Dr. Michael Caligiuri: - Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Dr. Michael Caligiuri:Remembering Roswell Park

welcome homeIt is with great pride that I introduce (or should I say re-introduce?)Alumni News, a familiar publication with a new look, feel and focus.We have revamped this publication so that it will better meet yourneeds and match your interests. As we share the exciting changesoccurring at Roswell Park, we hope that you will continue to shareupdates and news relating to your career, education and family.Please send your news (and views!) to Colleen Karuza, Director ofPublic Affairs, at Colleen.Karuza@roswellpark.org or by snail mailto Colleen Karuza, Office of Public Affairs, Department of Marketing,Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263.Best regards and looking forward to getting reacquainted.Arthur M. Michalek, PhD, FACESenior Vice President, Educational AffairsDean, Roswell Park Graduate Divisioncontentsfaculty interviewalumni spotlightrpci headlinersresearch & technologyit’s academicnews, events & infosnapshotsCREATIVE STAFFManaging EditorColleen M. KaruzaSenior Copywriter & EditorSue BanchichDesign/LayoutHillary BanasPhotographyBill SheffBen RicheyMary HanlonADMINISTRATIONPresident & CEODonald L. Trump, MD, FACPSenior Vice PresidentEducational AffairsDean, Roswell Park GraduateDivision University at BuffaloArthur M. Michalek, PhD, FACEVice President Emeritus,Educational AffairsEdwin A. Mirand, PhD, DScVice President, Marketing,Planning & Public AffairsLaurel A. DiBrogVice President, DevelopmentCindy A. EllerPublished three times a year. All rightsreserved. No portion of this magazine maybe reproduced without written permission.To receive a free subscription, please emailColleen.Karuza@roswellpark.org. To learnmore about giving opportunities, please callthe Development Office at 716-845-4444.University at BuffaloCover photo of Dr. Michael Caligiuriprovided by Ohio State University.

facultyinterview:Dr. David C. Hohn“Drastic reordering ofpriorities” needed tobolster America’shealth care systemwhen David C. Hohn, MD, completed his10-year tenure as President and CEO of RPCI, theIn2007,Roswell Park Alliance Foundation honored him byrenaming the Institute’s main auditorium the David C. HohnLecture Hall. The hall is now the site of a new lecture series,also funded by the Alliance Foundation and named inhonor of Hohn, that focuses on critical health care policyissues. The inaugural lecture in March 2008, featuring stemcell pioneer Irving Weissman, MD, PhD, reflected Hohn’sown interest in stem cell research.In a recent interview, Hohn, now ExecutiveDirector of Health Policy at RPCI, addressed thecurrent state of health care and health carepolicy in the United States.What’s the greatest challenge facing the U.S. healthcare system today?The economics and affordability of medicine are theprincipal challenges. We need a national dialogue to dealwith funding issues and to start addressing the cost ofmedical care in a way that works. Both challenges willrequire a drastic reordering of our priorities. A goodapproach would be something similar to what PresidentKennedy did to focus the nation’s attention on the spacerace with the Soviet Union, and what President Eisenhowerdid in creating an interstate highway system.How is health policy affecting science and research?From a funding perspective, it is having an extremelynegative impact, especially on the biomedical researchside. There have been significant cutbacks in research,leading to a growing reluctance to take risk in research,and fewer opportunities. The lack of science and researchfunding is deterring those who might otherwise be interestedin careers in those fields. Health care policy must take thenecessary steps to address those funding shortages.What prospects do you see for the creationof a universal health insurance program?Without the cooperation of the private sector—the businesscommunity—universal health coverage will not happen.The employer should not bear the burden alone. However,the business community is beginning to realize that universalhealth insurance is a necessity, because we cannot continueto sustain annual double-digit increases. The ultimateobstacle is the cost to pay for such a system, and weneed to come up with creative solutions.In what ways will your new lecture seriesaddress these challenges?The overall intent of the lecture series is fundamentallyeducational. I want to create public awareness in ourcommunity about the importance of health care policy andhow the region’s health care system is likely to look in thefuture. My hope is to create an advisory committee toidentify topics for further discussion and study, and to createa platform where we can also involve our elected leaders.Stem cellpioneerinauguratesHohn LectureSeriesIrving Weissman, MD, PhD, who first isolated andidentified stem cells and characterized their stagesof development, inaugurated the David C. HohnLecture Series at RPCI. Weissman discussed “StemCells: Regenerative Medicine, Cancer, andPolitics,” March 17 in the David C. Hohn LectureHall of the Research Studies Center.The Hohn Lecture Series, featuring speakersdistinguished in the field of health policy, wasestablished in honor of David C. Hohn, MD,President Emeritus and Executive Director of HealthPolicy at RPCI, with a grant from the Roswell ParkAlliance Foundation.POSTAGE STAMP FEATURES RPCI ALUMNA© 2007 USPS. All Rights Reserved.In April 2008, the U.S. Postal Service releaseda set of four stamps featuring some of ournation’s distinguished scientists, includingbiochemist Gerty Cori, who served at RPCIfrom 1922-1932 and went on to becomethe first American woman — and the thirdwoman ever — to win a Nobel Prize inscience. The Cori crater on the moon isnamed for her.A native of Prague, Cori (born GertyTheresa Radnitz) came to the U.S. in 1922with her husband and fellow scientist, CarlCori. The two joined the biochemistryfaculty at RPCI and concentrated on thestudy of carbohydrate metabolism, whichprovided the basis for their joint Nobel Prizein Physiology and Medicine in 1947. TheCoris left RPCI in 1931 to join the faculty ofWashington University School of Medicine.The 41-cent stamp featuring Gerty Cori wasreleased in spite of an Associated Pressreport of an error in the chemical formulafor glucose-1-phosphate (Cori ester) shownin the background.Leave a Legacy and supportRoswell Park’smission to cure cancer!For more than a century, RPCI has led the way in cancerresearch, patient care, education and prevention. You canensure the continuation of that mission through a bequest,charitable trust, gift annuity, life insurance policy or otherestate planning method. Your commitment will berecognized with an invitation to join the Dr. Roswell ParkSociety.For more information, please contact Betsy Fergusonat 716-845-8720 or betsy.ferguson@roswellpark.org.Further details are also available online atwww.RoswellPark.org/Giving.1| facultyinterview2

