Office of Liaison Activities Redesigns Web Site
NCI's Office of Liaison Activities (OLA) recently launched a newly redesigned Web site at http://ola.cancer.gov. OLA administers several programs for advocates at NCI including the Director's Consumer Liaison Group, the Consumer Advocates in Research and Related Activities program, the Advocacy Outreach program, and NCI Listens and Learns. To sign up for the OLA listserv or to receive OLA's bimonthly newsletter, the NCI Nealon Digest, go to http://ola.cancer.gov/programs/advocacy/subscribe.

Presidential Proclamations for Cancer Awareness in September
The White House has issued presidential proclamations designating September as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. For information on these cancers, go to the following NCI Web sites:

Ovarian Cancer: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/ovarian

Prostate Cancer: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/prostate

Conference on Interleukin-15 Scheduled for October
The Center of Excellence in Immunology in NCI's CCR and the NIH Cytokine Interest Group are cosponsoring a 1-day symposium, "IL-15: Basic Research and Clinical Applications," from 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on October 30. It will be held in Lipsett Ampitheater in Building 10 on the NIH campus. The meeting will feature leaders in this field and discussions of approaches to move IL-15 from bench to bedside. Drs. Tom Waldmann and Howard Young are chairing the meeting, and speakers include Drs. Michael Caligiuri, Averil Ma, Cliff Lane, Jay Berzofsky, David Weiner, Nick Restifo, and Bana Jabri.

Online registration is available at http://web.ncifcrf.gov/events/IL15, and there is no registration fee. Seating is limited, so early registration is encouraged. For additional information, contact Karen Kochersberger at kkochersberger@ncifcrf.gov or 301-228-4027.

"Understanding NCI" Teleconference Slated This Month
Members of cancer advocacy organizations, cancer survivors, family, and friends are encouraged to participate in NCI's OLA's "Fall 2006 Understanding NCI Teleconference Series" to learn more about the institute's cancer research programs and advocate involvement.

The first teleconference, "Update for the Advocacy Community from NCI Director," features NCI Acting Director Dr. John Niederhuber and NCI Director's Consumer Liaison Group Chair Doug Ulman, and is scheduled for September 19 at 1:00 p.m. (EDT). To participate, call 1-800-857-6584 and use the passcode "NCI." The call is toll free, no registration is required, and callers will have the opportunity to ask questions. The toll-free playback can be heard at 1-866-372-3809 through October 19.