LMP News, September 10

Hogquist named LMP Vice Chair for Research

Congratulations are in order for Kris Hogquist who has been named LMP’s Vice Chair for Research.  In this new role, Kris will serve as chair of the department’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC), identify strategic initiatives to expand on the department’s existing research accomplishments and help support the chair’s research vision for the department. 

Koob awarded NIH funding to study key tau tangles protein

NIH’s aging research program awarded Michael Koob a two-year grant totaling $423,500 to study “Molecular endophenotypes of H1 and H2 MAPT haplotypes.”  MAPT (micro-tubule associated protein) encodes for tau, the predominant component of neurofibrillary tangles that are neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.

American Association of Immunologists funds Hamilton-Hart study

The American Association of Immunologists awarded Sara Hamilton-Hart $48,432 to study “Bystander activation through natural pathogen exposure shapes the memory CD8 T cell pool.”

LMP residents nominated to participate in U of M Resident Leadership Academy

Second-year residents Cade Arries and Aimi Toyama have been nominated to participate in the fifth cohort of the U of M Resident Leadership Academy, a one-year program for residents selected for their current leadership skills and future potential to transform healthcare.

Biostatistics support now available

LMP has engaged the Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center (BDAC) to provide biostatistics support for research.  Visit the LMP faculty Google site to review the request process for requests.

National Postdoc Appreciation Week is coming soon

National Postdoc Appreciation Week is Sept. 17-21.  Click this link for U of M activities.

Dockter takes on new role in Medical School

Kathleen Dockter, ALRT Center Director, has been appointed Senior Director of Operational Alignment.  Kathleen will serve as project manager for the operational alignment work across the Medical School and UMPhysicians as the organization moves forward with the joint clinical enterprise with Fairview.

NCI’s SBIR program director to visit Masonic Cancer Center

NCI SBIR Program Director Ashim Subedee will be presenting funding opportunities and other commercialization resources to take your technology from lab to market, Oct 1,  9 – 10:30 am, in 450 MCRB. Register here.

New center aims to streamline clinical research support

The newly established Clinical Research Support Center (CRSC), located on the third floor of Diehl Hall, opened Sept. 4. The CRSC will give U of M investigators and study teams an easier way to navigate the complex clinical research environment and advance research projects through the process more quickly. The CRSC is a partnership between the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Fairview Health Services, and University of Minnesota Physicians.

Medical School launches Research Connect initiative

Dean Tolar announced that the Medical School has launched a new initiative, Research Connect, a resource to communicate medical student/resident research opportunities. “This is a great way for our clinical learners to connect with science and scientists,” Tolar said.

Clarification

Danni Li’s four-year NIH R01 grant to study “Blood Biomarkers as Surrogate Endpoints of Treatment Responses to Aerobic Exercise and/or Cognitive Training in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment” is for $1.95 million.  $491,000 is allotted for the first year.

Correction

Ameeta Kelekar will introduce the keynote speaker at the Center for Women in Medicine and Science’s first annual retreat Sept. 27 in theCancer and Cardiovascular Research Building, not the Center for Women and Science.

Faculty publish

Yuan JM, Carmella SG, Wang R, Tan YT, Adams-Haduch J, Gao YT, Hecht SS.  Relationship of the oxidative damage biomarker 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α to risk of lung cancer development in the Shanghai Cohort Study.  Carcinogenesis. 2018 Jul 3;39(7):948-954. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgy060.

Owen DL, Mahmud SA, Vang KB, Kelly RM, Blazar BR, Smith KA, Farrar MA.  Identification of Cellular Sources of IL-2 Needed for Regulatory T Cell Development and Homeostasis.  J Immunol. 2018 Jun 15;200(12):3926-3933. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1800097. Epub 2018 May 4.

Nelson AC, Machado HL, Schwertfeger KL.  Breaking through to the other side: Microenvironment contributions to DCIS initiation and progression. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2018 Aug 31. doi: 10.1007/s10911-018-9409-z. [Epub ahead of print] Review.

Upcoming events of interest or things to do

The annual MPG Symposium will be held October 11 at Coffman Memorial Union with keynote speaker Muneesh Tewari from the University of Michigan.  Tewari will discuss the integration of cell free DNA with wearable sensors for early cancer diagnosis.  

The 8th Great Lakes Nuclear Receptors Conference will be held Oct. 18-19 in the Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building (CCRB).  The regional meeting brings together senior investigators and their trainees whose research is focused on nuclear receptor biology. 

Grand Rounds are back on Wednesday’s at 8:00 am in 450 MCRB (Masonic Cancer Research Building)

A reminder that LMP’s Research Forum resumes Thursday, Oct 11, 5 pm. in the Dale Shephard Room of the Campus Club in Coffman Union.

Send news to Bill

Please send publications, achievement and event information and announcements you think appropriate for the LMP Newsletter to Bill Hoffman at hoffm003@umn.edu.  Also, Bill has an ongoing interest in photographs, images, and story ideas you may have for the LMP website.