OSU’s CancerCenter Chiefrecalls lessonsfrom RPCIMichael Caligiuri, MD, has come a long way since hisdays as a high school student in Roswell Park’s summerresearch program. Now Director of the Ohio StateUniversity Comprehensive Cancer Center, he was recentlynamed CEO of Ohio State’s James Cancer Hospital. He hasdesigned and conducted more than 20 clinical studies forleukemia and lymphoma patients and has more than 300publications to his credit. His work has earned him the FreireichAward for outstanding achievements in research from M.D.Anderson Cancer Center and the Distinguished UniversityScholar Award from Ohio State University. He directs aflourishing research program with more than $15 million infunding from the National Cancer Institute and another$20 million from the State of Ohio.Of all his endeavors, however, nothing has compared with thesatisfaction of teaching and serving as mentor to the nearly 100students—graduate students, medical students, postdoctoralfellows—who trained in his lab over the past 17 years. “Of all the things I do, teaching students inmy laboratory is the most gratifying,” says Caligiuri, “because I’m helping to prepare the nextgeneration of scientists and physician-scientists who will continue to work on cancer.”He has never forgotten what happened more than 30 years ago when he was a student himself,newly graduated from St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Buffalo. Excited and inspired after takingpart in Roswell Park’s summer research program, he asked to meet with Gerald P. Murphy, MD,then Director of the Institute, to talk about cancer research.Murphy was on the phone when he motioned to Caligiuri to enter the office. “He was talking tosomeone in what seemed like a very important conversation about funding and the needs ofthe Institute,” recalls Caligiuri. “He said to the person, ‘Well, look, Vince, I have the privilege ofproviding some advice to someone who I think is going to be an outstanding physician someday,and I need to go.’ And he rather abruptly hung up. He said to me, ‘That was Vince DeVita…Now,what are you here for? I’m happy to speak to you.’”Six years later, in medical school at Stanford University, Caligiuri attended a program at whichVincent DeVita, Director of the National Cancer Institute, was the featured speaker. That’s whenhe realized who was on the other end of the line that day in Murphy’s office.“From Gerry’s perspective, talking tome—a high school student interested inthe cancer problem—and talking to thehead of the National Cancer Institutewere of equally great importance,”Caligiuri says. “To this day, whenevera student asks to come and see me,I never, ever say no. When he or she walksin with a look of surprise and wonder,I always remember the moment whenI walked into Gerry’s office and hecompletely put me at ease with hiseveryday approach and his excitementto see me.”Caligiuri found many sources of inspirationand direction at RPCI: Murphy, of course,and also Edwin A. Mirand, PhD, whodirected the summer research programin the ’70s; and Clara Bloomfield, MD,former Chief of Medicine at RPCI, andThomas Tomasi, MD, PhD, DSc, former CEOof RPCI and now the M&T Bank EndowedChair in Cancer Research, who teamedup to recruit Caligiuri to RPCI in 1990.Joining the RPCI faculty “was veryimportant for me,” says Caligiuri. “Claragave me the space and resources todevelop my own scientific career anddevelop clinical trials that stemmed frommy own scientific discovery. I was givencarte blanche to both work in thelaboratory and help build the transplantunit and see leukemia and lymphomapatients. The protected time I got as ascientist and physician allowed me todevelop my career and prosperacademically, scientifically, andpersonally as well as professionally.It’s an opportunity that would not havebeen available to me if I had stayedat Harvard,” where he served on thefaculty before coming to RPCI.RPCI, he says, laid the groundwork foreverything that later transpired: “Going toRoswell Park that summer opened me upto the possibility of becoming a cancerphysician; it was in no small part relatedto that experience.”New faculty joinDepartment of MedicineWen Wee Ma, MB, BS, and Grace K. Dy, MD, have been appointedattending physicians in the Department of Medicine.Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Ma will treat patientswith gastrointestinal cancers. He comes to RPCI from the Sidney KimmelComprehensive Cancer Center, where he completed fellowship training inmedical oncology and hematology and earned a Certificate in the Scienceof Clinical Investigation from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of PublicHealth. His research focuses on novel therapies for treating lung andpancreatic cancers, and Phase I trials.Dy, who will treat lung cancer patients, earned her medical degree at TheUniversity of Santo Tomas, Philippines (1998), and completed residency trainingin internal medicine (2003) and a fellowship in hematology/oncology (2007)at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. Her research focuses on Phase Iclinical trials and novel targets for lung cancer therapy.Radiation faculty receiveNCCN Fellow AwardsTwo members of the Radiation faculty were honored with Fellow Awardsfrom the National Comprehensive Cancer Network at the its 13th annualconference, Clinical Practice Guidelines and Quality Care. Each awardcarries a $5,000 grant to underwrite the research project described in therecipient’s proposal. The winning proposals were those judged to best supportthe NCCN’s mission of improving the quality, outcome and effectivenessof care for cancer patients.Susan McCloskey, MD, won the award for a proposal entitled “Establishmentof Methodologies for the Use of Administrative Insurance Claims in CaseIdentification and Evaluation of Care Delivered to Newly Diagnosed ProstateCancer Patients.”Kilian Salerno May, MD, won the award for “On Target? A Quality Initiativeto Evaluate Accuracy of Electronic Portal Imaging for Set-up Verification inRadiotherapy.”Photos from left to right: Wen Wee Ma, MB, BS; Grace K. Dy, MD;Susan McCloskey, MD; Kilian Salerno May, MD3| alumnispotlight4

