies.
Geoffrey Greene, PhD, has made great
progress in understanding the molecular
Wo m e n ’s B oar d
Chicago Hunter Derby
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Annali Farm, Antioch
UCCCC an d UCC R F
Shubitz Prize Recognition
Dinner
Monday, October 7, 2013
The University of Chicago Gleacher
Center
Wo m e n ’s B oar d
Grand Auction
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Four Seasons Hotel
For more information, please
contact [email protected].
Pathways to
Spring 2013
cancer.uchicago.edu
®
In this issue…
1
The UCCCC is recommended for
renewal as a Comprehensive Cancer
Center by the National Cancer
Institute.
3
The University of Chicago Medicine
5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC1140 H212
Chicago, IL 60637
[email protected]
A parent takes steps to expand
funding for childhood cancer
research in Illinois.
4
The new Center for Care and
Discovery provides state-of-theart cancer care.
2
Researchers identify a gene that
contributes to acute myeloid
leukemia.
4
Experts collaborate to advance the
field of radiation therapy.
7
A breast cancer survivor helps
others overcome the shock and
confusion of a cancer diagnosis.
Support cancer research
through the UCCRF:
cancer.uchicago.edu/donations