AMC at the Annual Meeting

Handouts are provided where available and are © their authors. Click on a speaker's name to download their presentation.

Twelfth Annual Grant Writing Workshop

The Workshop for beginning grant writers featured keynote presentations, a Mock Study Section, a brief overview of recent changes in the NIH grant review process, and mentored roundtable discussions with senior AACR members.

Thanks to the Keynote Speakers:

Mary L. Disis, M.D., University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Jeffrey M. Rosen, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Thanks to the Rountable Mentors, Mock Study Section, and additional speaker:

James L. Abbruzzese, M.D., UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Heike Allgayer, M.D., Ph.D., Klinikum Mannheim of University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germanyo
Doris M. Benbrook, Ph.D., Mock Study Section Member, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Ethan Dmitrovsky, M.D., Mock Study Section Chairperson, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH
Steven M. Dubinett, M.D., Mock Study Section Member, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Joanna L. Groden, Ph.D., Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH
Mien-Chie Hung, Ph.D., UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Robert E. Hurst, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Bruce E. Johnson, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
Raghu Kalluri, Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
Gary D. Kruh, M.D., Ph.D., Mock Study Section Member, University of Illinois Chicago Cancer Center, Chicago, IL
Edmund C. Lattime, Ph.D., UMDNJ-The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
Shannon Lemrow, Ph.D., NCI, Bethesda, MD
Patricia Mucci LoRusso, D.O., Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI
James R. Marshall, Ph.D., Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
Suresh Mohla, Ph.D., NIH Peer Review Process Changes, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Harold L. Moses, M.D., Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN
Paul S. Rennie, Ph.D., Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC
Neeraja Sathyamoorthy, Ph.D., National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD
Louis M. Weiner, M.D., Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC
Jonathan S. Wiest, Ph.D., NCI-CCR-OTE, Bethesda, MD

Future Leaders Special Symposium

The Associate Member Council is proud to present, for the third year, a scientific symposium showcasing early-career scientists in cancer research whose work reflects innovation, scientific independence, motivation, and creativity. Institutional nomination was required for consideration; speakers were selected through a highly competitive review process. This special symposium was created by the Associate Member Council in 2007 at the request of Dr. Geoffrey M. Wahl, then President of the AACR, to showcase the best and brightest among junior researchers in the cancer fields. The Associate Member Council accepts nominations in the fall of each year.

Ashleigh J. Miller, B.S., Graduate Student, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR. "Tgfβ Signaling, Intestinal Homeostasis and Cancer: Novel Insights Through Stochastic Gene Alterations."

With an introduction by: Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA

Ferdia A. Gallagher, B.M.B.Ch., Clinical Fellow, Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge, UK. "Molecular Imaging of Carbon Metabolism in Tumors Using MRI."

With an introduction by: David Piwnica-Worms, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Molecular Imaging Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Stavroula Mili, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA. "RNA Localization by APC: A New Role for an Old Tumor-Suppressor."

With an introduction by: Carrie Rinker-Schaeffer, Associate Professor and Director of Urology Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Scott A. Tomlins, Ph.D., Medical Student, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI. "Targeting SPINK1 in ETS negative prostate cancer."

With an introduction by: Charles L. Sawyers, M.D., Chairman, Oncology & Pathology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

Establishing Successful Relationships for Productive Careers: Mentorship and Career Development Planning

Thanks to the Speakers:

Shine Chang, Ph.D., UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Ann Richmond, Ph.D., Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN

Developing the skills needed to be a good mentee are critical for one's career development as a graduate student or medical student and fellow. To be successful, early-career scientists and physicians need to learn the skills required to show their mentors, by their attitude and actions, that they are promising junior colleagues. Additionally, the writing and utilization of a career development plan throughout one's training and career can open lines of communication between mentors and trainees, and help define mutually beneficial goals and expectations to promote career success. This session advised attendees on the characteristics of a successful mentor-trainee relationship, the responsibilities of a mentee, and strategies to enhance, improve and foster successful mentoring relationships throughout their careers.

Targeting a Job in Industry

Thanks to the Speakers:

Allan Ebens, Ph.D., Genentech, South San Francisco, CA
Alex Franzusoff, Ph.D., GlobeImmune, Inc., Louisville, CO
Tammie C. Yeh, Ph.D., Array Biopharma, Boulder, CO
Scott Weinrich, Ph.D., Pfizer Oncology Research, La Jolla, CA

Given the growing concerns among trainees over the availability of academic faculty positions, more information on biotechnology and pharmaceutical careers is in high demand as an alternative to the classic academic track. Speakers representing large and small biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms participated in a panel discussion to provide trainees with more information on how to make an informed decision as to whether the industry work environment is right for them, how to choose projects, mentors and a direction of study that would make one attractive to industry, and then how to pursue that job, from first contact to interview and negotiation.

Starting Up and Managing a Successful Laboratory: What Basic Scientists and Clinician-Scientists Should Know

Thanks to the Speakers:

Carlo C. Maley, Ph.D., The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA
Tyler J. Curiel, M.D., UT Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX

Entering into a new faculty position following a postdoctoral fellowship, clinical fellowship, or residency comes with a number of new responsibilities. Starting up a laboratory can be an overwhelming task for new investigators, as details of organizing lab space, working with faculty and collaborators, choosing a mentor, balancing laboratory and clinical or other duties, and maintaining a lab staff are not routinely addressed during training years. This session aims to provide guidance and answer questions on navigating the transition from being a trainee to managing a lab.

Associate Member Resource and Career Center

The Associate Member Resource and Career Center is located on the exhibit floor during poster hours and is open to all early-career scientists Network, learn about funding opportunities, meet with friends and colleagues, join informal peer-to-peer discussion sessions, or just take a break. "The Doctor Is In" sessions will provide an opportunity for attendees to meet prominent senior scientists for discussion sessions throughout the Annual Meeting.

Click the title link above for a more detailed schedule and list of programming.