Mirandhonored forachievementin health careEdwin Mirand, PhD, DSc, whosetenure at RPCI spans more thanhalf a century, was honoredin February with the 2008 Awardfor Achievement in Health Care,presented by D’Youville College.His early research shed light on howthe body stimulates the production ofred blood cells, and that knowledgeopened the door to the treatmentof anemia.As Dean of RPCI’s Graduate Division of the Universityat Buffalo, Mirand guided the professionaldevelopment of more than 5,500 doctoral students,physicians and dentists, and oversaw the training of6,000 high school and college students and theirteachers. The student research program he developed,still thriving at RPCI, served as a model for a similarprogram launched at the national level by theNational Science Foundation. The National CancerInstitute’s Cancer Information Service grew from aprogram he created in public cancer education.Now Vice President Emeritus for Educational Affairsand Dean and Senior Advisor to the President andChief Executive Officer of RPCI, Mirand joins adistinguished group of previous recipients of the Awardfor Achievement in Health Care, including RPCI facultymembers David C. Hohn, MD (2007); Norma Nowak,PhD (2005); Thomas Tomasi, MD, PhD (2003); M. StevenPiver, MD (2000); T. Ming Chu, PhD (1998); and ThomasDougherty, PhD (1997).Drug may protectagainst harmfulradiation effectsA drug evaluated in laboratory studies at RPCI may havethe potential to protect patients from the harmful effectsof radiation without decreasing its effectiveness againsttumor cells, according to a study published in Science.CBLB502, developed by scientists in the Cell Stress BiologyDepartment and collaborators from Cleveland BioLabs,Inc., prolonged survival and reduced radiation damage tobone marrow and gastrointestinal cells when given toanimal models shortly before they received radiationtherapy.The potentially severe side effects of radiation can limit itsdosage in cancer patients. A more aggressive treatmentregimen using anticancer drugs such as CBLB502 incombination with radiation could increase theeffectiveness of this treatment option. Lyudmila Burdelya,PhD, Translational Research Scientist at RPCI and leadauthor of the paper, notes that “most cancer cells developresistance to suicidal cell death or apoptosis. Our researchefforts focus on the development of drugs that confer asimilar degree of resistance to normal cells, therebyprotecting them from the stress associated withtreatment.”Andrei Gudkov, PhD, Senior Vice President for BasicScience, the Garman Family Chair of Cell Stress Biologyat RPCI, and the inventor of the technology, adds thatCBLB502 is part of a drug group called “protectants” thatmay have additional value as “a countermeasure to treatradiation injury following exposure to nuclear orradiological weapons.”Study authors also included researchers from the LernerResearch Institute (Cleveland Clinic) and Burnham Institutefor Medical Research.Chu hailed for PSA discoveryThe Prostate Net has presented its “In the Know” Awardfor Clinical Research Excellence to T. Ming Chu, PhD, DSc,Chair Emeritus of Diagnostic Immunology Research atRPCI. Chu’s discovery of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA)in the late 1970s led to the development of the PSA testfor early detection of prostate cancer — a breakthroughthat has been cited as one of the most significant cancerrelateddevelopments of the 20th century.International award bearsDougherty’s nameThe Society of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines, basedin France, has established the Dougherty Award forExcellence in Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), sponsored byRPCI in honor of Thomas Dougherty, PhD, Chief Emeritusof the Institute’s PDT Center. Dougherty pioneered thedevelopment of PDT, which uses lasers to activate lightsensitive,cancer-killing drugs called photosensitizers; todaythe treatment is FDA-approved and used worldwide totreat certain types of cancer and other conditions.The award will be presented for the first time at the FifthInternational Conference of Porphyrins and Phthalocyaninesin Moscow in July 2008, and every two years thereafter.Ip awarded $7.5 million NCI grantfor prostate cancer preventionClement Ip, PhD, Distinguished Member and Chair ofCancer Chemoprevention, has received a five-year,$7.5 million Program Project Grant from the NationalCancer Institute for translational research on theprevention of prostate cancer. The project aims todevelop a novel strategy to manage the disease at anearly stage to prevent it from becoming clinicallyrelevant. Researchers will pursue three highly integratedprojects based on suppressing androgen signaltransduction—a key element in the development ofprostate cancer—at two different steps simultaneously,by using finasteride to inhibit the formation ofdihydrotestosterone and selenium to reduce theexpression of androgen receptors.Trump elected to AACI BoardRPCI President and CEO Donald L. Trump, MD, FACP, hasbeen elected to a two-year term on the eight-memberBoard of Directors of the Association of American CancerInstitutes (AACI). The AACI promotes the common interestsand efforts of the nation’s leading academic cancercenters that work to eradicate cancer through acomprehensive, multidisciplinary program of research,treatment, patient care, prevention, education andcommunity outreach. Trump’s term began in October 2007.Balogh tapped for AmericanAcademy of Nanomedicine BoardLajos Balogh, PhD, Director of Nanotechnology Research,has been chosen to serve as a member of the Board ofDirectors of the American Academy of Nanomedicine(AANM). The AANM is a not-for-profit organization thatprovides a forum for the exchange of ideas, the reportingof new findings, and the encouragement of collaborationamong the diverse disciplines involved in nanomedicine.Odunsi team wins grantfor vaccine researchA $900,000 research grant from the Ovarian CancerResearch Fund will support four different projects aimedat boosting the effectiveness of an ovarian cancervaccine developed at RPCI. Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD,Surgeon in Gynecologic Oncology and Co-Leader of theTumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, willhead the team of RPCI scientists who are seeking ways toenhance the immune system’s response to the disease.Odunsi and his team previously tested an experimentalantitumor vaccine in 18 ovarian cancer patients. While itdid not cure the disease, it did stimulate the immunesystem to produce antibodies against the cancer andlengthened the time to recurrence.Photos from left to right: T. Ming Chu, PhD, DSc; Thomas Dougherty,PhD; Clement Ip, PhD; Donald Trump, MD, FACP; Lajos Balogh, PhD;and Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD5| rpciheadlinersDr. Andrei Gudkov6

