$6 Million NIH Contract Awarded to Identify Vaccine-Enhancing Substances
Researchers at the Cancer Center have received $6 million from the NIH to spend the next five years looking for, testing and developing chemicals called “adjuvants” that they hope will make current vaccines more effective.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the NIH, has awarded approximately $60 million over five years to six U.S. institutions, with the goal of identifying and characterizing novel adjuvants – substances that can be added to vaccines to enhance the protective immune response they induce. These compounds will be tested in animal models and human cells to determine how well they stimulate immune responses. 

According to Moores Cancer Center Director Dennis Carson, MD, who leads the Cancer Center team, it's only recently that scientists have begun to understand how adjuvants work through specific protein receptors. (more)

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In the Spotlight: Veteran Nabs Annual Award
The UC San Diego Veterans Association has named Bryan Pettengill their 2009-2010 Veteran of the Year. This distinction resulted from a UC-wide nominating cycle, and Bryan will be honored at a special recognition ceremony on Nov. 10. The Association has nominated Bryan for consideration of the San Diego County Veteran of the Year award, selected and made by the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center. “I am super surprised and pleased to be recognized like this by the Association and my colleagues at UC San Diego,” says Bryan (pictured right).

Joining the Cancer Center Information Technology Department as a computer resource specialist in 2006, Bryan provides outstanding customer support to a user population of over 1,000 employees.

Bryan was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 1996 after 20 years of active service as a Gunners Mate.  He was assigned to ten U.S. ships during his career and sent all over the world – Puerto Rico, Spain, and on minesweepers in the Persion Gulf during the Iran/Iraq war in 1987. Bryan's responsibilities were as varied as his location assignments. While in Spain, for example, he was attached to a construction battalion that qualified the Naval Air Station at Rota as an emergency landing strip for NASA space shuttles. Bryan has received four Good Conduct Medals, two Presidential Unit Commendations, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, two Navy Achievement Medals, and one Combat Action Ribbon.

Since discharge, Bryan continues to be actively involved with related community service organizations. He is a member of the Veteran's Association at UC San Diego (Vice Chair). He volunteers an average of 30 hours each month at the USS Midway Museum, recently reaching the 1,000 hour mark and earning a highly coveted USS Midway leather aviator jacket.  Bryan is also Assistant Secretary for the Point Loma Masonic Lodge and an Officer Coach at the La Jolla Masonic Lodge. 

Thanks for your decades of service Bryan!  Your professional, friendly customer support at work and continuous volunteerism benefiting the community make you the ideal recipient of the 2009-2010 Veteran of the Year award.

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Monkey Pods for Patients
An innocent conversation between Clinical Research Coordinator Bethany Parker and one of her study patients last March has resulted in a new way to extend kindly help to relieve stressful situations for our cancer patients. 

Seeing her patient's discomfort while anxiously awaiting chemotherapy, Bethany immediately began searching for a solution to trade out nervousness for something far more positive. Losing sleep that night, her mind racing with possibilities, Bethany realized that rediverting stress in playful, fun ways might just be the perfect answer. Puzzles and brain teasers to the rescue!

Having received a bucket of wooden brain teasers as a child, Bethany located and made contact with Monkey Pod Games, which makes wonderful wooden brain teasers of all shapes, sizes and difficulty. Not shy about her need, she boldly requested a donation of their puzzles to the Cancer Center.  It wasn't long before Bethany's goal became reality! Working closely with the company's marketing representative, Anna Wexler, a total of 80 games and puzzles have been donated.  Each game storage box credits the organization for their gift.

Bethany went a step further, contacting Viejas Casino to seek the donation of playing cards.  Successful again, Viejas has generously provided a case of their retired decks.    

To support Bethany's successful efforts over six months in planning and organizing, a new mini entertainment center has been created in an alcove of the infusion reception area.  In addition to cards, puzzles and games, paperback books are also available. The items are not restricted to the reception area, making their way back and forth as needed by patients. Thanks to Bethany, “monkey business” takes on a whole new meaning -- one that our cancer patients are delighted to discover. 

Monkey Pod Games offers the widest variety of quality wooden brain teasers in the world. Their range of quality wooden puzzles and complex brain-teasers stimulate mathematical awareness, logical reasoning, and analytical thinking skills.  Looking for family fun?  Please visit their website to learn more:  http://www.monkeypodgames.com/

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Save The Date: 
Support Pancreatic Research at Moores

Harry J. Littel Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Annual Golf Tournament
Mon., Dec. 7, 2009
Shadowridge Country Club, Vista, CA

Polish up the golf clubs and swing away for the pancreatic research program of Tony Reid, MD, PhD and colleagues at the Cancer Center, this year's beneficiary of proceeds raised. Reid strongly believes that “the future of pancreatic cancer research will embody personalized medicine,” and shares the mission of the Cancer Center of “moving beyond conventional methods of treating cancer and offering patients the most advanced, personalized therapies with compassionate care. “In addition to golf, the event features a Luminaries' Lighting at Dusk remembrance of lost loved ones, a cocktail/appetizer hour, buffet dinner, and auction.  

The Foundation was established to memorialize Harry Littel, a local resident who was passionate about golf, winner of many tournaments. He was also the recipient of the George Hossalla Award, the highest achievement at Shadowridge Country Club, recognizing his years of commitment to committees and projects. Harry lost his fight with pancreatic cancer at age 70, just two months and two days after his diagnosis.  His spirit in the face of great odds was an inspiration to his family and friends. It is the Foundation's mission to support the same type of fighting spirit that drives pancreatic cancer researchers toward a cure. 

For detailed information and to register for a full day and evening of fun, please visit http://littelfoundation.com/

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New NIH Grant Guidelines Begin in January
This notice announces that new, restructured versions of the paper PHS 398 and electronic SF 424 (R&R) application packages and instructions will be available by December 2009.

Applicants must download and use the new application packages for submissions targeting due dates on or after January 25, 2010 (funding for fiscal year (FY) 2011 and beyond).  Changes include significantly shorter page limits and restructured application packages.  These changes will affect all competing applications submitted to NIH, as follows:

·         all applications (including individual Career Awards) electronically submitted using application packages that combine the SF 424 (R&R) with PHS 398 components (eg, PHS 398 Research Plan Component and PHS 398 Career Development Supplement Form);

·         all electronically submitted Individual NRSA Fellowship applications using application packages that combine the SF 424 (R&R) with the PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form; and

·         all applications using the paper PHS 398 application package.

Detailed information provided at:  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-149.html

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Member Grants – ARRA and August 2009
The Cancer Center will manage over $5 million in funds awarded via the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which represents 13 projects among 11 investigators.  Principal Investigators include:  Michael Bouvet, MD; Dennis Carson, MD; Wael Al-Delaimy, PhD; Sadik Esener, PhD; Kun-Liang Guan, PhD; Stephen B. Howell, MD; Thomas Kipps, MD, PhD; Davorka Messmer, PhD; Ana Navarro, PhD; Judith Varner, PhD; Jean Wang, PhD; and Dong-Er Zhang, PhD.  Additional ARRA funds in excess of $6 million were obtained by Cancer Center faculty members whose funds are managed by their academic department. 

Congratulations to Cancer Center members!  The combined total of new and renewal grants awarded for August 2009 to those featured is:  $26,941,576.  Of this, the National Cancer Institute funded 26%, or $7,123,041. Programmatic break-down by faculty affiliated with the Cancer Center's research programs is: