Brief, timely messages are posted on this moderated message board
to foster interactions among tumor immunologists. Express your
thoughts and opinions on recent developments, summarize the highlights
of recent meetings, share protocols or technical tips, publicize
grants or positions available, review new books, or bring up other
issues for discussion. Commercial advertising is not accepted for posting.
Cancer Research Institute Research Funding Programs
CRI's funding programs include:
PREDOCTORAL EMPHASIS PATHWAYS IN TUMOR IMMUNOLOGY: Through the predoctoral pathway, universities are invited to apply for training grants establishing multiyear programs that support doctoral students interested in pursuing careers in cancer immunology. The grants provide the institution with $450,000 over a four-year period. The application deadline is March 1.
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS are designed to foster the training of qualified young immunologists and cancer immunologists at leading universities and research centers around the world. These three-year funding commitments have been raised to $40,000 in the first year, $42,000 in the second year, and $44,000 in the third year. Fellowships also include an institutional allowance of $1,500 per year. Deadlines are April 1 and October 1.
INVESTIGATOR AWARDS support immunologists and cancer immunologists at the assistant professor level as they undertake their first independent investigations. Funds may be used at the recipient's discretion for salary, technical assistance, supplies, or capital equipment. Investigator awards provide $50,000 a year for four years. The deadline for applications is March 1.
CLINICAL INVESTIGATION PROGRAM
The Clinical Investigation Program is comprised of three distinct funding mechanisms.
A Grants Program that supports preclinical and clinical research in three specific areas: cancer antigen identification for vaccine and antibody therapies; characterization of the immune response to cancer antigens; and the fashioning of vaccine and antibody-based therapies for cancer. Grants provide a three-year commitment of $300,000 for preclinical research and $450,000 for clinical trial grants. The deadline for receipt of applications is February 1.
The Cancer Antigen Discovery Collaborative, which mobilizes invited experts to work cooperatively on defined tasks toward a common goal of identifying the targets on cancer cells that can serve as the basis for vaccines and antibody therapies. Participation in the program demands that the researchers involved collaborate and communicate, sharing reagents, data, and ideas. Collaboratives have been established in colon cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. Applications are by invitation only.
The Cancer Vaccine Collaborative was created in partnership with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. It is a unique network of coordinated early-phase cancer vaccine trials at academic institutions, initially in New York City. These multiple, yet parallel trials, which use defined antigens, standardized treatment protocols, uniform monitoring methodologies, and centralized data collection, will provide comparable results that will teach us how to effectively immunize against cancer. Applications are by invitation only.
CRI does not provide funds for indirect costs. CRI supported research may be conducted in the United States or abroad, at nonprofit medical centers or hospitals. There are no citizenship restrictions. For additional information or applications, please contact Brian Brewer by phone at + 1-212-688-7515, fax + 1-212-832-9376, or e-mail grants@cancerresearch.org.
Are there any ongoing research of the natural killer cell stimulater, MGN-3? This product is produced by integrating, through hydrolysis, an extract from the outer shell of rice bran with a lentinan extract from the shiitake medicinal mushroom.
I am a 50 year old Registered Nurse who seeks any clinical trial involving cancer immunotherapy/vaccines/gene therapy for a sarcoma type cancer or "solid tumor" in California, U.S.A. I was diagnosed April 1, 1993 with Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor. My cancer immunologist died May 2000. I have been without treatment since this time. Sincerely, Kathleen R. Eldrid, R.N. pnet9RN@webtv.net Dated March 23, 2002.
how the cancer chemotherapeutic agent suppress the patients immune system?
thank you,
arnold behrer, retired internist (none)
immunology and malignancy
During my years of medical practice I encountered several cases of malignant melanoma which burst into fire years after the primary tumor was excised. It has always been my feeling that at that time some immune mechanism had expired. This has tickled my curiosity relative to other implications. How much of the benefit of radiation results from the antigenicity of killed cells? Also with chemotherapy, how much of the benefit is due to the same mechanism? On TV, a document rel Aryan mummies in China showed evidence of surgical removal of tissues, drying of the tissues, washing, and replacement into the patient. The wounds were well healed. One might wonder, in the case of neoplasia, whether or not these replaced tissues produced valuable antibodies.
If these guesses are relevant, it would seem counterproductive to inflict the patient with and treatment that would impair antigen-antibody mechanisms.
Does my reasoning have any relevance?
Paul Peterson, Patient
Trials
I have just been diagnosed with stage 4 Gleason scale 9
prostate cancer. My doctor in Charlotte NC is beginning hormone therapy tomorrow. Are there any immunotherapy trials available for me?
Lynda Gladding, Intern (Van Andel Institute)
Mice tumors
For an experiment, I had 100 microliters of cancer cells injected into 25 mice. A few of the mice showed tumor growth, but then the tumors began to shrink. Is there any explanation as to why this happened?
Victoria Liu, grad student (Northwestern University)
mouse peritoneal macrophage isolation
I have been trying to isoaltion mouse peritoneal macrophages with little success in terms of the number of cells I collected. I used 3% thioglycollate medium (1mL/mouse) for 5 day treatment and collected peritoneal macrophages according to the standard protocol. According to the protocol, you should be able to obtain 10^7 macrophages/mouse with the treatment. But my typical results have been ~2x10^6/mouse. Does anybody have some tips for me in terms of how to collect more macrophages from the mice? The mouse strain I used to collecte macrophages is Balb/c and C57.
If you allow your 3% brewers thioglycollate medium to mature for at least 1-2 week you will dramatically increase the yield of macrophages your obtain. Both the aging and autoclaving processes allow for non enzymatic glycosylation events to occur. For an unknown reason, this is what enables you to get a great yield like 10^7 per mouse. I am able to routinely obtain this yield with 3-4 days post injection lavage. I inject 2-3 ml/ mouse (C57BL/6J) and then after 3-4 days wash with 5 ml pbs.
The medium gets better with age. A good indication of how good it is will be the color. You want it to go from blue/green when freshly mixed to a yellow/brown. I shoot for 1 months aging time but will use it after 1-2 weeks if I need to, knowing my yields will be 10^6 instead of 10^7/mouse.
Hope this helps!
To
post a message, please provide the following:
Your full name, affiliation, and position or title. While your
name will be displayed, your e-mail address will only be displayed
if requested.
The subject title of your posting. Please try to be specific.
Your message.
Monique Zahn, Assistant Editor (Cancer Immunity)
Your full name, affiliation, and position or title. While your
name will be displayed, your e-mail address will only be displayed
if requested.