Canisius College awards honorary degree to HohnCanisius College conferred an honorary doctoral degree on David C. Hohn, MD,Executive Director of Health Policy and President Emeritus of RPCI, duringcommencement ceremonies Wednesday, May 14. The honor was accorded forstellar contributions to the war against cancer and exceptional service to thecommunity.Unmet legalneeds affectcancer patients’quality of lifeClinic provides carefor patients at high riskfor colorectal cancerOut front for a smoke-free futureRPCI’s leadership in promoting a smoke-free world was recognized recently withthe 2007 Global Smokefree Partnership (GSP) Award for Research, given foroutstanding and sustained contributions to advancing smoke-free policies in theU.S. and around the world. The award was presented by the GSP at a meeting ofthe Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Morrison heads Division of Molecular PathologyCarl Morrison, MD, DVM, has joined the faculty of the Department of Pathology &Laboratory Medicine as Director of the Division of Molecular Pathology. He directsthe translational research efforts and shared research resources in the department,using sophisticated tests for the detection and diagnosis of cancer and innovativeprocedures for providing tumor samples to investigators for research. He will alsocontinue research on gynecologic and breast cancers and his leadership of theNational Tissue Procurement Service. Morrison served previously as PrincipalInvestigator for the Cooperative Human Tissue Network, Co-Director of TissueProcurement and Director of the Pathology Core Facility at Ohio State University.Ambrosone named to NCI leadershipChristine Ambrosone, PhD, Chair of Cancer Prevention and Control, has beenappointed to the Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute, for afive-year term ending June 30, 2012. Among other responsibilities, the board assistsand advises the NCI Director; oversees the Institute’s extramural programs; andadvises Extramural Division Directors on current and future scientific policies.Wang honored for outstanding dissertationXiaoling Wang, PhD, has received the Excellence in PhD Dissertation Award for“Characterization of the Role of Thoc1 in Mouse Development and Tumorigenesis.”Conferred by the Department of Educational Affairs, the award was presentedMay 8 during the RPCI-University at Buffalo commencement ceremony. DavidGoodrich, PhD, Professor of Oncology and Chair of the Graduate Program inPharmacology and Therapeutics, was her major professor.Ad encourages doctors to discuss tobacco risksThe New York State Department of Health has unveiled a year-long ad campaignencouraging doctors to discuss the health risks of tobacco use with patients whosmoke. RPCI’s Cessation Center is among 19 centers across the state that will runthe ads, which highlight the resources available to help doctors address tobaccodependence in their patients.Cancer patients’ quality of lifeoften suffers because theirsignificant legal-medical needsare not being addressed adequately.That’s the conclusion of an RPCI studyconducted by Michael Zevon, PhD,Chair of Psychosocial Oncology; KerryRodabaugh, MD, Attending Surgeon inGynecologic Oncology; postdoctoralstudent Steven Schwabish, PhD; andJames Donnelly, PhD, of the Universityat Buffalo.Published in Cancer and presented atthe annual meeting of the AmericanPsychological Association, the studyassessed the legal needs of 50 patients(28 women and 22 men; mean age 52).Zevon said the results “underscore theneed to integrate legal resources intocancer care to enhance the quality of lifeof patients and reduce the stressassociated with treatment of lifethreateningillnesses.”Patients indicated that legal needsrelated to their health care were mostimportant to their quality of life, followedby legal needs related to employmentand financial and estate planning.Roswell Park has introduced a Colorectal Cancer Risk ManagementClinic (CCRMC) to provide specialized care and counseling forindividuals at increased risk for the disease. The clinic offers acomprehensive physical evaluation to determine risk level, geneticconsultation and genetic testing, cancer screening test counselingand recommendations, and the opportunity to take part in clinicaltrials evaluating new methods of prevention.The most common risk factor for colorectal cancer is age: more than90% of cases are diagnosed in people over 50. Some risk factors —obesity, physical inactivity, smoking and a diet high in red or processedmeats — are related to lifestyle and can be modified to reduce risk.However, about 3% of all cases diagnosed can be inherited, and riskcan be increased by certain genetic profiles — familial adenomatouspolyposis (FAP) and hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC).Referrals to the CCRMC may be made by physicians, allied healthcareprofessionals, area agencies, or by self-referral. People who meetcertain criteria and are determined to have an above-average risk fordeveloping colorectal cancer will have the opportunity to participate.For more information, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724).The clinic is housed in Roswell Park’s new Chemotherapy Infusion andClinic Center at 100 College Parkway in Amherst, NY.7| rpciheadliners 8

Study by predoc trainee:Maegan Capitano — a predoctoral trainee in the laboratory ofJulie Ostberg, PhD, and Elizabeth Repasky, PhD, Departmentof Immunology — has won the 2007 Young Investigator Awardfrom the Society for Thermal Medicine. The award was given for her study“Fever-Range Whole-Body Hyperthermia Prevents the Onsetof Type 1 Diabetes in Non-Obese Diabetic Mice,” published in the March2008 issue of the International Journal of Hyperthermia.The diabetic animal model used in the study closely mimics theimmunological disease process that occurs in humans with Type 1diabetes. The study involved the once-weekly administration of mild thermal therapy for32 weeks. Blood sugar levels were monitored, and “we found that the group warmedonce per week showed a significant prevention of disease symptoms, compared witha group maintained in normal room temperatures,” Capitano explained. “Further,even when treatment ended, the treated laboratory animalsdid not become diabetic, thus demonstrating the