Highlights from the AACR Grantee Summit by Wafik S. El-Deiry: 15 Posts Not To Miss

The AACR Grantee summit took place on October 7-8, 2024, at the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia.

The event gathered researchers, grant recipients, and stakeholders in the field of cancer research to foster collaboration and share scientific advancements. During the poster sessions, AACR grantees showcased their funded research projects, highlighting innovative approaches and findings in various cancer studies.

The session provided a platform for networking and discussions with fellow scientists, funding organizations, and distinguished guests, promoting future collaborations and continued progress in cancer research.

Here are some highlights from the AACR Grantee Summit by Wafik S. El-Deiry:

Lillian Siu at AACR grantee summit:

“Dr. Lillian Siu, President-Elect of AACR, speaks at a fire-side chat at AACR grantee summit with Mitch Stoller She spoke about mentorship and training, and her plans for a leadership program and global efforts with AACR.

She mentioned her own mentors, gave career advice, and as like about challenges in oncology including data, cancer biology and the workforce. Best advice for those starting their career: ‘come to meetings, become an AACR member, learn about things outside your comfort zone, be curious about things and learn about other areas.’

She would have more work-life balance which she pays attention to more these days. In response to a question about imposter syndrome with more senior people: Don’t let anyone make you feel that way. Do the super-woman pose; it’s mental.

Practice your first two slides really really well. She has taken up kick-boxing so watch out…”

Kim Rathmel addresses AACR grantees:

“Dr. Kim Rathmel addresses AACR grantees at meeting. Dr. Rathmel is grateful to AACR for two grants in her career that led to innovative treatments, impact on trainees, and even a collaboration with Jeff Rathmell(it took 30 years and an AACR grant!)

With regard to grants: ‘We need all the shots in the arm we can get’ Dr. Rathmel is committed to realize funding for early stage investigators. ‘We’re all in this together’ Grantees provide perspectives, insights, and breakthroughs.”

Bob Vonderheide about translational research on pancreatic cancer:

“Dr. Bob Vonderheide has seen over his career that as a cancer doctor and researcher, members of the public back in 1997 would say to him ‘that must be very depressing’ to 2024 ‘that must be very exciting.’ Tells the story of his career path and lessons learned.

Telomerase as a tumor antigen Until it becomes important for a patient, it’s only potentially important. Dr. Banacerraf who declined paper for PNAS that was published in Immunity. Wanted to prevent cancer with a Tert vaccine in patients who are BRCA carriers. This led to the concept of ‘interception vaccine.’

Dr. Vonderheide spoke about translational research on pancreatic cancer. He spoke about the day the FDA approved CAR-T therapy when Carl June said: ‘Cancer care has changed today forever.’ Carl also taught Bob: Do the most important thing first thing in the morning ignoring distractions.”

Panel with representatives:

“Panel with representatives from academia Patrick C. Ma, industry with Jeff Engelman, and Patient Advocate Kris Graham, an Educator from Radnor currently enrolled in a clinical trial with Dr. Joe Treat at Fox Chase Cancer Center at the AACR Grantee Summit.

Diverse perspectives on a variety of topics from prioritization of drugs in development, the complexity of modern cancer trials, the regulatory environment, FDA Project Optimus for drug dose optimization, AI, RWE, IRB’s, liquid biopsies for trial enrollment, disparities, transportation for patients, shortages of oncologists as more survive and more younger people develop cancer, access to drugs, what patients need in terms of support and what she needs to hear to understand better the treatment, and cancer experience from the point of view of an Educator.

I learned about ‘time toxicity’ that patient’s experience thanks to Kris Graham. Dr. Ma spoke about Community Advisory Board and Winn grants.

Great questions from the audience.”

Great networking opportunities at the AACR grantee summit:

“Great networking opportunities at the AACR grantee summit including Fred Biemer, Senior Director of Global Affairs at AACR, Narasima Kumar Karanam, and Srivani Ravoori, Director of Science Communications at AACR during a break in Philadelphia.”

