Announcements

Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) and Pfizer Global Medical Grants – Request for Proposals – Integration of Biomarker Testing into Treatment Planning for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer          ACCC and Pfizer Global Medical Grants (Pfizer) are collaborating to offer community cancer centers a grant opportunity for quality improvement initiatives focused on the integration of biomarker testing into treatment planning for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We are looking for community hospital-based programs and physician group practices that are interested in integrating biomarker testing into the care plan for colorectal cancer patients and utilizing the results of the genetic test to help inform disease management plans for their patients. Any ACCC member institution is eligible to apply.          Collectively, $1.5 million is available to fund between 10-15 projects.          Deadline for LOI = May 12th Deadline for Full Proposals = August 23rd          Link to full information: https://cdn.pfizer.com/pfizercom/2021-03/GMG_2021-Oncology-L_BiomarkerTestingmCRC.pdf?VersionId=BcpTtqbQQQTGSmzxUjFjr6U.sG1G_Xy

Lung Cancer Research Foundation – Pilot Grant Program    The LCRF pilot grant program funds innovative projects across the full spectrum of basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, health services, and other research focused on one or more of the following topics. *Lung cancer biology  *Prevention/screening for early detection  *Identification of new biomarkers  *Devolopment of more effective and less toxic therapies including but not limited to targeted and immune-therapies  *Mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance to lung cancer therapies  *Supportive measures for people with lung cancer and their families  *Quality of care and outcomes research.    Maximum of $150,000 in funding over a period of 2-years    Early and mid-career investigators    Deadline for LOI = April 30th Link for full details: https://www.lungcancerresearchfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/RFP-2021-LCRF-Pilot-Grant-Program-Final.pdf

The Retirement Research Foundation (RRF) Foundation for Aging – Research Grants          RRF funds research that seeks to identify interventions, policies and practices to improve the well-being of older adults and/or caregivers. Preference is given to projects aimed at generating practical knowledge and guidance that can be used by advocates, policy-makers, providers, and the aging network.          Deadline for LOI = June 15th  Deadline for Full Proposals = August 1st Link for full details: http://www.rrf.org/apply-for-a-grant/research-grants/

AGA Research Scholar Award (RSA)    This award provides $100,000/year for 3-years to early-career faculty (i.e., investigator, instructor, research associate, or equivalent) working toward an independent career in digestive disease research.    Application opens August 12.  Deadline for applications November 10th    Link for full details: https://gastro.org/research-and-awards/apply-for-awards/award/aga-research-scholar-award-rsa/    Link for all AGA research opportunities: https://gastro.org/research-and-awards/apply-for-awards/

Foundational Funding Opportunities: https://ctsi.wakehealth.edu/-/media/WakeForest/CTSI/Files/Funding-Opportunities/NIH-Funding-Opportunities.pdf

NIH Funding Opportunities: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/WeeklyIndexMobile.cfm

Full list of Pilot, Association, Miscellaneous Funding Opportunites: https://ctsi.wakehealth.edu/Funding-Opportunities

Upcoming Events

Department of Biochemistry Student Seminar Date/Time:     Tuesday, April 20th (12 noon) Speaker:         Erin Hughes (Graduate Student-Biochemistry) Title:               “Structure and Function of Cannabinoid Receptor Interacting Protein 1a (CRIP1a)” Webex:           https://wakehealth.webex.com/wakehealth/j.php?MTID=m2cd71c0f75099854b72e7ed73bd47234 Meeting #: 185 347 7706 Passcode: M5dAWts5hr5 

11th annual Women’s Health Research Day Date/Time:     Wednesday, April 21st (8:30 am – 3:00 pm) Register for information and to attend https://school.wakehealth.edu/About-the-School/Faculty-Affairs/Faculty-Development/Women-in-Medicine-and-Science/Research-and-Education/Annual-Research-Conference

BERD Lunch & Learn Series: Interaction and Effect Modification  (What are they and how are they different?) Date/Time:     Wednesday, April 21st (12 pm – 1 pm) Speaker:         Michael Bancks, PhD (Assistant Professor – PHS Epidemiology & Prevention) Register: https://redcap.wakehealth.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=3LD9MDK78H

