Postdoctoral Position Available!

This mentored position will empower the candidate to analyze complex conditional genetic mouse models of pediatric cancers for the purpose of developing novel molecular therapies. The primary goal for this fellowship is to understand the role of growth factors & kinases in the progression of the childhood muscle cancer, rhabdomyosarcoma. Employing molecular biology, biochemistry and multiscale imaging (whole animal to confocal microscopy), the candidate will have the opportunity to identify critical factors in tumor maintenance and tumor progression from which new therapies can be developed.  Rapid translation to the clinic is the underlying goal.  Candidates with experience in developmental biology or muscle biology are especially encouraged to apply.  
  
Applicants will be able to find the position by entering IRC39103 into the search field on www.ohsujobs.com.  For question, you can contact Charles via email, keller (at) ohsu.edu.  
  
[ photo credit, Mat Geltzeiler ]

Lausanne NCCR Conference

We are grateful to Michel Aguet and Ivan Stamenkovic for the opportunity to present Ken and Jinu's recent studies at the Lausanne National Center of Competence Research (NCCR) in Molecular Oncology Symposium.  This symposium addressed drug development in pharma as well as academics.

Ken and Simone at AACR

Ken and Simone had the opportunity to meet at the AACR meeting in D.C., pictured here in front of the poster for their collaborative studies.  We have really enjoyed this productive collaboration with Simone Hettmer, a pediatric oncologist at DFCI, and her research mentor, Amy Wager at the Joslin.  

crowdfunding !

Please consider participating in our first rhabdomyosarcoma crowdfunding project, "Halting Tumor cells from Spreading by Blocking Hostile Mergers".  More details can be found on the Consano website (new url) here.  

[ update 4/7/13:  See the story behind the founding of the Consano crowdfunding site with Molly's interview Here. ]

Our appreciation for Ken

After 2 years of postdoctoral fellowship, Ken will now be taking a physician-scientist faculty position in Kyoto, Japan, where he will continue research on childhood cancer.  Ken's creativity and smile will be greatly missed, though we plan to keep in close touch.  In addition to Ken's first author paper in Oncogene, his book chapter in Curr Top Dev Biol and his insightful commentary in Cancer Cell, Ken also has 2 other manuscripts in review and one in preparation... a great set of achievements that (particularly in recent work) may include some paradigm-changing discoveries.  Our best wishes to Ken and his family.

Our thanks to the Kyla McCullough Gift Fund

We are grateful to the community of supporters for the Kyla McCullough Gift Fund who have made possible the purchase of a high-throughput multi-well plate reader for our program's study of childhood cancer. This instrument will be used multiple times a day, and enables us to perform research at a new and much faster pace.  

NWSF funds UW-OHSU Sarcoma Studies

We are grateful for the $25,000 directed gift from the Northwest Sarcoma Foundation to facilitate the collaborations with our University of Washington colleagues, including Dr. Robin Jones.  These funds strengthen the bonds between our two institutions and (hopefully) does a great deal to advance knowledge, and eventually care, of sarcoma patients in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. 

Rally Foundation Milestone

Congratulations to the Rally Foundation for reaching the $1M milestone for grant funding in 2013.  We are also grateful for the support of Rally Foundation in our lab's projects, currently and over many years.  

Nanocourse Alumni Recent Accomplishments

We are proud of the accomplishments of Pediatric Cancer Biology Nanocourse alumni Zaahid Khan and Isaiah Bingham who are taking the message of childhood cancer advocacy and research needs to their peers and community.  Congratulations, too, to Zaahid, who has recently been accepted to Harvard University.
  
Attendance at the Nanocourse was made possible through the Cranbrook School and the Family of Miles Alpern Levin.   

We are grateful to BC Cancer Research Institute sarcoma scientist, Dr. Poul Sorensen, who delivers today the 2013 Scott Michael Carter Memorial Lectureship on, "The application of genomics to identify diagnostic biomarkers, drivers and therapeutic targets for pediatric cancers".   

Congratulations, Imran!

We couldn't be more proud of lab alumnist, M. Imran Aslam, who was recently chosen as an internal medicine resident at Johns Hopkins University Osler Program.  Imran was a medical student researcher at our laboratory in San Antonio, and later an HHMI medical student scholar co-mentored by our laboratory and the laboratory of Dr. Brian Druker.  Imran has made impactful studies of rhabdomyosarcoma, and now is on an exciting path towards a career as a physician-scientist.  Congratulations, Imran!