Mya Roberson at the AACR grantee summit:

“Great to meet Dr. Mya Roberson from UNC at the AACR grantee summit. We had an opportunity to chat briefly about progress at the Legorreta Cancer Center Dr. Roberson is a Trustee of the Brown University Corporation.”

Elana Fertig about AI in oncology:

“Dr. Elana Fertig at Hopkins QT going to University of Maryland to direct spoke about AI in oncology. She does not subscribe to AI blender magic and refers to different scales of biology where one has to be clear about what the questions are.

She advocates for collaboration in team science. Using Visium spatial transcriptomics (resolution limited) and machine learning for tumor microenvironment analysis and assessment of epithelial cell heterogeneity.

There is more than EMT in PDAC progression. Her group used a novel computational pipeline recently published in Cell Systems in August, 2024.

Dr. Fertig proposes that predictive medicine is a path forward from precision medicine.”

Pingping Hou at the AACR Grantee Summit:

“Dr. Pingping Hou speaks about pancreatitis induced (cerulin) resistance toKRAS-targeted therapy and cellular plasticity. Dr. Hou spoke about macrophage-TGF-beta EMT in regulation of KRAS bypass that requires SMAD4.”

A little networking myself:

“I did a little networking myself this morning by bringing a stuffed lobster from Rhode Island for Marge Foti to enjoy.”

Ben Stanger about engaging with the public in science and medicine:

“Dr. Ben Stanger speaks about how to engage with the public in science and medicine. The advice applies to all public speaking.

Keep it simple. Don’t reinvent the wheel. How to get people’s attention in a very distracted world. Ask a question.

Start with a fact. Start with a story. Know your audience.”

Raghavendra Vadla about GBM cell state plasticity:

“Dr. Raghavendra Vadla at UCSD Health speaks about GBM cell state plasticity mediated by BRD2 and therapeutic resistance. Mesenchymal subtype is the most invasive and most therapy resistant.

AACR grantee meeting.

He spoke about RelA acetylation and with mutation of RelA there was less BRD2 and BRD4 binding to chromatin. KD of BRD2 decreased mesenchymal genes.”

Great to meet Sheila Stewart:

“Great to meet Dr. Sheila Stewart at WUSTL at the AACR Grantee Summit and have a chance to discuss shared interests in TME senescence, the innate immune system and cancer therapy.”

Adwoa Bemah Boamah Menash about mobile app for breast cancer screening:

“Dr. Adwoa Bemah Boamah Menash from Kwame University in Ghana speaks a mobile app to promote breast cancer screening at AACR Grantee Conference in Philadelphia. Learning about some challenges and it’s not lack of mobile phones, as well as feasibility.

Great App Video, pubs, trainees, and career development. Future looking at outcomes of interventions.”

Milos Spasic about the aging immune system:

“Dr. Milos Spasic speaks about the aging immune system in TNBC progression and therapy responses Younger and older patients have distinct molecular profiles with an immune component.

He has been modeling immune aging in FVB mice and sees tumors grow faster in younger mice which do better with anti-PDL1 plus paclitaxel. The older mouse TNBC tumors have more T-regs as well as CD8+ while the younger mice recruit more immune cells.

AACR inaugural grantee summit in Philadelphia.”

Great presentation by Zulekha Qadeer:

“Great presentation by Dr. Zulekha Qadeer, speaks about Myc and tgf-beta clustering in group 3 medulloblastoma through chromatin remodeling. She showed distinct signatures of these group 3 MB tumors.

AACR inaugural Grantee Summit in Philadelphia.”

More posts featuring Wafik S. El-Deiry on oncodaily.com

Highlights from the AACR Grantee Summit

Wafik S. El-Deiry, MD, PhD, FACP, FRSM, is the Associate Dean for Oncologic Sciences at the Warren Alpert Medical School and Director of the Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University and Director of the Joint Program in Cancer Biology at Brown University and affiliated hospitals. He is the Editor in Chief at Oncotarget. Dr. El-Deiry discovered p21(WAF1) as a p53 target gene, cell cycle inhibitor, and tumor suppressor that explained the mammalian cell stress response. Dr. El-Deiry’s research is focused on mechanisms of therapy resistance with major efforts in drug discovery and development.