TCI had a strong presence at the 2019 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

TCI booth Bobby Liaw, MD, and William Oh, MD, at the TCI booth

Cardinale Smith, MD, PhD, and Nina Bickell, MD, at the TCI reception Dr. Oh with Hematology/Medical Oncology fellows at the TCI reception

Many highlights, including video clips, are documented on TCI Twitter

Phillip Friedlander, MD, PhD Vaccine for melanoma Read more twitter.com

Amy Tiersten, MD CDK 4/6 inhibitors for breast cancer Read more twitter.com

Josep Llovet, MD Liver cancer clinical trial results Read more twitter.com

William Oh, MD Targeting PI3K/Akt pathway in prostate cancer Read more twitter.com

In an oral presentation, Matthew Galksy, MD, reported that early use of PD-1 blockade with pembrolizumab via a switch maintenance approach was found to prolong progression-free survival in patients with metastatic urothelial cancer completing first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Abstract Video on Twitter

HONORS AND GRANT AWARDS

Stuart Aaronson, MD

Stuart Aaronson, MD, was honored on June 6 with the dedication of the Icahn 15-84 Conference Room in recognition of his commitment and service to Mount Sinai and the Department of Oncological Sciences. Pictured: Dr. and Mrs. Aaronson

Special Grand Rounds

Richard T. Silver, MD, Professor of Medicine and Emeritus Director of the Richard T. Silver Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Center at Weill Cornell Medical College, was the 2019 recipient of the Gedalio and Sonia Grinberg/Nathaniel Wisch, MD Endowed Visiting Lectureship award. Dr. Silver presented “Polycythemia Vera, 2019: Troubling Aspects of Diagnosis and Treatment” at the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology Grand Rounds on May 16. The lectureship was established through the generosity of Gedalio and Sonia Grinberg in honor of Dr. Wisch. Pictured left to right: Ronald Hoffman, MD , Vesna Najfeld, PhD , Dr. Silver, John Mascarenhas, MD

Honorary Race Chair Joshua Richter, MD, will serve as Honorary Race Chair for the 2019 Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) Team for Cures: Tri-State 5K Walk/Run on June 15. Mount Sinai’s Multiple Myeloma Program was recognized by the MMRF in 2018 with the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium Accelerator Award for exceptional contributions to clinical trials. Melanoma Research Alliance Jerry Chipuk, PhD , received a Melanoma Research Alliance Pilot Award , collaboratively funded by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, for “Mitochondrial Control of Melanoma Initiation.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Jose Javier Bravo-Cordero, PhD, is co-investigator on a newly awarded R01 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. Ana Maria Cuervo, MD, PhD (recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences), and Allan Wolkoff, MD, both with Albert Einstein College of Medicine, are the principal investigators. This collaborative grant will utilize high-resolution intravital imaging and superresolution microscopy techniques in the Bravo-Cordero Lab at Mount Sinai in the context of liver disease.

Grant Opportunities

Tisch Cancer Institute Innovative Oncology Research Projects Application deadline: June 21 Apply through online application portal . Select “Apply for TCI Innovation Seed Funding.” Questions? Contact Joy.Dicker@mssm.edu or Kevin.Sharpe@mssm.edu with Mount Sinai Innovation Partners. Cancer Research Institute Letters of intent are due in November for: Clinic and Laboratory Integration Program Technology Impact Award Prevent Cancer Foundation Application deadline : June 28

PUBLICATIONS

Mitohormesis primes tumor invasion and metastasis

Doris Germain, PhD, et al. Cell Reports This study demonstrates that mitohormesis, a phenomenon involving activation of cytoprotective mechanisms and normally associated with health and longevity, is perniciously used by cancer cells to promote tumor progression. Mitohormesis in breast cancer cells results in persistent activation of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response ( UPR mt ) and reduction in oxidative stress, making the cancer cells more metastatic. Study findings indicate that breast cancer patients with elevated UPR mt experience significantly worse clinical outcomes.

A personalized platform identifies trametinib plus zoledronate for a patient with KRAS-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer

Erdem Bangi, PhD , Celina Ang, MD , Marshall Posner, MD , Ross Cagan, PhD , et al. Science Advances This study presents the results of treating a patient with KRAS-mutant metastatic colon cancer using  Drosophila  as a personalized cancer drug discovery platform. Following extensive genomic analysis that revealed nine key driver mutations, robotic-based high-throughput screening was used to identify a novel combination—trametinib plus zoledronate—that improved survival of the personalized Drosophila model and subsequently led to a strong partial response in the patient. Our Drosophila model is one of the most genetically complex transgenic whole-animal disease models described to date. It can be adapted for use in other tumor types and may prove especially useful in tumors with challenging profiles.

