Research News Spencer Gibson, Ph.D. Interim Director—Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology

Research News
Spencer Gibson, Ph.D.
Interim Director—Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology
June 2015
Inside this issue:
Funding Success
1
Trainee Success
2
In the News
3
Presentations
4
CCCTN
4
Publications
5
Funding
opportunities
6
COMING EVENTS

INTRODUCTION
FUNDINGSUCCESS
Summer is here and people
are looking forward to
their well deserved vacations. Research however
never takes a vacation. In
the next month we will
find out about research
grants from Research
Manitoba, CIHR and Cancer Research Society. We
will also have deadlines for
letter of intent for up coming grant competitions and
conference registrations.
On this note, we will be
giving information on how
to apply for travel awards
to the CCRA conference
soon.
Congratulations to Dr
Sara Israel, coinvestigator with
Mahmud Torabi on a
Children Hospital Research Institute of
Manitoba operating
grant entitled
“Geographical variation and related risk
factors with childhood leukaemia in
Manitoba”.
August 13—MICB Summer Student Symposium Thanks to everyone who
attended the State
of the Institute talk.
Your feedback is
much appreciated.
Congratulations to
Ms Zelda
Lichtensztejn,
(McManus lab) winner of the 2015
Congratulations to Ms Zelda MICB Merit Award.
Lichtensztejn, (McManus lab) Have a great sumwinner of the 2015 MICB
mer!
Merit Award!