Biochemistry/Microbiology & Immunology Virtual Seminar Date/Time:     Thursday, April 22nd (2 pm) Speaker:         Dr. Wolf-Dietrich Heyer Professor and Chair – Dept. of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics   Univ. of California Davis             Title:               “Structure and Function of BRCA2 in Homologous Recombination” Webex:           Join meeting [wakehealth.webex.com] Meeting #: 178 069 5060 Passcode: Wake21

CTSI Team Science (Presented by: The Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement) - Webinar       Many STEM professionals, including faculty, program directors, and admin staff, are tasked with convening and facilitating virtual meetings.       This is a 90 minute, interactive webinar that explores strategies and tactics for hosting engaging and productive meetings – from brainstorming sessions to info briefings.       Wednesday, April 28th (12:00 pm – 1:30 pm)       Registration is limited, so sign up now. https://redcap.wakehealth.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=PCHE77RPMK%20  

Recent Publications

Hostetler ZS, Hsu F-C, Barnard R, Jones DA, Davis ML, Weaver AA, Gayzik FS. Injury risk curves in far-side lateral motor vehicle crashes by AIS level, body region and injury code. Traffic Inj Prev. 2021 Mar 12;1-10. [Online ahead of print] PMID: 33709842. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2021.1880006 

Walsh KB, *Zimmerman KD, Zhang X, Demel SL, Luo Y, Langefeld CD, Wohleb E, Schulert G, Woo D, Adeoye O. miR-181a Mediates Inflammatory Gene Expression After Intracerebral Hemorrhage: An Integrated Analysis of miRNA-seq and mRNA-seq in a Swine ICH Model. J Mol Neurosci. 2021 Mar 23. [Online ahead of print] PMID: 33755911. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-021-01815-9 

Joshi NR, Kohan-Ghadr H-R, Roqueiro DS, Yoo JY, Fru K, Hestermann E, Yuan L, Ho S-M, Jeong J-W, Young SL, Lessey BA, Fazleabas AT. Genetic and epigenetic changes in the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis: association with decreased endometrial avb3 integrin expression. Mol Hum Reprod. 2021 Mar 9;gaab018. [Online ahead of print] PMID: 33693877. https://doi.org/10.1093/molehr/gaab018 

Lin M-Y, Hanchate AD, Frakt AB, Burgess JF Jr, Carey K. Do accountable care organizations differ according to physician-hospital integration?: A retrospective observational study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021 Mar 26;100(12):e25231. PMID: 33761713. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000025231 

Sah E, Krishnamurthy S, Ahmidouch MY, Gillispie GJ, Milligan C, Orr ME. The Cellular Senescence Stress Response in Post-Mitotic Brain Cells: Cell Survival at the Expense of Tissue Degeneration. Life (Basel). 2021 Mar 11;11(3):229. PMCID: PMC7998276. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc7998276/

CPM Faculty Member Highlights

Dr. Zhang received his BS degree in biochemistry from Peking University in 1985. He went to graduate school in the US under the CUSBEA program in 1986 and received his PhD degree in molecular biology from the The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Zhang joined the faculty of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 1994 and rose to the rank of Full Professor in Pathology and Cancer Biology in 2006. Dr. Zhang served as the director of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center’s Cancer Genomics Core Laboratory since 1999. Dr. Zhang co-directed a Genome Data Analysis Center (GDAC) under the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Dr. Zhang is also the Director of the NFCR’s Center for Systems Informatics. In 2016, Dr. Zhang joined the Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center to become the inaugural Hanes and Willis Family Professor in Cancer and the Director of the Cancer for Cancer Genomics and Precision Oncology. Dr. Zhang was the inaugural Leader for the Program of Cancer Genetics and Metabolism of the Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is also the Director of the Bioinformatics Shared Resources in the NCI-funded CCSG for the Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Zhang has published more than 390 peer-reviewed papers. Dr. Zhang’s research has been supported by numerous grants from NCI/NIH, DOD, and several foundations including National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR), Goldhirsh Foundation, James S. McDonald Foundation, and Shriver Initiatives for Sarcoma. Dr. Zhang is a well sought after reviewer for federal funding agencies and he has reviewed 375 NIH grants. Publication list: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1Zu-Ll5iPntQb/bibliography/public/