Transcript Cancer Biology Training Program Washington University

Cancer Biology Training Program
Washington University School of
Medicine
Siteman Cancer Center
Lee Ratner MD PhD
Program Director
Director, Molecular
Oncology
Objectives
• To train graduate and postgraduate students in
interdisciplinary research relevant to cancer biology
• To provide basic scientists in depth training in diverse
aspects of basic, translational, and clinical cancer
research
• To foster the development of interdisciplinary
collaborative undertakings
• Program is devoted entirely to training students in the
PhD program or postdoctoral fellows with a PhD, not
those training for or have received MD or MD PhD
degrees who have other sources of support our
institution and other avenues of obtaining a background
in broad issues of cancer biology.
Rationale
• In light of the rapid pace and complexity of basic, translational, and
clinical research, it is imperative to provide graduate and post-graduate
trainees the necessary armamentarium of experimental skills and
intellectual background to undertake cutting edge cancer research
• Success in an academic career pathway requires proficiency in research
skills and mentored training.
• This program is closely integrated with and supported by the Siteman
Cancer Center.
• Specific didactic courses and journal clubs integrates these fields with
other areas of cancer research in providing trainees a broad and in-depth
understanding of important issues in oncology.
• A clinical mentoring program is provided to give graduate students and
post-doctoral fellows exposure to translational and clinical research
approaches.
• This is the only training program at our university completed dedicated to
research in cancer biology.
Program History
• Initiated at Washington University with institutional funds in 2002 as a
program for training graduate students.
• The program may be expanded to include postdoctoral students with
funding of the T32 application
• The Siteman Cancer Center (SCC) at Washington University funded at
50% stipend level for 2 yrs each:
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8 students in 2002
6 additional students in 2003
5 additional students in 2004
5 additional students in 2005
In 2006, will provide full stipend to 3 postdocs & 4 students
• The didactic courses associated with the program have been ongoing
since 1999
• The program has been interdisciplinary since its inception with students
and postdoctoral fellows participating in cancer research in a wide range
of fields in multiple different departments.
Cancer Biology Graduates
Student
Advisor
Dept
Program
Thesis
Andy Bredemeyer
Ley
Medicine
Immunology
GzmB & CTL
Marisa Ponpuak
Weber
Medicine
Mol Gen
ARF nucleolar dynamics
Sage Berg-Cross
Marshall
Biochem
Chem Biology
Modeling beta-turn mimetics
Suzanne Brady
Weber
Medicine
Mol Genetics
Nucleophosmin in cell cycle progression
Hiliary Luderer
Longmore
Medicine
Mol Cell Bio
Ajuba & Zyxin in mets
Jane Knisely
Bu
Radiology
Mol Cell Bio
LDL receptor protein in tumor invasion
Holly Epple
Longmore
Medicine
Mol Cell Bio
Ajuba in motility and polarity
Ellen Langer
Longmore
Medicine
Mol Cell Bio
Epithelial mesenchymal transition
Julia Cordero
Cagan
Cell Bio
Mol Cell Bio
EGFR/Ras/MAPK in Drosophila
So Hee Dho
Weintraub
Surgery
Mol Cell Bio
Na-H exchanger in antineoplastic activity
Jaehong Kim
Parks
Medicine
Mol Cell Bio
Synovial sarcoma translocation in adhesion
Mol Cell Bio
CDC25 in breast cancer
2002
2003
Gwanghee Lee
H Piwnica-Worms Cell Bio
Julie O’Neal
Tomasson
Medicine
Mol Cell Bio
Myc in myeloid leukemia
Jennifer Sprague
Anderson
Radiology
Chem Biology
Cu-ligands and metalloproteinases
Cancer Biology Trainees
Student
Advisor
Dept
Program
Thesis
Gunjan Choudhary Ratner
Medicine
Mol Genetics
HTLV receptor
Rachel Delston
Opthamol
Mol Cell Bio
Ink4a and melanoma
D Piwnica-Worms Radiology
Mol Genetics
Imaging beta catenin interactions
Ozge Uluckan
Weilbaecher Medicine
Mol Genetics
Beta3 integrin and bone mets
Bin Zhang
Milbrandt
Pathology
Mol Genetics
Nkx3.1 target genes in prostate Ca
Meghna Das Thakur Longmore
Medicine
Mol Genetics
Lim proteins and epithelia adhesion
Shugaku Takeda
Hsieh
Medicine
Dev Biol
Taspase 1 and tumorigenesis
Yat Tang
Marshall
Biochem
Comp Biol