long-term effects of thetherapy in this model.”Ostberg added that further study may show that “mild thermal therapycould be a safe and effective countermeasure to Type 1 diabetes,especially if administered early in disease progression.”The possibility that body temperature manipulation could affectimmune responses has long been a major focus of researchin the Repasky laboratory.An abstract of the article is available atwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18283590.RPCI has received the 2008 Award for ClinicalExcellence from the VHA (formerly known as VoluntaryHospitals of America) for having not a single case ofventilator-associated pneumonia for 12 consecutive months.The award was presented May 4 at the VHA LeadershipConference in Philadelphia. Dana Jenkins, Assistant VicePresident of Organizational Performance Improvement, saidthe Institute’s efforts to reach this important patient safetyThermal therapyprevents onset of Type 1 diabetesRPCI cited for clinical excellencegoal were led by Ian Cohen, MD, Associate Director of theICU, Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine;Samantha West, RN, Staff Nurse, ICU; and Judith DelMonte,Quality Analyst, Organizational Performance Improvement.The VHA is a national alliance of 2,400 health careorganizations that work together for improved patient careand greater economy and efficiency.Our 2007-08Best Docs ®(We knew it!)Thirty RPCI physicians have been namedto the 2007-08 list of Best Doctors ®in America, an honor accorded byother physicians recognizing them as thebest in their fields. The honorees include:AnesthesiologyOscar de Leon-Casasola, MDColon and Rectal SurgeryKelli M. Bullard-Dunn, MDDermatologyAllan Oseroff, MD, PhDInfectious DiseaseBrahm Segal, MDMedical Oncology and HematologyAlex Adjei, MD, PhDAsher Chanan-Khan, MDMyron Czuczman, MDEllis Levine, MDPhilip L. McCarthy, Jr., MDDonald Trump, MDMeir Wetzler, MDMichael Wong, MD, PhD, MBANeurological SurgeryRobert Plunkett, MDObstetrics and GynecologyShashikant Lele, MDKerry Rodabaugh, MDOtolaryngologyWesley Hicks, MDPediatric SpecialistMartin Brecher, MDPlastic SurgeryThom Loree, MDRadiation OncologyMohamed Khan, MD, PhDMichael Kuettel, MD, MBA, PhDSurgical OncologyStephen Edge, MDJohn Gibbs, MDWesley Hicks, MDJohn Kane, MDBoris Kuvshinoff, MDThom Loree, MDHector Nava, MDAshwani Rajput, MDThoracic SurgeryTodd Demmy, MDUrologyRobert Huben, MDshelfLIFECheck outthese titleswritten or editedby RPCI faculty:The American Society of Anesthesiologists: ACentury of Challenges and Progress, editedby Mark Lema, MD, PhD, Chair, Departmentof Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine;Douglas Bacon; and Kathryn McGoldrick(Park Ridge, IL: The Wood Library-Museum ofAnesthesiology, 2005)Cancer Pain: Pharmacological, Interventional,and Palliative Care Approaches, by Oscarde Leon-Casasola, MD, Chief of PainMedicine (Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier, 2006)Cost-Effective Diagnostic Imaging: TheClinician’s Guide, by Zachary Grossman,MD, FACR, Chair, Department of DiagnosticImaging; Ronald Alberico, MD, Director ofNeuroradiology and Head/Neck Imaging;Peter Loud, MD, Director of Body Imagingand Director of Ultrasound; ErmelindaBonaccio, MD, Director of the MammographyCenter; and Douglas Katz, MD, and JohnLuchs, MD, both of Winthrop-UniversityHospital, Mineola, NY (Philadelphia: MosbyElsevier, fourth edition, 2006)Oxidative Stress, Disease and Cancer,edited by Keshav Singh, PhD, Professor ofOncology, Department of Cancer Genetics(London: Imperial College Press, 2006)9 | rpciheadliners10

Campaign targetsGENERATION Yto combat impendingshortage of oncologistsOut front inroboticcystectomyProjections indicate that, over the next decade, the U.S. willexperience a critical shortage of oncologists, fueled in part bythe graying of the population (cancer risk rises with age) and theretirement of about a third of the country’s currently practicingoncologists.To help meet the growing need for cancer researchers and clinicians,RPCI has launched a unique campaign aimed at “Generation Y”(those born between 1980-1996). The campaign centerpiece: anew website, www.yroswellpark.com, designed to appeal to techsavvy“Gen-Y’ers,” with videos, a chat board, blogs, and specialpromotions. Sign on today to share your own insights on a careerin the field of cancer.Lighting the spark of inquiry in a new generation, RPCI President andCEO Donald Trump, MD, FACP, was the inaugural speaker for the“Scientist for Life” lecture series, part of a special course at BuffaloSeminary. Developed by Drs. Jennifer Goetz-Bixby and SaraSieczkarski, the course promotes science literacy through communityservice, career research, and the lecture series. This year’s class hasexplored topics ranging from alternative energy sources to emergingdiseases. Trump discussed “Vitamin D: Continuing Evolution ofUnderstanding of an Old Story—a Lifetime of Study.”Back row, l. to r.: Hannah Buehler, Sara O’Donnell, Jill Ricotta, Alyssa Militello;middle row, l. to r.: Katy Kelley, Betsy Bloom, Megan Creahan, Lauren Moloney,Charlie Clark; front row, l. to r.: Dr. Trump, Kyle Friedman, Sarah Snyder, ArianeMallon, Dr. Jennifer Goetz-Bixby, Dr. Sara Sieczkarski.11 | rpciheadlinersy’ers BLOG Mentor grid Landing pageTo learn more about the Gen-Yinitiative, visit www.yroswell.com.RPCI teams up with UB tocreate virtual-reality trainerRPCI has become a global leader among academicinstitutions in the use of robotic-assisted cystectomy for thetreatment of bladder cancer. Khurshid Guru, MD, Director ofRobotic Surgery, reports that RPCI now performs allcystectomies robotically, offering patients the benefitsof less blood loss and less pain compared with opencystectomy, and an average recovery time of two tofour weeks, compared with six to eight weeks for opencystectomy. RPCI also offers robotic prostatectomy androbotic surgery for the treatment of gynecologic cancers.Building on that expertise, in partnership with the Universityat Buffalo, RPCI has created a Robotic Surgical Simulator(RoSS), a virtual-reality system that provides physicians withintroductory training in robotic surgery. Continuingrefinement of robotic technology is integral to RPCI’straining program in robotic surgery. The Institute conductsremedial robotic surgery and robotic cystectomy trainingcourses that have attracted surgical teams from as faraway as Michigan and Pennsylvania.For more information: contact Khurshid Guru, MD,Director of Robotic Surgery (khurshid.guru@roswellpark.org)or Tracy Durski, Robotic Surgery