See also our related blog for the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Initiative.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Welcoming Courtney !

We are excited to have a new student research assistant in our lab, Courtney Kubicek. Courtney received her first Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M in May of 2009. While at Texas A&M she was an executive officer of the safe ride program CARPOOL, which pioneered and set the standard for safe ride programs nationwide. Currently Courtney is a nursing student at the UTHSCSA, and she will work part-time assisting our PPTI program (drug testing for childhood cancers using genetically-engineered mouse models). Courtney has a long term goal of obtaining my Master's in Anesthesiology.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Congratulations to Corrine, a TST Scholar !

Many congratulations to Corrine on being selected by the Institute for Integration of Medicine and Science as Translational Science Training (TST) Program Scholar for 2009/2010! This competitive CTSA program, and Corrine was selected as one of 6 recipients by a 16-member interdisciplinary committee. The award encompasses a stipend, travel to a national meeting and funds for research. We are all so proud of Corrine's accomplishment!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Sarcoma Awareness Fun Run/ Walk & Social a Success !

Many heartfelt thanks to Melinda Garcia and Corrine Chua for the wonderful planning that made for today's very successful "Team Sarcoma San Antonio" event. We met at Pavilion 3 in McAllister Park where we had a fun run/walk followed by a cook-out and social. “Sarcoma Knows No Borders” bracelets benefiting the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative went quickly. We were especially pleased that this year's event was well shaded and nearby a great playground for the children of participants.

For other recent Sarcoma Awareness events across Texas, click here.

To send your comments about this year's event and suggestions for next year's, feel free to email Melinda at GarciaM20@uthscsa.edu



pictured: Team Sarcoma San Antonio (TeSSA) 2009 event!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Drug Development Conference

The Cancer Molecular Therapeutics Research Association (CMTRA) annual meeting was held at Stanford University from July 19 -22. This is an interesting intersection of academics and the pharmaceutical industry whereby confidential data presentations allow free and open intellectual exchanges about the science and implementation of drug development and clinical trials. For those interested in molecular therapeutics, this meeting is a true gem. From our lab, Jinu's work on IGF receptor inhibition was very well received.

[ pictured top right: an artwork on the Stanford campus by Auguste Rodin, entitled The Gates of Hell. After all, it was a cancer meeting. ]

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Our lab featured as UTHSCSA 'Research Stars'

We are grateful for the acknowledgement of our lab's mission in the Summer 2009 UTHSCSA publication entitled, "The reSearch is On: Research-Discover-Cure" emphasizing the importance of the bench to bedside research paradigm. Vice President for Research, Dr. Brian Herman, was a critical reason we endeavored to start our research enterprise at the newly formed Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, and with his support we are able to move closer to fulfilling our mission every day.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Congratulations to Navaline!

Many congratulations to our collaborators Navaline Quach and her mentor, Tom Rando, at Stanford on their publication, "Focal Adhesion Kinase Signaling Regulates the Expression of Caveolin 3 and beta1 Integrin, Genes Essential for Normal Myoblast Fusion" in Molecular Biology of the Cell. Our lab appreciates the opportunity to have contributed to this study, which dissects the role of focal adhesion kinase in myoblast fusion and differentiation.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Pediatric Drug Development website Officially Launched!

The Pediatric Preclinical Testing Initiative at the Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute has officially launched its new website, www.GivingBackChildhood.org . We're excited about this program, which uses genetically-engineered mice to validate novel molecularly-targeted therapies for use in children with cancer.

We sincerely thank our early and current sponsors, including a kind anonymous donor, the Joanna MacAfee Foundation and the Rally Foundation.