{"id":402593,"date":"2023-12-28T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-28T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/new-on-ncis-websites-for-december-2023\/"},"modified":"2023-12-28T18:58:19","modified_gmt":"2023-12-28T23:58:19","slug":"new-on-ncis-websites-for-december-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/new-on-ncis-websites-for-december-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"New on NCI\u2019s Websites for December 2023","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

\n December 28, 2023,
\n by Daryl McGrath<\/p>\n

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\n \"NCI<\/p><\/div>
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NCI Director Dr. W. Kimryn Rathmell<\/p>\n

Credit: Vanderbilt University Medical Center<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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NCI\u2019s collection of cancer information products is constantly growing, so periodically we provide updates on new and updated content of interest to the cancer community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

W. Kimryn Rathmell Begins Work as 17th Director of the National Cancer Institute<\/h2>\n

On December 18, W. Kimryn Rathmell, M.D., Ph.D., began work as the 17th director<\/a> of the National Cancer Institute. A renowned kidney cancer expert and influential leader in cancer research and patient care, Dr. Rathmell was selected by President Biden to succeed Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D., who became director of the National Institutes of Health on November 9.<\/p>\n

Appreciation for Dr. Worta McCaskill-Stevens<\/h2>\n

In November, the cancer community mourned the passing of Worta McCaskill-Stevens, M.D.<\/a>, a medical oncologist, former director of the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), and champion for the inclusion of racial and ethnic minority groups and underserved communities in clinical trials as both participants and researchers. At the 2023 NCORP annual meeting in August, then\u2013NCI Director Monica Bertagnolli, M.D., announced the creation<\/a> of the NCI Worta McCaskill-Stevens Career Development Award for Community Oncology and Prevention Research (K12)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

News Release: NCI Researchers Develop Approach that Could Help Supercharge T-Cell Therapies against Solid Tumors<\/h2>\n

Researchers at NCI\u2019s Center for Cancer Research (CCR)<\/a> have developed a way to potentially increase the effectiveness of T cell\u2013based immunotherapy treatments<\/a>, such as CAR T-cell therapy, against solid tumors. CCR researchers engineered T cells (CAR T cells and another form of cellular immunotherapy called TCR T cells) to carry cytokines, which are proteins that can boost T-cell function. T cells modified to carry a pair of cytokines killed far more cancer cells than T cells carrying just one of these cytokines or neither of them.<\/p>\n

News Release: Immunotherapy Pioneer Steven Rosenberg Awarded Nation\u2019s Highest Honor for Technology and Innovation<\/h2>\n

On October 24, President Biden awarded immunotherapy pioneer Steven Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., the National Medal of Technology and Innovation<\/a>. It is the nation’s highest honor for technological achievement. Dr. Rosenberg is chief of the Surgery Branch in NCI\u2019s Center for Cancer Research.<\/p>\n

DCTD pipeline news<\/em> <\/h2>\n

The October edition of pipeline news<\/em><\/a>, produced quarterly by NCI\u2019s Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD)<\/a>, features news about the NCI-60 cell lines screen and the NCI Clinical Trials Network biobanks; a staff spotlight; and updates about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility activities.<\/p>\n

NCI Imaging Community Webinar Series<\/h2>\n

NCI\u2019s Cancer Imaging Program<\/a> hosts a monthly webinar series that showcases current research directions in cancer imaging and stimulates interdisciplinary dialog on selected cancer imaging topics. The newly updated webinar page<\/a> lists future topics and links to archived videos of past webinars. The next webinar, on January 8, will address interoperative molecular imaging of lung cancer.<\/p>\n

Data Science Training Resources<\/h2>\n

NCI\u2019s Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology (CBIIT)<\/a> recently launched a new training section<\/a> on their website to help researchers learn about cancer data science<\/a>, including collecting, visualizing, and sharing data.<\/p>\n

40 Years of Cancer Epigenetics Symposium<\/h2>\n

Epigenetics refers to the study of how age and environmental factors, such as diet, exercise, drugs, and chemicals, may modify DNA in ways that change gene activity without altering the gene sequence. On October 20, NCI\u2019s Division of Cancer Biology<\/a> held a symposium to commemorate the 40th anniversary of pivotal discoveries that launched the field of cancer epigenetics<\/a>. The symposium webpage links to a videocast of the event and related documents.<\/p>\n

Inside Cancer Careers<\/em> Podcast<\/h2>\n

The NCI Center for Cancer Training\u2019s (CCT)<\/a> bimonthly Inside Cancer Careers<\/em> podcast<\/a> features trainees and established investigators talking about their career journeys. Recent episodes include Voices for Equity: Conversations on Cancer Health Disparities<\/a>, in which Brian Rivers, Ph.D., of the Morehouse School of Medicine, and Tiffany Wallace, Ph.D., of NCI\u2019s Center for Cancer Health Disparities<\/a>, discussed the importance of research on cancer health disparities, and an Exclusive Episode: Working Together to Break Through<\/a> with Tyler Jacks, Ph.D., of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who talked about tackling historically difficult problems in cancer.<\/p>\n

Transition Career Development Workshop<\/h2>\n

The CCT Cancer Training Branch is holding its inaugural Transition Career Development Workshop<\/a> on January 16 and 17. The virtual workshop is intended to help current NCI career development awardees and prospective applicants better understand the elements involved in transitioning to becoming independent researchers. There is no cost to attend the meeting, but registration is required<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research<\/h2>\n

The NCI Center for Global Health\u2019s (CGH)<\/a> 12th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research<\/a> will be held May 6 to May 9 with the theme, \u201cCollaborating for Impact.\u201d The call for sessions, abstracts, and nominations for the 2024 Rachel Pearline Award<\/a> is open from January 8 to February 18. The center recently led several scientific sessions at the 2023 African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) International Conference<\/a> in Dakar, Senegal, November 2 through 6. The conference included NCI-led sessions on tobacco control, cancer health disparities, HIV-associated malignancies, hepatobiliary cancers, and esophageal cancer and a keynote address by CGH Director Satish Gopal, M.D., M.P.H.<\/p>\n

Cancer Prevention Science<\/em> Blog<\/h2>\n

The NCI Division of Cancer Prevention\u2019s<\/a> Cancer Prevention Science<\/em> blog<\/a> reports on cancer prevention and related topics. Recent stories from the blog include: 
\u2022    Ways to Reduce and Avoid Side Effects of Medications for Breast Cancer Risk Reduction<\/a>
\u2022    How Western-Style Diet, Aging, May Impact Cancer Risk in Intestinal Cells<\/a>
\u2022    Repurposing Common Medications to Prevent Cancer<\/a>
\u2022    Rapid Growth and Progress in Cardio-Oncology Research<\/a><\/p>\n

From Inquiry to Impact: FY2023 DCCPS Overview and Highlights<\/h2>\n

The NCI Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS)<\/a> Overview and Highlights report<\/a> outlines the division\u2019s recent accomplishments, including the 50th anniversary of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program\u2014the nation\u2019s premier source for cancer statistics\u2014and progress made toward advancing six key future directions for research DCCPS had identified and unveiled in 2022: health equity, data strategies, evidence-based cancer control policy research, digital health interventions, modifiable risk factors, and climate change. <\/p>\n

New and Updated Patient and Consumer Content<\/h2>\n