Notes

In Memoriam: NCI's Dr. John Brady

Dr. John N. Brady, chief of the Virus Tumor Biology Section of NCI’s Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, died April 27 of colon cancer at the age of 57.

Dr. Brady joined the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) in 1984. In 1998, he received an NCI Intramural Award for Innovative Research, and in 2002, the NIH Director named him an NIH Senior Biological Research Scientist, a highly competitive appointment reserved for researchers with outstanding achievements. In his lab, he was dedicated to mentoring many undergraduate students and fellows who have since flourished in science.

In 1996, he added teaching to his career, being appointed adjunct professor at the George Washington University Institute for Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Brady also found time to serve as president of the Montgomery County Baseball Association, an organization that promotes youth baseball.

Dr. Brady’s research career began at Kansas State University, where he earned a Ph.D. for work on the molecular structure of polyoma virus under the guidance of Dr. Richard Consigli. During the early stage of his career, he focused on SV40 transcription regulation, working as a staff fellow with Dr. Norman Salzman at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and with Dr. George Khoury at NCI.

“John brought a formidable intellect and commitment to his work here at NCI’s Center for Cancer Research, tackling cell-virus interactions that influence viral gene regulation, viral pathogenesis, and oncogenic transformation,” said CCR Director Dr. Robert Wiltrout. “He published over 200 research papers, served on editorial boards for several virology journals, and was named to the Advisory Board for the International Retrovirology Association.”

Deadline Approaching for DCLG Nominations

NCI is currently identifying individuals to serve on the Director’s Consumer Liaison Group (DCLG). The DCLG is a Federal Advisory Committee of 16 individuals who advise the NCI Director from the viewpoint of the consumer advocate. The Institute will be filling three positions on the board with dates of service beginning July 2009 and running through June 2013. All nomination materials must be received by NCI no later than 6:00 p.m. on May 22.

Further information about the DCLG and complete details about the nomination process can be found online. Previous nominees should be aware that in order to be considered for current vacancies, their updated materials must be re-submitted.

Please direct questions to ncidclgnominations@mail.nih.gov.

IOTF Fellowship Program Seeks Applicants

NCI and the FDA encourage Ph.D.s, M.D.s, and M.D./Ph.D.s or their equivalents to apply for Interagency Oncology Task Force (IOTF) fellowship training opportunities in cancer-related scientific research and research-related regulatory review. By combining training in these two disciplines, this program will help fellows learn to bridge the development and review processes. Fellows will also learn to build awareness of regulatory requirements into the early stages of medical product development and to improve planning throughout both processes.

Visit the IOTF Web site to learn more about the joint fellowship program.

Women's Health Hearing and Workshop Series Continues

NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health launched a series of four regional scientific workshops and public hearings to ensure that research on women’s health continues to be on the cutting edge of science and based upon the most advanced techniques and methodologies.

Researchers, advocates, and others from the cancer field are encouraged to attend the next hearing and workshop on May 27–29 in San Francisco, CA: “Moving into the Future: New Dimensions and Strategies for Women’s Health Research at NIH.”

The workshop—hosted by the University of California, San Francisco’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences—will highlight five topic areas of research in women’s health: stem cell research, HIV/AIDS and women, global health, information technology and health, and women’s health and the environment. A sixth area focused on women in biomedical careers will explore the range of issues and strategies for creative opportunities to support the emergence and development of successful women researchers.

Additional information is available online.

NCI Cancer Bulletin Writer Wins NAGC Award

The National Association of Government Communicators awarded NCI Cancer Bulletin writer Addison Greenwood a 2009 Blue Pencil Award. He received second place in the Writer's Portfolio category for the following collection of articles:

Duke Forging Research Ties in China
Profiles in Cancer Research: Dr. Chad Mirkin
Cancer Disparities: A Biological and Psychosocial Perspective

Greenwood’s work was selected from several hundred submissions in that category.

Meet NCI Experts at ASCO

NCI Director Dr. John E. Niederhuber will discuss the recent federal investment in cancer research and NCI's future goals at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting's opening session on Saturday, May 30. Learn about NCI's programs and Web sites by visiting booth #3018 in the exhibit hall during the meeting. NCI experts will be available to talk about a wide range of topics. See the schedule below.

Saturday, May 30
9:00 a.m.	NCI SPORE and Other Translational Research Programs
	Ivan Ding, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis
10:00 a.m.	The Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid: Resources to Support Clinical and Translational Research
	William J. Dyer and Dianne Reeves, Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology
11:00 a.m.	NCI-Funded Research Portfolio
	Lisa Krueger, Division of Extramural Activities
1:00 p.m.	Ixolaris: A Potent Inhibitor of Tumor Growth
	Charles Rainwater, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Sunday, May 31
10:00 a.m.	NCI-Funded Research Portfolio
	Lisa Krueger, Division of Extramural Activities
11:00 a.m.	The Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid: Resources to Support Clinical and Translational Research
	William J. Dyer and Dianne Reeves, Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology
12:00 p.m.	NCI Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine Program
	Libin Jia, Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine
1:00 p.m.	Ixolaris: A Potent Inhibitor of Tumor Growth
	Charles Rainwater, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
2:00 p.m.	NCI Cancer Bulletin
	Carmen Phillips, Office of Communications and Education
3:00 p.m.	NCI-Funded Research Portfolio
	Lisa Krueger, Division of Extramural Activities
Monday, June 1
9:00 a.m.	NCI-Funded Research Portfolio
	Lisa Krueger, Division of Extramural Activities
10:00 a.m.	Epigenetics and Cancer Control
	Mukesh Verma, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences
11:00 a.m.	The Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid: Resources to Support Clinical and Translational Research
	William J. Dyer and Dianne Reeves, Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology
12:00 p.m.	Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs)
	Rajeev K. Agarwal, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis
2:00 p.m.	NCI Cancer Bulletin
	Carmen Phillips, Office of Communications and Education
3:00 p.m.	NCI-Funded Research Portfolio
	Lisa Krueger, Division of Extramural Activities