Coordinator(tracy.durski@roswellpark.org or 716-845-8433).Robotics Reception (l to r):James L. Mohler, MD, Chair,Urologic Oncology, RPCI;Peter Wiklund, MD; ManiMenon, MD, FACS; KhurshidGuru, MD, FACS; and JamesPeabody, MD, Urologist,Henry Ford HospitalDr. Khurshid GuruRobotic surgery pioneerheadlines special receptionMani Menon, MD, FACS — one of the first surgeonsin the world to perform nerve-sparing radicalprostatectomy, and who was instrumental indeveloping robotic-assisted surgical techniques —discussed “Perspectives on Robotic Surgery:Applications for Bladder Cancer” May 20 at an RPCIspecial reception held in Orlando, FL.Co-sponsored by the International Robot-AssistedCystectomy Consortium, the reception also featuredpresentations on “Anatomic Foundations andTechnique of Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy withLymph Node Dissection: Lessons Learned After 90Consecutive Cases,” by Khurshid Guru, MD, Director ofRPCI’s Robotic Surgery Program, and “Robot-AssistedRadical Cystectomy and Urinary Diversion: EuropeanUpdate,” with Peter Wiklund, MD, Professor of UrologicSurgery at the Karolinska Institute.Menon, the Raj and Padma Vattikuti DistinguishedChair and Director of the Vattikuti Urology Institute ofthe Henry Ford Health System, was Guru’s mentor.View the presentations by visitingwww.roswellpark.org/ircc08.researchandtechnology | 12

RPCI2008WelcomesSummerMedicalDentalPhysicianAssistantResearchers56Marks YearsRoswell Park will mark the 56th year of its Research Participation Program in Science by welcomingSummerResearch Programhigh school juniors and college juniors to campus to spend several weeks immersed in cancerresearch during the summer of 2008. Chosen for the program on a competitive basis, each participantis matched with a scientist mentor who will guide the student’s project. Participants will share theirresults with RPCI faculty at the conclusion of the program. The first of its kind in the nation, theprogram has enrolled more than 5,000 students since it began in 1953.SummerStudentsin Dr. Repasky’sImmunology LabThe 2008 undergraduateresearchers:Faraz Ahmadpour – McMaster UniversityJane Arcadi – Canisius CollegeAlison Arter – University at BuffaloAdam Biedny – SUNY GeneseoJames Brennan – Cornell UniversityVanessa Bright – Indiana Wesleyan UniversityAndrew Carlo – Fordham UniversityJeffrey Cizenski – University at BuffaloPatrick Danna – University of MassachusettsMark Glasgow – University at BuffaloChristina Golombek – SUNY FredoniaEmily Grisante – SUNY GeneseoMichele Hoffman – St. Mary’s College of MarylandSteven Jacob – Le Moyne CollegeRebecca Kaddis – University of ScrantonJasbir Kaur – University at BuffaloMichael Loecher – Johns Hopkins UniversityChristopher Mahrer – North Dakota State UniversityAna Mantilla – University of MiamiMarina Migliore – Kalamazoo CollegeMaricarmen Roche – University of FloridaBenjamin Rodwin – Brandeis UniversityAlexander Roth – Cornell UniversitySara Schmidbauer – University at BuffaloMolly Schumer – Reed CollegeMichelle Sedar – University at BuffaloJamie White – Spelman College13 | it’sacademicThe 2008 high school researchers:Brett Ballard – Homestead High SchoolJulia Bender – Hamburg High SchoolTiffany Blake – Penfield High SchoolJoshua Cao – Clarence High SchoolMarie Coignet – Williamsville East High SchoolMadelyn Eberle – City Honors SchoolErik Faber – Victor Senior High SchoolLena Forti – City Honors SchoolJames Funnell – Canisius High SchoolJoshua Geiger – Clarence High SchoolSabrina Gill – The Nichols SchoolSamantha Heleba – Clarence High SchoolTaylor Hubbard – Batavia High SchoolGeorge Hung – Livingston High SchoolGary Iacobucci – Saint Francis High SchoolKatherine Konvinse – Letchworth Central SchoolPatrick Mangus – North Tonawanda High SchoolCharles Mitschow – McQuaid Jesuit High SchoolMyesha Moss – Mount St. Mary AcademyCara Petrucci – City Honors SchoolChristian Puehn – Amherst Central High SchoolRobyn Shaffer – University School of NashvilleMark Shehata – Canisius High SchoolRohan Shroff – St. Joseph’s Preparatory High SchoolKaitlin Skelton – Batavia High SchoolPranay Soni – Allegany-Limestone High SchoolMeredith Stone – Nardin AcademyOdochi Uwazurike – Lawrence High SchoolRamkumar Venkateswaran – Williamsville North High SchoolAnjali Verma – Williamsville East High SchoolBenjamin Wie – Williamsville East High SchoolThe RPCI Summer Medical/Dental Research Program hasintroduced its 2008 class. Participants, their institutionsand RPCI mentors are below:Mark FalcoUniversity at Buffalo(Mohamed Khan, MD, PhD)Amanda HerkoLake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine(Minoo Battiwalla, MD)Ivana KalanovicUniversity at Buffalo(Shashikant Lele, MD)F. Louis Kirk IIIUniversity at Buffalo(Mark Lema, MD, PhD)Reema MallickNortheastern Ohio University(Todd Demmy, MD)Jonathan McGuirtUniversity of South Carolina(Francisco Hernandez-Ilizaliturri, MD)Elise McKennaNew York Medical College(Gary Yang, MD)Stephan MunichUniversity at Buffalo(Robert Fenstermaker, MD, FACS)Vathani PackianathanUniversity at Buffalo(Nathalie Zeitouni, MD, CM, FRCPC)Lily ParkTouro University-Nevada School ofOsteopathic Medicine(Gary Yang, MD)Jami RothmanUniversity at Buffalo(Mark Lema, MD, PhD)Shefali SharmaUniversity at Buffalo(Wesley Hicks, DDS, MD, FACS)Puthiery VaUniversity of New England College ofOsteopathic Medicine(Martin Mahoney, MD, PhD)Stephanie WongUniversity at Buffalo(Chukwumere Nwogu, MD)The 2008 PhysicianAssistant class:Jared BattistoniGannon University(Margaret Eberl, MD)Lauren JendraszekDaemen College(Grace Dy, MD)Tiffanie LowyRochester Institute of Technology(John Gibbs, MD, FACS)Samantha PrinzingNew York Institute of Technology(Martin Brecher, MD)Jessica WaymanRochester Institute of Technology(Christine Rizk, MD)14