p53-Mdm2 peptide antagonists
Ho-Chou Tu
Cheng
Medicine
Mol Cell Bio
Regulation of Bcl2 proteins
Robert Yang
Marshall
Biochem
Comp Biol
Inhbitors of Erb signaling
2004
Snehal Naik
Harbour
2005
Key recent program projects to
SCC members
• The Genomics of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia” (PI:
T Ley), funded by the NCI as a P01 project in 9/03
• “Functional Polymorphism Analysis in Drug
Pathways” (PI: H McLeod) awarded by GM as a U01
project in 2001
• Washington University Molecular Imaging Center
(ICMIC)” (PI: D Piwnica-Worms) was awarded by NCI in
5/02
• Biomed 21 is a 250,000 sq ft translational research
facility to be located in the heart of the medical school
that will add 50 new faculty members, funded by
donations to the university, and to be completed 2005.
The project will include a Center for Genomics and
Human Genetics led by RK Wilson PhD, a Division of
Clinical Sciences led by KS Polonsky MD, and a Center
for Biological Imaging led by RJ Jost MD.
Factors instrumental to the success
of this training program
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Superb and rapidly expanding medical school
An outstanding cancer center
Broad coverage of areas of modern cancer research
A vigorous and enthusiastic research-oriented faculty
Dedicated administrative staff
A program committee that is actively involved in student
and postdoctoral selection, mentoring, and policy
formulation
A sound financial base
A flexible, but defined program
Collegial atmosphere that support collaborative research
Outstanding students
Administrative Structure of Training
Program
Theresa Waldhoff
Journal Clubs Participating in
Molecular Oncology Training
Program
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Molecular & Developmental Journal Club
Experimental Hematopoiesis Journal Club
Cancer Biology Journal Club
Genetics Journal Club
Molecular Virology Journal Club
Hematology & Oncology Journal Club
K Kroll
D Link
J Weber
S Dutcher
A Pekosz
P Majerus
Clinical Mentoring
Session
Clinical Mentors
Goals
Medical Oncology
– Breast Cancer
Research
Matthew Ellis MD PhD
Katherine Weilbaecher
MD
1. Half day session in comprehensive breast cancer clinic
2. Educate students on screening for breast cancer
3. Discuss chemoprevention for breast cancer
4. Understand genetic risk factors for breast cancer
5. Review the molecular basis of breast cancer
6. Review breast cancer endocrine treatment
7. Review breast cancer targeted therapies
Radiation
Oncology
Jeffrey Bradley MD
Jeff Michalski MD MBA
1. Introduce students to technical aspects of radiation therapy treatment planning and delivery.
2. Students will have the opportunity to witness the clinical care of patients receiving radiotherapy
for a variety of malignancies
3. Students will be introduced to multidisciplinary aspects of cancer management
4. Students will participate in interdepartmental patient management conferences and tumor
boards
Gynecologic
Oncology
Janet Rader MD
Matthew Powell MD
1. Educate the students on the screening and treatment of gynecologic malignancies
2. They will see many integrated therapies particularly in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
3. The students will have exposure to the operating room, clinics and in-patient service.
4. They can participate in the weekly tumor board and evaluation of patients for clinical trials.
Oncologic
Surgical
Pathology
John Pfeiffer MD PhD
Richard Burack MD
1. Review slides of cancer cancers with students to highlight pathologic basis of diagnosing and
staging cancer
2. Review immunohistochemical, FACS, gene rearrangement studies used by the pathologist
Oncologic
Radiology &
Nuclear Medicine
Dennis Balfe MD
Barry Siegel MD
1. Review techniques of radiology, including CT, MRI, and PET scans, and nuclear medicine
approaches to diagnosis and staging of cancer
2. Review examples in which radiological techniques are used in monitoring therapeutic
responses
Bone Marrow
Transplantation
John DiPersio MD PhD
Ravi Vij MD
1. Clinical care and follow-up of autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients
2. Molecular basis of tracking patients with hematologic malignancies
3. Molecular basis of tracking chimerism, minimal residual disease and GvHD after allogeneic
stem cell transplantation.
