Community

Curing cancer requires teamwork. Teamwork requires teams. Teams work best when they are united by common purpose, a unified culture, and the commitment of everyone to each other and to their shared objectives. In other words, we do best when we work together as a community. This important set of truths was reinforced for me by several different events this past week. Read more.

Lombardi Lectures & Meetings

Join these lectures in the New Research Building Auditorium (Zoom option).

Join these meetings in W302 (Zoom option).

The Ultimate Guide to BellRinger Weekend Has Arrived

Those looking for a one-stop guide to BellRinger Weekend can head to Weekend.BellRinger.org to have all of their questions answered for both opening ceremony and ride day. This is the best resource to reference during the weekend, so make sure to bookmark the page for easy access. Those who still have questions about the ride can reach out to Ride@BellRinger.org. And and it’s not too late to participate as a rider or volunteer: visit the BellRinger website to register.

Georgetown Women in Medicine Meeting & Luncheon

Georgetown Women in Medicine (GWIM) hosts a hybrid lunch meeting on Friday, Oct. 18, from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., open to general members, to nominate a slate of officers for election to the GWIM Board. Held in-person in Med-Dent NE201C or via Zoom.

RSVP by noon on Wednesday, Oct. 16 to attend.

Information Sessions on GUMC’s New Faculty Performance and Compensation Plan

The Office of Faculty and Academic Affairs (OFAA) is offering information sessions about GUMC’s new faculty performance and compensation plan. Tenure-line faculty hired on or after July 1, 2024, are automatically on the Incentive Track and do not need to opt in. Tenure-line faculty hired before July 1, 2024, may choose to opt-in to the Incentive Track. To opt in, please complete this form by 11:59 p.m., December 23.

Join information sessions about the new plan via Zoom on:

• Wednesday, October 16 at 12:00 p.m.
• Thursday, November 14 at 9:00 a.m.
• Thursday, December 12 at 4:00 p.m.

RSVP to attend an information session. Contact ofaa@georgetown.edu with questions.

Request for Applications — American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant Pilot Project Grants

Up to three American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant (IRG) Pilot Project Grants will be funded to help launch promising new projects by early career faculty members. These are one-year, non-renewable $30,000 research grants that are funded through Georgetown Lombardi’s IRG, which is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Open to early career faculty (e.g. assistant professor or equivalent), who are eligible to apply for independent national competitive research grants (e.g. NIH R-level grants, ACS Research Scholar Grants, and similar), but who do not currently hold and have not previously held such a grant, with the exception of an R00, which is allowed. View application package with full eligibility criteria, application form, and mentoring requirements. Application deadline: Monday, November 4, at 11:59 p.m. For scientific or eligibility questions, contact Dr. Rebecca Riggins (PI of the ACS IRG), rbr7@georgetown.edu. For application download or upload questions, contact Denise Harley, flessatd@georgetown.edu, or Karen Howenstein, khowenst@georgetown.edu. 

2024 Luminary Awards in GI Cancers



Join the Ruesch Center for this year’s Luminary Awards in GI Cancer on Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Westin Georgetown, Washington, D.C., from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. The Luminary Awards honors individuals who have made transformative strides in the lives of patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers. Learn more about this year’s honorees. For questions or to register, email rueschcenter@georgetown.edu.

15th Annual Ruesch Center Symposium: Innovations in GI Cancer

Registration is now open for the 15th Annual Ruesch Center Symposium: Innovations in GI Cancer, held in person this November 22 to 23 at the Westin Georgetown. The symposium provides a unique forum for discussion, networking, and debate on critical issues related to GI cancers.

Presented as part of the symposium: Thomas R. Schafer Memorial Lecture, Friday, November 22, 1:20 - 2:20 p.m., featuring Anirban Maitra, MBBS, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center presenting “Why Is Pancreatic Cancer So Hard To Treat and What Can We Do About It.”

Registration is free for Georgetown and MedStar staff and trainees with the promo code Guest2024. View the full agenda and register.

Join the Racial Justice Committee for Change

GUMC faculty, staff and students are invited to join the Racial Justice Committee for Change (RJCC) virtual “kick off” at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16 via Zoom. RJCC members will share successes to date, explore future plans and provide critical feedback. RSVP. Additionally, those interested in serving on the RJCC are encouraged to complete the RJCC Application of Interest. The first deadline for application submission is Nov. 15, 2024.

