Autumn is finally here!

I am sure that all of you have been enjoying the refreshing chill in the air over the past couple of weeks. Maybe some of you have been taking advantage of the pumpkin patches, hayrides, and haunted houses.

With fall also comes the Annual Retreat for Cancer Research hosted by the Host-Tumor Interactions Research Program and the Cancer Biology Student Association. The announcement and registration link are below. Please also consider donating to the CBSA Silent Auction to benefit Gilda’s Club Middle TN (see article below).

I look forward to seeing you there (and bidding on some items)!

Kim Dahlman

https://redcap.vanderbilt.edu/surveys/?s=4JPHF7DCAT

Getting to know you…

Faculty Spotlight

Julie A. Sterling, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine
(Division of Clinical Pharmacology), Center for Bone Biology,
Department of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Sterling’s laboratory focus is on understanding tumor-induced bone diseases that occur once tumors establish in the bone. Once in the bone, tumor produced factors disrupt normal bone remodeling and the fate of bone marrow progenitor cells. Her group’s overarching goal is to develop a better understanding of this process in order to reduce tumor burden in bone, reduce bone destruction, and improve bone and bone marrow cell function. In order to achieve these goals they utilize a combination of molecular biology, engineering, and pre-clinical models in a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary group. Their studies have shone light on the importance of TGF-beta in the tumor-induced expansion of a myeloid progenitor population that reduce the tumor-immune response, interactions between tumor and bone vasculature, and bone formation and resorption on 3D bone mimicking scaffolds.

Trainee Spotlight

Jess Roetman
Graduate Student
(Philip Lab)

Jess Roetman hails from the wind-swept plains of northwest Iowa and attended Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. She recently joined Dr. Mary Philip’s lab as the first graduate student. Dr. Philip’s group studies T cell dysfunction in tumors with the goal of  reprogramming them into “cancer killers”. Using a liver cancer mouse model, Dr. Philip’s group previously showed that T cells become dysfunctional very early during the pre-malignant stage of liver cancer development as a result of chromatin remodeling. Jess is developing a liver cancer organoid model to study the earliest interactions between pre-malignant liver cancer cells and T cells. Using this in vitro model, she can identify and target early drivers of T cell dysfunction. Jess’s hope is that this strategy can ultimately be used to activate T cell function in liver cancer patients. When there are no pipettes in hand, Jess enjoys playing saxophone, exploring the numerous Nashville festivals, and getting together with friends for game night.

Staff Spotlight

Agnieszka E Gorska, MSc
Senior Scientist/Laboratory Manager
(Savona Lab)

Agnes came to Vanderbilt in 1990 from Poland where she earned a MSc in Cell Biology from Warsaw University. She joined Dr. Savona in 2015 to help establish his new laboratory, coming with extensive research experience gained while working for Dr. Hal L. Moses for many years. Her current research focuses on AML and MDS treatment with novel compounds. She contributes to the projects with expertise in flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, microscopy, major blood technics, DNA, RNA isolation and others. Agnes ensures the lab runs smoothly by efficient ordering and finance oversight, training new lab members, and managing equipment. Outside of the lab Agnes took courses in histology at Vanderbilt and also became a tax professional (she exercises the latter skill seasonally!). She also enjoys ballroom dancing and is proud of her several national accomplishments. She works hard and offers significant scientific and technical contribution to research.

CBSA Silent Auction

At the Annual Cancer Biology Retreat, the CBSA will be holding their Annual Silent Auction to benefit Gilda’s Club of Middle TN. The mission of Gilda’s Club is to provide a meeting place where men, women, and children living with cancer and their family and friends come together to build emotional and social support as a supplement to medical care. Gilda’s Club offers support and networking groups, lectures, workshops, and social events for all ages. All of their services are completely free of charge for cancer patients and their families.

Please consider donating and bidding on items for this fantastic, local charity! If you would like to donate an item please email the CBSA co-Philanthropy Chairs rachel.e.brown@vanderbilt.edu or samantha.p.beik@vanderbilt.edu.

Biomedical Research Education and Training

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Students 

Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, was named co-leader of the Breast Cancer Research Program, director of Precision Oncology and associate director for Translational Research at VICC. In his academic role, he will serve as professor of Medicine. Dr. Park has also been named as a faculty member of the Program for Cancer Biology! Park, who assumed his new post Sept. 1, succeeds Carlos L. Arteaga, MD, who moved to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center as director of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center and associate dean of Oncology Programs.

Welcome Michael Savona, MD, FACP,
as a Faculty member to the Program in Cancer Biology!!

Professor of Medicine and Cancer Biology Director, Hematology Research Director, Hematology Early Therapy Program,
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

Dr. Savona has been the Principal Investigator on dozens of clinical studies, and has been the lead investigator on studies of variety of novel compounds in hematologic malignancies. He has been involved in medical research for 20 years, and has published extensively in major academic journals including Nature Medicine, Blood, Cell Stem Cell, JAMA, and Nature Cancer Reviews.

The 2019 application for the VSSA and affiliated programs opens on October 1st, 2018. The VSSA application will close on February 1st, 2019.

Programs you can apply for through this application:

• Vanderbilt Summer Diabetes Research Program
  MCB: The Molecular and Cellular Biology Summer Program (IGP)
• The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) – Summer Research Program
• Vascular Biology-Short Term Training Program for Minority Students
• V-SURE: Vanderbilt-Sewanee Undergraduate Research Experience (for Sewanee undergraduates only)
• Vanderbilt Undergraduate Clinical Research Internship Program
• VVC: Vanderbilt Vaccine Center
• Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center CURE
• VI4: Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation

The Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy (VSSA) gives college students earning a four-year degree the opportunity to participate in both research and clinical patient care at an academic medical center. This program is designed for students who are interested in a career in medicine.  Participants will complete a research project under the leadership of a research mentor and also directly observe clinical patient care while spending time with resident and attending physicians.

There are two major tracks within the VSSA; the Basic Science Programs for undergraduates interested in careers in research, and the Undergraduate Clinical Research Internship Program for undergraduates who wish to pursue a career in medicine. Participation in any one of the Summer Science Academy programs is a valuable learning experience that enhances a student’s skills and makes him or her more competitive for acceptance to frontline graduate programs.

​Most programs begin accepting Fall applications again by October 1. If you have further questions, please contact the office of this program directly. General questions can be directed to vssa@vanderbilt.edu.

More than 120 undergrads gain graduate-level research experience through VSSA-Program Overview

Below are Vanderbilt Student Poster presenters at the 16th Annual Student Research Symposium. Great Job!!

		Antonio Glenn Vanderbilt University “TRAIL-Coated Leukocytes to Kill Circulating Tumor Cells in Blood from Prostate Cancer Patients” Michael King, PhD. Department of Biomedical Engineering
		Christina Wang Vanderbilt University “Interrogating Phosphorylation of WDR5” William Tansey Ph.D. Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
		Send Us Your News Have a suggestion for a Cancer Biology newsletter item? Do you have an announcement or an upcoming event you want to share with the Cancer Biology community? E-mail: kerry.w.vazquez@vanderbilt.edu

Newsletter header photo credit to Dr. Anna Vilgelm, “DNA Comets”.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown image from TVguide.com

Gilda’s Club image from gildasclubmiddletn.org
Staff and student photo credit to Vanderbilt University.
Clip art credit to Bing.com images