4. Biology and clinical methods for stem cell mobilization and ex-vivo manipulation.
5. Assessing risk of relapse, treatment related mortality and GvHD in patients who are planning
allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Surgical
Oncology
Jeffrey Moley MD
David Linehan MD
1. Introduce student to concepts and approaches in surgical oncology
2. The students will have exposure to the operating room, clinics, and in-patient service
3. The students will participate in the weekly tumor board and evaluation of patients for clinical
trials
Genomics &
Proteomics
Reid Townsend MDPhD
Purpose, methodology, instrumentation, and clinical sample preparation and analysis for
genomic expression, SNP, and proteomics analyses
Steering Committee Meetings
• Aug:
– Review and select students and postdocs for the program
– Review plans of journal clubs and clinical and translational
mentoring groups, and review plans for annual program retreat
– Review internal advisory board and trainees’ evaluations of the
program
• Jan:
– Review content and student critiques of journal clubs and clinical
and translational mentoring groups, and plans for didactic course
– Review research progress forms for each pre- and post-doctoral
student
• May:
– Review content and student critiques of didactic courses
– Pre- and post-doctoral student advising
Didactic Course
Courses started in 1999
Alternating years – D Wilson & L Ratner (emphasis on pediatric vs adult oncology
Proposed Schedule for 2006 Course
Jan 17 – Lee Ratner - Introduction
Jan 24 – Jason Weber – Translational control in cancer
Jan 31 – Sheila Stewart – Senescence and Tumorigenesis
Feb 7 - Loren Michel – Mitotic Checkpoints
Feb 14 - Simon Powell – Radiation Repair
Feb 21 Emily Cheng – Apoptosis and Cancer
Feb 28 – Ming You – Molecular Basis of Cancer Prevention
Mar 7 – Suzanne Pontow – Cytoskeleton and cancer
Mar 14 – Jeffrey Moley - Familial Cancer and Pre-emptive Surgery
Mar 21 - James Hsieh – Proteases and Cancer
Mar 28 – Michael Tomasson – Tyrosine kinase inhibitors for cancer
Apr 4 – Matthew Walters – Chromosomal Abnormalities and Cancer
Apr 11 - Tim Graubert – Stem cell transplantation
Apr 18- Jerry Linette – Cancer Vaccines
Apr 25 – Student sponsored speaker
Trainee Schedule
Average Number of
Hours/Week
Fall Semester Year 1
Journal Club
Clinical Mentoring Program
Other Lectures
Laboratory Research
1
1 (4 hrs once per
month)
1-2
36
Spring Semester
Year 1
Molecular Basis of Cancer Course (even
years)
Other Lectures
Laboratory Research
1.5
1-2
36
Fall Semester Year 2
Journal Club
Clinical Mentoring Program
Other Lectures
Laboratory Research
1
1 (4 hrs once per
month)
1-2
36
Spring Semester
Year 2
Special Emphasis Pathway in Cancer Biology
(odd years)
Other Lectures
Laboratory Research
1.5
1-2
36
Other Educational Programs
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7 SCC research programs have regular internal seminars or discussion
groups, including
– Cancer Genetics Lunchtime Seminar Series
– Molecular and Development Biology Journal Club
– Cancer Center Research Talks
– Weekly Immunology Seminar
– Weekly Signaling/Cell Cycle Series
– Prevention and Control Seminar
– Oncologic Imaging Seminar Series
SCC has sponsored two major conferences in 2003 that have had national
and international participation, including
– Small Animal Imaging Resource Advanced Symposium
– Stem Cell Symposium
Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences has extensive graduate
training programs
Siteman Cancer Center Basic Science Symposia