Pathogen molecular pattern receptor agonists: treating cancer  by mimicking infection

Joshua Brody, MD , et al. Clinical Cancer Research The immunostimulatory properties of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs)—a diverse family of receptors that alarm the immune system of an invading microbe—can drive reprogramming of the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment and de-novo tumor-specific T cell responses. This makes PRR-targeting therapies an attractive strategy for treating cancer. This paper addresses PRR mechanisms and clinical implications, providing a detailed overview of the role of PRRs in immuno-oncology.

The impact of pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy on conditional survival among patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Nikhil Waingankar, MD, MSHP, Rachel Jia, PhD , Matthew Galsky, MD , et al. Urologic Oncology This study found that muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients with pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy have improved survival relative to patients with pathologic residual disease (pRD) following radical cystectomy, and that the survival advantage does not significantly change over time. These findings may inform novel adjuvant approaches for patients with pRD.

Daratumumab plus carfilzomib and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

Ajai Chari, MD , et al. Blood This phase 1b study evaluated daratumumab plus carfilzomib and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after 1-3 prior lines of therapy, including bortezomib and an immunomodulatory drug. The regimen was well tolerated and demonstrated deep, durable responses, even for patients refractory to lenalidomide.

The importance of developing therapies targeting the biological spectrum of metastatic disease

Julio Aguirre-Ghiso, PhD , et al. Clinical & Experimental Metastasis This commentary highlights the importance of studying all stages of the metastatic process, including early stages before clinical disease evidence that will require strategies to prevent disseminated tumor cells from emerging from dormancy, and late stages characterized by overt disease progression.

Annual Report on the Status of Cancer

Overall cancer mortality continues to decline. Special section focuses on cancer trends among adults ages 20 to 49. Read more

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES AND STUDENTS

2019 Graduating Hematology/Medical Oncology Fellows and Their Post-fellowship Positions   Natalie Berger : Assistant Professor, Hematology/Medical Oncology, Mount Sinai West, Mount Sinai Health System Julia Brockway : Assistant Attending, Breast Medicine Service, Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Arielle Langer : Instructor of Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston Scot Niglio : Assistant Research Clinician, NIH/National Cancer Institute, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Bethesda Anish Parikh : Clinical Assistant Professor, Ohio State University College of Medicine, GU Medical Oncologist, OSU Wexner Medical Center – James Cancer Hospital, Columbus Research Fellow Graduate :  Bridget Marcellino : Research Fellow, Hematology/Medical Oncology, The Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Health System

Cancer Biology PhD Candidates Earn Awards

The Arthur Cederbaum Mentoring by a Graduate Student Award Jesse Gelles Jerry Chipuk, PhD laboratory The Advancement of Women in Science Award Amanda Craig, PhD Augusto Villanueva, MD, PhD laboratory

PATIENT CARE SERVICES AND EDUCATION

Cancer Survivors Day The 2019 Cancer Survivors Day Celebration, held on June 2, was attended by 150 people, including 115 survivors.

PAST AND UPCOMING EVENTS

First International Conference on Discoidin Domain Receptor Biology

Jose Javier Bravo-Cordero, PhD , was an invited speaker at the First International Conference on Discoidin Domain Receptor Biology , May 22-24, in Bordeaux. Dr. Bravo-Cordero presented “A self-made quiescent ECM niche regulates metastatic dormancy through DDR1 signaling.” The next conference is planned for 2021.

Postdoctoral Research Opportunities Symposium

Platform for senior level graduate students from underrepresented groups to network with faculty and learn about training opportunities at Mount Sinai Monday, June 24  Read more

International School of Immunotherapy

International School of Immunotherapy New York · Paris · Sao Paulo Emerging Concepts in the Design of Immunotherapy Strategies June 17–21 Register Questions? Email contact@immunoschool.org

State of the Science Summit on Multiple Myeloma

July 18, 5 -9 pm NY Marriott East Side 525 Lexington Avenue at East 49 th Street Program Chairs: Ajai Chair, MD , and Sundar Jagannath, MBBS  Registration open

The Tisch Cancer Institute Seminar Series Interplay Between LRRK2Protein Kinase and Rab GTPases in Parkinson’s Disease Darlo Alessi, PhD, FRS, FRSE University of Dundee Tuesday, June 25 12 noon Davis Auditorium

MOUNT SINAI CANCER IN THE NEWS - CLICK HERE

Do you have news for the next issue of    TCI Connections   ?  Please send to  Janet.Aronson@mountsinai.org    and  Rhaisili.Rosario@mssm.edu Remember to share  breaking news  and  high impact news  that might be appropriate for media coverage with Marlene Naanes in the Press Office. This may include pending FDA drug/device approvals, studies/trial results being published in high-impact journals, and patient stories. The more lead time you can give Marlene, the better—ideally, four weeks or when a paper is accepted by the journal. Embargoes will always be honored and news will only be released with your approval. Marlene.Naanes@mountsinai.org  , 929-237-5802

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TCI Connections     is a monthly publication of The Tisch Cancer Institute. Ramon Parsons, MD, PhD, Director Co-editors: Janet Aronson and Rhaisili Rosario Past issues of    TCI Connections    are available on the TCI website.