Upcoming Equity Opportunity: Partner with Wikipedia Edit-thon

Consider partnering with the Wikipedia edit-thon on March 21, 2025 (in-person). Expand online content about the contributions of women in science and oncology research! The edit-thon is an event where some editors of online communities, such as Wikipedia, edit and improve a specific topic or type of content. This event is organized by the Department of Computer Science at Georgetown in collaboration with the Gender+ Justice Initiative. Learn how to edit Wikipedia and make a dent in creating greater visibility across gender identity online. To learn more and lead a group for this event, submit this form.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

CDI Seminar: “Dynamic Modeling for Public Health: Applications in Infectious Diseases and Early-Onset Cancers”

Presented by Wan Yang, PhD, assistant professor, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. Join via Zoom. (Add to Google Calendar)

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Department of Microbiology & Immunology Seminar: “Multiprotein Assemblies: Dynamic Behavior”

Presented by Natalya Kurochkina, PhD, professor, Department of Biophysics, The School of Theoretical Modeling, Washington, D.C. Join this seminar in Med-Dent NE301 or via Zoom. (Add to Google Calendar)

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Bhussry Seminar Series: “DNA End Resection: Cutting Away Nucleotides to Maintain Genomic Integrity”

Presented by Hardeep Kaur, PhD, research scientist-senior, Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas, Health Science Center San Antonio. Sponsored by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology. Join this seminar via Zoom. (Add to Google Calendar)

12:00 - 7:00 p.m.

BGE Student Research Day

Learn about research by BGE graduate students through poster and oral presentations, and enjoy a keynote presentation by Ukpong Eyo, PhD, assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Virginia. Join this event in the Harvey Amphitheater, Med-Dent Building, and Preclinical Science Building. (Add to Google Calendar)

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Thesis Defense

Presented by Erin Scheidemann, PhD candidate in the Tumor Biology Program. Join this thesis defense in Warwick Evans Conference Room, Building D, or via Zoom. (Add to Google Calendar).

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

The John F. Potter, MD, Lecture

The recipients of this year’s John F. Potter, MD, Awards present lectures about their research:

• Alejandra Hurtado de Mendoza, PhD, associate professor of oncology, Georgetown, member, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Georgetown Lombardi, presents “Addressing Disparities in Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment, Genetic Counseling and Genetic Testing Uptake Through Community-Engaged Research”
• Sreejith Nair, PhD, assistant professor of oncology, Georgetown, member, Cancer Cell Biology Program, Georgetown Lombardi, presents “Beyond the Known: Exploring Hidden Targets and Mechanisms of Classic Cancer Drugs”

Join these lectures in the New Research Building Auditorium. (Add to Google Calendar)

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

MHRI-GHUCCTS Monthly Statistical Seminar Series: “Competing Risks and Multistate Models”

Presented by Paul Kolm, PhD, associate director in the Department of Biostatistics and Biomedical Informatics at MedStar Health Research Institute. Sponsored by GHUCCTS. Register for this Zoom webinar.

Meetings & Events Next Week

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Bhussry Seminar Series: “AI Models of Spatial Biology With Applications to Cancer and Aging”

Presented by James Zou, PhD, associate professor of biomedical data science and, by courtesy, of computer science and electrical engineering, Stanford University. Sponsored by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology. Join this seminar via Zoom. (Add to Google Calendar)

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Cancer Research Data Meeting

Presented by Sidharth Jain, MD/PhD student in the Wellstein Lab. Join this meeting in-person in W302 New Research Building with Zoom option. (Add to Google Calendar)

3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

GUFaculty360 Class - Updating Your Profile

Learn how to upload your CV, add your personal website information, upload a syllabus, publications and more. Register for this Zoom workshop.

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

GUMC Distinguished Scientist Seminar Series

Presented by Victoria DeRose, PhD, head and professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oregon. Join this seminar in the New Research Building Auditorium and via Zoom. (Add to Google Calendar)

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

The Ian Peter Rennert Lectureship in Pediatric Oncology: “One and Done: Gene Therapy Offers a New Paradigm for Cancer Immunotherapy”

Presented by Tim Cripe, MD, PhD, chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology/ Blood and Marrow Transplant, Gordon Teter Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cancer, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and member, Translational Therapeutics Program, The OSUCCC – James. Join this lecture in the New Research Building Auditorium. (Add to Google Calendar)

Publications

NRG1 Fusions in NSCLC: Being eNRGy Conscious

In the News

Healio 5 Questions with Sandra Swain, MD, FACP, FASCO

The Georgetowner Body & Soul Briefs: Nourish Your Soul, Care for Your Body

Society of Behavioral Medicine Know Your Breasts: 4 Breast Cancer Symptoms to Look Out For

Globe Newswire OncLive® and the Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers announce recipients of the 2024 Luminary Awards in GI Cancers



PR Newswire Hyundai Hope On Wheels Awards Inaugural Endowed $3 Million Grant to Support Generations of Researchers

NEW: St. Baldrick’s Foundation Spring Grant Cycle

The following programs/categories are available in the Spring Cycle:

• St. Baldrick's Scholar (Career Development) Award: Intended to help develop the independent research of highly qualified individuals early in their careers.
• St. Baldrick's Research Grant Awards: For specific two-year research projects that are hypothesis driven and may be either laboratory, clinical, or epidemiological.