News fromRoswell Park Cancer InstituteASCO ReceptionDuring the 2008 ASCO meeting in Chicago, friends,colleagues and alumni attended RPCI's cocktailreception, hosted by President & CEO Dr. DonaldTrump, in the Signature Room of the John HancockCenter – 1,000 feet above the Windy City's skyline.The view – and the company! – could not havebeen more inspiring.Roswell Park Cancer Institute NamedBlue Distinction ® Centerfor Complex and Rare CancersNext year, we will convene in Orlando.Please save the date...Sunday, May 31!SAVE THE DATEAACR CENTENNIAL SYMPOSIUM - THE FUTURE OFCANCER RESEARCH: SCIENCE AND PATIENT IMPACTOCTOBER 27-28, 2008atRoswell Park Cancer InstituteFull meeting agenda:www.aacr.orgWhat’s newwith YOU?Reconnect with friends and colleaguesfrom your days at RPCI by sharingyour personal and professional news.Have you retired, received an award,changed jobs, welcomed a new baby?Not your current address? Please sendnews, photos and address updatesto Colleen.Karuza@roswellpark.org.NCI review netshighest-ever score for RPCIAn intensive review of RPCI’s cancer research facilities andactivities by the National Cancer Institute has resulted in RPCIreceiving its highest score ever. Faculty and staff heard the goodnews from President & CEO Donald Trump, MD, FACP, during aSpecial Employee Forum on December 18. The score leads tothe renewal of the Institute’s Cancer Center Support Grant,which comes with substantial funding for continued scientificresearch, and the designation of a “Comprehensive CancerCenter.” Trump said the high score “is just one more step inmoving the Institute forward toward becoming one of thecountry’s leading cancer centers.”Wear Roswell Parkon your sleeveBrowse the Company Store’s all-newselection of Roswell Park logowear,featuring tailored and casual shirtsand outerwear from Liz Claiborne,Jerzees, Hartwell, and Red Kap.Visit www.roswellpark.organd click on “RPCI Company Store.”Roswell Park is one of only five centers in New York State, and 84 centersnationwide, to be designated a Blue Distinction ® Center for Complex andRare Cancers by the BlueCross BlueShield Association (BCBSA). Complex andrare cancers make up about 15 percent of new cancer cases diagnosed eachyear, and patients often find it difficult to identify facilities with oncology teams thatare experienced in treating those types of cancers. The BCBSA program is designedto provide information to those patients to assist them in decision-making.The distinction covers the following malignancies:✚ Bladder cancer✚ Bone cancer✚ Brain cancer – primary✚ Esophageal cancer✚ Gastric cancer✚ Head and neck cancers✚ Liver cancer✚ Ocular melanoma✚ Pancreatic cancer✚ Rectal cancer✚ Soft tissue sarcomas✚ Thyroid cancer – medullary or anaplastic✚ Acute leukemia (inpatient/non-surgical)Roswell Park met or exceeded the following criteria to earn the designation:✚ Takes a multidisciplinary team approach to cancer care, with subspecialtytrainedteams for complex and rare cancers, with significant expertise acrossthe cancer disciplines of medicine, surgery, radiation oncology, pathologyand radiology.✚ Has sufficient volume of experience in treating rare and complex cancers.✚ Provides ongoing quality management and improvement programs forcancer care.✚ Demonstrates an ongoing commitment to using clinical data registriesand providing access to appropriate clinical research for complexand rare cancers.Alphonso O’Neil-White, President and CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of Western NewYork, said the designation lets patients with rare and complex cancers know thatRoswell Park will provide “the very best care available.”15 | newsevents&info 16

Colleagues, MentorsRemembered RememberedGeorge E. Moore, MD, PhD, Institute Director (1952-67), passed away May 19, 2008, of bladdercancer. Under his direction, RPCI expanded both its programs and physical facilities, spurringits development as a world-renowned leader in cancer research, patient care and education.During his tenure, RPCI:• Developed RPMI 1640, a tissue culture medium that has had enormous global impacton biological and pharmacological cell research; it remains the most widely used tissueculture medium in the world.• Established the Roswell Park Graduate Division of the University at Buffalo, and createda postdoctoral program in basic science and clinical care.• Formed Health Research Inc., a nonprofit corporation, to receive donations andresearch grants and to provide flexibility to grow in all mission areas.• Diversified the RPCI workforce, expanding the number of African-American staffmembers from one person (in 1952) to 18% of the total staff (in 1967).• Recruited a constellation of research superstars, including Drs. David Harker, MichaelLaskowski, Abraham Lilienfeld, Avery Sandberg, James Holland and David Pressman.Donald Trump, MD, FACP, current President and CEO of RPCI, called Moore “an outstandingrole model for oncologists” and added that Moore had written to him recently, wishingeveryone at RPCI “creativity and clinical success.”Moore’s family has requested that any memorials be made to the George E. Moore CancerResearch Fund at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.Arnold Mittelman, MD, passed away Sunday, February 3, 2008, in Wilmington, Delaware. “Arnie wasone of the smartest and most thoughtful cancer doctors I have ever known,” recalls Stephen Edge,MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Breast Surgery.Mittelman joined the Roswell Park faculty in 1961 as Associate Cancer Research Surgeon, laterbecoming Chief of the Colorectal Service. He also served as Research Associate Professor of Surgeryat the University at Buffalo.Though his research interests focused on molecular biology, clinical pharmacology, and colorectalsurgery, Mittelman’s knowledge base spanned the full spectrum of cancer medicine and research.He published more than 200 articles and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals and co-wrote“Chemotherapy of Urogenital Tumors” with former Roswell Park Institute Director Gerald Murphy, MD.He was one of only two clinicians who served as Program Leader on Roswell Park’s first CancerCenter Support Grant. True to his signature phrase, “Let’s do it!,” he conducted the first clinical trialsof photodynamic therapy, pioneered at RPCI by Thomas Dougherty, PhD.oncology-specific clinical research centersRoswell Park’s new Clinical Research Center—one of only a handful in the nation to focusexclusively on cancer—is set to accelerate the development of new and promising cancertherapies and to expand treatment options for patients. Opened in April 2008, the Center isdesigned to provide the highest level of patient safety and to generate large volumes of precisedata, enhancing RPCI’s ability to attract clinical research studies sponsored by the NationalCancer Institute and pharmaceutical companies, and to support studies initiated by RPCIresearchers.Housed in the Roswell Park hospital, the Clinical Research Center was built with a $2 milliongift from an anonymous benefactor and funds provided by RPCI. The Center features:• Seven inpatient beds and ten outpatient treatment chairs• When fully staffed, 22 full-time Research Nurses, plus Hospital Clinical Assistants andClinical Support Assistants• A dedicated Investigational Drug Service staffed by Clinical Pharmacists andPharmacy Technicians specializing in the drugs and agents used in clinical studies. Thepharmacy dispenses all drugs used in clinical research studies for patients being treated inthe Center.