Hollings Cancer Center holds research retreat
Hollings Cancer Center held its first Basic Science Research Retreat on Aug. 31 at Wild Dunes, with 190 researchers attending.
Drs.
Jim Norris and Yusuf Hannun discuss a screen presentation during the retreat.
The research retreat provided a forum for interaction and collaboration among researchers. The morning of oral presentations by investigators included time for discussion and an informal one-and-one-half-hour poster session in the afternoon fostered group discussion.
“It is a great opportunity for all of us to learn about the cancer research being done on campus” said Carolyn Reed, M.D., Hollings Cancer Center director. “It is my hope that that the information will spark new ideas and new collaborations.”
Yusuf Hannun, M.D., Hollings Cancer Center deputy director for research, has been instrumental in the formation of three basic science programs for cancer research: cancer biology, led by Steven Rosenzweig, Ph.D.; functional genetics, led by Dennis Watson, Ph.D.; and basic and preclinical therapeutics, led by James Norris, Ph.D.
These three programs provide a strong foundation for the cancer center, with 95 investigators and more than the NCI-mandated minimum of $3 million per year in research funding.
Six awards were made to the best student and postdoctoral oral and poster presentations. Winners for oral presentations were: Melissa Frazer, “The CaSm Oncogene Alters Cell Cycle Progression and mRNA Stability;” and Kim Lavenburg, “Functional Study of Two Cancer-related Genes, VHL and Akt, in the Developing Drosophila Vascular System.”
Winners for poster presentations were: Marianne Albert, ”Identification of a Novel IGF-Binding Protein;” David H. Holman, “Fas-Resistant Glioma Cells Undergo Apoptosis Upon Transduction of a FasL Using a FasL-Expressing Adenovirus;” Jeffrey A. Jones, “Phosphatidic Acid Binds and Potently Inhibits Protein Phosphatase-1c in Vitro;”and Yuhuan Xie, “18:1 LPA as an Autocrine Growth Factor in Human Prostate Cancer Cells.”
The winners were selected from a total of 13 oral presenters and 38
poster presenters.