One LOI/application can be submitted per award per institution, with an exception for the following areas: brain tumors – all types, including rare forms; Burkitt lymphoma (all types, especially sporadic); Ewing sarcoma; rhabdoid tumors – extrarenal. Those interested should send the title of their project and a one-paragraph synopsis to Sharon Levy via email (sgl5@georgetown.edu) by Sunday, Dec. 1.

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Contract Solicitation PHS-2025-1 Call for Proposals

Propel your groundbreaking cancer technology innovation toward commercialization by applying for a FY2025 SBIR Contract. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are soliciting proposals from small business concerns that possess the research and development expertise to conduct innovative research that will contribute toward NIH or CDC mission needs and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program objectives. The deadline to submit a proposal is Friday, October 18, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Visit the Current Contracts page for more information or contact Tanya Renwick, contract analyst for the Office of Acquisitions, at ncioasbir@mail.nih.gov.

Melanoma Research Alliance RFP for Multiple Awards

The Melanoma Research Alliance has issued a request for proposals for preclinical, translational and early clinical research with the potential to produce unusually high impact, near-term advancements in melanoma prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment.

This cycle, proposals will be accepted for Established Investigator Awards, Academic-Industry Partnership Award (for Established Investigator Awards), Young Investigator Awards, Pilot Awards, Dermatology Career Development Awards and Special Opportunity Team Science Awards, Academic-Industry Partnership Award (for Special Opportunity Team Science Awards). View full descriptions of each award opportunity offered, including all Special Opportunities, as well as eligibility criteria and instructions.

Key deadlines:

• October 21: Eligibility Checklist for Young Investigator & Dermatology Career Development Award applicants due
• November 4: Proposals for Established Investigator, Young Investigator, Pilot and Dermatology Career Development awards due
• January 6: Invited Special Opportunity Team Science Award full proposals due
• April 2025: Awardees notified of funding decisions

Federal Grants Digest: Colleges & Universities Edition



A weekly curated digest of federal funding opportunities of interest to colleges and universities to support programming, research, infrastructure and other efforts, provided by Thorn Run Partners. View current issue (for October 9, 2024).

8:00 AM | Division Weekly Update Meeting | Podium A / Microsoft Teams

8:30 AM | Monday Morning Oncology Report | Inpatient Oncology Fellow | Podium A / Microsoft Teams

9:00 AM | Breast Research Meeting | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 528 212 194)

11:00 AM | GU/Melanoma Research Meeting | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 796 253 566)

4:00 PM | GU Tumor Board (on 1st/3rd Mondays of the month) | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 869 742 463)

9:00 AM | Hematology Path Conference - Inpatient Heme fellows + Outpatient Heme + BMT fellow | Podium A / Microsoft Teams (CME code: 80737; phone: 202-796-7323)

4:00 PM | Liver Tumor Board | Microsoft Teams

5:00 PM | Breast Tumor Board | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 932 1012 3816; CME Code: 87253)

8:00 AM | Thoracic Tumor Board | Podium A / Zoom (dial 646-558-8656; Meeting ID: 993 7680 5192; Passcode: 4231; CME 86693)

12:00 PM | Melanoma Tumor Board | Podium A / Microsoft Teams (CME: 80988)

5:00 PM | GI Tumor Board | Podium A / Microsoft Teams

9:00 AM | Cancer Research Data Meeting | Thesis Defense: Erin Scheidemann | W302 New Research Building or Zoom

9:30 AM | Head and Neck Tumor Board | Microsoft Teams

12:30 PM | GI Research Meeting | WebEx (dial 844-302-0362, Meeting Number (access code): 712527865, HOST PIN: 5514)

5:00 PM | Lymphoma Tumor Board - every other week | Microsoft Teams

5:00 PM | Myeloma Tumor Board - every other week | Microsoft Teams

7:00 AM | CNS Tumor Board | Microsoft Teams (Meeting ID: 298 285 483 265, Passcode: rJWpmU)

12:00 PM | The John F. Potter, MD, Lecture | New Research Building Auditorium / Zoom

12:30 PM | Neuro residents - Neuro exam | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)

1:00 PM | Dr. Komlodi-Pasztor - CNS Malignancy | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)

1:00 PM | Pancreas Tumor Board | Microsoft Teams (Meeting ID: 299 996 740 910, Passcode: z7j7Rc)

2:00 PM | Dr. Sonali Rudra - Introduction to Radiation for Solid Tumors | Podium A | Teams Conference Link (Text In Code: 81202 or 81203 / Text In Telephone: 202-796-7323)