• A dedicated Specimen Processing Center, with dedicated Lab Technicians and facilitiesfor processing and storing biological samples needed for studiesDr. Mittelman is survived by two daughters and several grandchildren.Lionel Coignet, PhD, Associate Member, Department of Cancer Genetics, died unexpectedlyMarch 31, 2008. He founded and served as Director and Chief Scientific Officer of PersonaDX, RPCI’sfirst spinoff company, which focused on production of the Coignet-Factor Assay, a blood test forpredicting the risk of metastasis in cancer patients with solid tumors.Coignet, 39, is survived by his wife, Hélène, and their three children. Memorial gifts may be made tothe Coignet Children's Education Fund, c/o Lisa Wylie, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm & Carlton St.,Buffalo NY, 14263, or through any branch of First Niagara Bank.• Computers in every room, so Research Nurses can record data in a timely manner• A room equipped for video conferencing, so members of the clinical and research teamcan confer with study sponsors and colleagues at other institutions who are participatingin RPCI clinical research studies• A conference room for patient/family educationJoyce Yasko, PhD, RN, Vice President, Clinical Research Administration and Services, says RPCI’sclinical research studies program has evolved in recent years to encompass more complexstudies and more RPCI investigator-initiated studies, and a higher patient accrual rate to thosestudies.Alex A. Adjei, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President of Clinical Research and Chair of the Departmentof Medicine, notes that the Center will boost RPCI’s historically strong pharmacology and drugdevelopment programs. “This is one of several reasons I came to Roswell Park,” he says. “We’regoing to be able to perform innovative novel agent intervention studies here that we couldn’tperform in the past.”17 | newsevents&info18

25 Year Clubfrom the archivesMarlene Bienko, RN▲ Roswell Park’s “Tar Baby” machine, shown▲ MARLENE BIENKO, RN, Team Leaderon this undated postcard, burned throughfor robotic and minimally invasive surgery100 cartons of cigarettes per day to produceat RPCI (left), describes RPCI’s surgicalsmoke for research on tobacco’s healthrobot to New York State Senator Daleeffects. RPCI conducted some of the earliestVolker (R-59th District) during Albanystudies linking smoking to lung cancer.Days, in January. The annual event givesRPCI a chance to keep state legislatorsapprised of advances at the Institute.Ellen Zupa, RN, MS▼ELLEN ZUPA, RN, MS, Vice President, Nursing Educationand Quality, retired in February 2008. Zupa came to RPCI in1976 as a Staff Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit and “devotedthe majority of her nursing career to Roswell Park,” saysMaureen Kelly, Vice President, Patient Care Services. “Shedeveloped an understanding of what it is to be a nurse atRoswell as she worked her way up the ranks to Head Nurse,Nursing Supervisor, Assistant Director, Director and VicePresident. She has left her mark amongst her nursing colleaguesand as an advocate for cancer patients. Her retirement, after32 years, leaves a void that will not easily be filled.”▲ Thirty-five members of the faculty and staff were inducted into RPCI’s 25-Year Clubduring a celebratory dinner at Harry’s Harbour Place Grille in Buffalo, February 29. Thehonorees included: Joanne Abbotoy, RN, Nursing Administration; Raul Baillo, AnimalResources; Sarah Barron, RN, Diagnostic Radiology; Donna Blaird-Wagner, MS, NP,Dermatology; Mary Cooper, RN, Patient Accounts; Linda Ferris, Medical Records;Diane Filippini, Diagnostic Radiology; Theresa Fuksa, Clinical Genetics Service; DavidGalloway, Security; Maureen Haumesser, RN, Nursing Administration; Mary AnneHeiser, RN, BSN, CM, Case Management; William Herr, RN, Operating Room; BrendaHowell, Nursing Administration; Linda Huebert, RN, OCN, Ambulatory Services;Rosemary King, RN, Operating Room; Connie Kinton, RN, Ambulatory Services;Sandra Kipler, RN, Nursing Administration; Melinda Michaels, Medical Library; KenaMiller, MSN, NP, Department of Medicine; Karen Monaco, RN, Nursing, 5-North; JeanMoses Reese, RN, Ambulatory Services; Linda O’Malley, RN, Patient Accounts; JohnParsons, Information Technology; Geraldine Paszkiewicz, Immunology; KimberlyPeccia, RN, Ambulatory Services; Janaki Ramaswamy, RN, Operating Room; MichaelRickert, MS, Flow Cytometry; Colleen Roof, Ambulatory Services; Arindam Sen, PhD,Immunology; Brian Steger, Marketing; Janice Sufrin, PhD, Pharmacology &Therapeutics; Paul Swierczynski, MS, Nutrition & Food Service; Deborah Wilson,Patient Accounts; Lisa Wylie, Cancer Genetics; and Carol Young, RN, AmbulatoryServices.MIRAND, TRUMP ADDRESS HISTORIANSRPCI’s pivotal role in the evolution of comprehensive cancer care was inthe spotlight at the 29th Conference on New York State History, held June5-7 at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs. Edwin Mirand, PhD, DSc, VicePresident Emeritus for Educational Affairs and Dean and Senior Advisor tothe President and CEO, and Donald Trump, MD, FACP, President and CEO,were co-presenters of “Comprehensive Cancer Care Through Early PoliticalAdvocacy.” Drs. Trump and Mirand also co-authored a booklet titled “Dr.Roswell Park and the World's First Cancer Center: The Influence and Impact ofCommunity, Political and Collegial Support” on which the presentation was based.Dr. Stephen Edge▲ STEPHEN EDGE, MD, FACS, Chair of theDepartment of Breast Surgery and MedicalDirector of the Breast Center, discussed newapproaches in breast cancer research at aPartners for Progress presentation in February.Attended by patients and friends of theInstitute, the program was sponsored bythe Roswell Park Alliance Foundation.Drs. Trump and Mirand19 | snapshots20

Save the date!April 30–May 2, 200950 th AnniversarySymposiumDepartment of Pharmacology & TherapeuticsJoin colleagues, alumni and mentors from RPCI’sDepartment of Pharmacology & Therapeutics fora celebration of 50 years of scientific excellenceand achievement. The program will feature lecturesfrom former graduate students as well as receptionsand reminiscences.For more information, contact Anne McNulty, ProjectCoordinator, at 716-845-3044 or by email atanne.mcnulty@roswellpark.org.NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGEPAIDBUFFALO, NEW YORKPERMIT NO. 61