August 15—Abstracts due for Canadian CLL Mee ng Follow us on twitter @RIOH_Mb
Signe Penner-Goeke
(McManus Lab)
was awarded a full
scholarship and immediate enrollment
into the PhD program at Ludwig
Maximilian University of Munich to
study neurosciences.
Amanda Moodie
(Myal lab) received
an NSERC summer
studentship.
Rob Bergen
(supervised by Lawrence Ryner) received
an $18,000 University
of Manitoba Graduate Fund (UMGF)
scholarship for
this thesis entitled
"Optimizing and
Advancing Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance
Imaging for BioRebecca Dielschneider joins the
logically Guided
Manitoba
delegation at Bio2015
Radiotherapy"
in Philadelphia to receive the
BIOTECanada’s Gold Leaf
Award (see page 2 for details)
TRAINEE SUCCESS
Lexi Ciapala (Gibson lab),
recipient of the Terry Fox
Research Institute Rising
Star scholarship, was invited to blog about her
first TFRI Annual Scientific Meeting. Lexi is currently in BC learning
about CRISPR
http://www.tfri.ca/en/
NewsEvents/blogs/
BlogPost/tfriblog/2015/05/22/st.-john-s
-to-vancouver-tfriresearch-takes-amanitoba-student-fromcoast-to-coast
Lexi Ciapala (Gibson lab) blogs
about her first TFRI Meeting
Rebecca Dielschneider
(Gibson lab) was awarded
the BIOTECanada Gold
Leaf Young Leader in Biotechnology Research.
She was nominated by the
Life Sciences Association
of Manitoba received her
award from Minister Kevin Chief during the opening day of the BIO International Convention in
Philadelphia this June.
“[…] Rebecca’s groundbreaking research focused
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Page 2
on cancer of the immune system embodies the strength of
Canada’s young research community and the postsecondary institutions that
support them,” says Andrew
Casey, President and CEO BIOTECanada. “I congratulate
Rebecca on receiving the BIOTECanada 2015 Gold Leaf
Award for Young Leader in
Biotechnology Research and
also extend appreciation to
the University of Manitoba
and CancerCare Manitoba for
supporting Rebecca’s important research.”
http://news.umanitoba.ca/
graduate-student-topperformer/
Earlier this month, Rebecca
also 2nd place in the National
3 Minute Thesis. From the announcement, “More than
1,500 students from 35 institutions presented their research in this year’s competition. Your work impressed
both judges and participants
alike. Our judges’ panel noted
Rebecca Dielschneider (Gibson lab) accepting her Gold Leaf Award from BIOTECanada
Photo from Darren Fast @umanitobaTTO
that you did a good job of
explaining the science on a
very compelling topic. Mitacs
CEO, Alejandro Adem, said
he couldn’t find a way to improve on your presentation.”
http://news.umanitoba.ca/
student-wows-nationalaudience/
Erin McAndrew (McManus
lab) received the University
of Manitoba College of Medicine Power Award at the
Manitoba competition during
the Canadian Student Health
Research Forum on June
3rd. Rebecca Dielschneider
and Laura Thompson
(McManus lab) were award
2nd place and honourable
mention, respectively, for
their posters. Rebecca won a
silver medal in the national
CIHR poster competition.
Medical Physics Ph.D. Student Hongyan Sun
(supervisor Stephen Pistorius) competed as one of seven
finalists in the Young Investigator Symposium at the
World Congress on Medical
Physics and Biomedical Imaging held in Toronto June 7
-12, 2015.
Asha Singha (Katyal lab)
won a poster award at the
5th annual Manitoba Neurosciences Network meeting on
June 12th.
IN THE NEWS
Page 3
Afshin Raouf’s recent publication in Endocrine-Related Cancer was featured in the Winnipeg
Free Press. “Endocrine-Related Cancer journal editor Dr. Charis Eng -- also a director with the
renowned Cleveland Clinic in Ohio -- confirms that Raouf's study is a first-of-its-kind breakthrough that could help prevent breast cancer in patients. ‘Uncovering processes in healthy tissue will lead to future strategies of treating or preventing breast pathology,’ Eng wrote in an
email to the Winnipeg Free Press.”
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/health/deciphering-cancers-code307331241.html
With summer here, it’s time to get out your bikes and
enjoy the many paths and bike lanes Winnipeg has to
offer. Ryan Zarychanski has made a video with advice
on bike helmet safety. http://news.umanitoba.ca/bicycle
-helmet-saftey-tips/
Dr Julian Kim was featured in the Winnipeg Free Press for his new collaboration with Dr
Pruthi at the Mayo Clinic to determine an iPad-enabled risk assessment and prevention tool.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/breast-cancer-app-puts-patient-first-310005691.html
PRESENTATIONS
Geoff Hicks presented preliminary data from the CIHR FASD research team at the 6th annual
Manitoba Neuroscience Symposium. This session was chaired by Sachin Katyal.
Medical Physics Department delivered 8 scientific talks and 1 scientific poster at the recent
World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, held this past week (June 712) in Toronto. These were presented by graduate students Pawel Siciarz, Azeez Omotaya,
Troy Teo, and Hongyan Sun, as well as post-doctoral fellow Pete McCowan and physics resident
Yannick Poirier.
Sabine Mai and the Genomics Centre for Cancer Research and Diagnosis (GCCRD) hosted Intermediate Microscopy workshop. Seven participants Canada, the US, China and Italy attended.
Sara Israels, Eileen McMillan-Ward, Hong Wang, Victor Blanchette and Margaret Rand’s poster
“Determination of threshold agonist concentrations for
whole blood aggregation using the multiplate® analyzer” at the International Society on Thrombosis and
Haemostatis 2015 was ranked in the top 20% at the
conference.
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Page 4
CANADIAN CANCER CLINICAL TRIALS NETWORK (CCCTN OR 3CTN):
CancerCare Manitoba (CCMB) has joined the Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network (3CTN),
a pan-Canadian network of cancer agencies working together to improve the lives of cancer patients and individuals at risk of cancer by increasing the capacity of Canadian cancer centres to
effectively conduct academic clinical trials that address questions of importance to Canadians
and the Canadian healthcare system.
The Clinical Investigations Office (CIO) provides the infrastructure for clinical trials at
CCMB. As members on the 3CTN Steering Committee, CIO Medical Director, Dr. Rajat Kumar, and Manager, Kathryn Dyck, have been active in creating the framework for the new initiative at CCMB. With a focus on academic trials (trials developed by and coordinated by academic investigators) the network aims to improve patient access to clinical trials, increase enrollment and streamline trial conduct.
3CTN will be funded by multiple organizations across Canada, including organizations such as
federal cancer foundations, charitable organizations and provincial cancer agencies, who have
agreed to invest in the development of academic clinical trials in Canada. With pooled funding,
3CTN aims to address the many challenges faced by cancer clinical research institutions. Based
on our provincial population, CCMB anticipates receiving up to $231,300/yr over the next four
years. The additional funding will be used to support the new staff required to meet the goals of
the network, and will increase our capacity and capability to undertake under-funded practicechanging clinical trials.
2015 CANADIAN CANCER RESEARCH CONFERENCE
The Canadian Cancer Research Alliance is hosting the 2015 Canadian Cancer Research Conference from November 8-10 at the Hotel Bonaventure in Montreal. http://www.ccra-acrc.ca/index.php/
ccrc-home
Early bird registration to attend this national conference is due
by August 31. http://www.ccra-acrc.ca/index.php/registration
Did you receive a CCMF Operating grant in 2013 or 2014?
Progress reports and end-of-grant reports are due
to Eilean McKenzie-Matwiy on August 14.
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PUBLICATIONS
Page 5
Stop-Smoking Medication Use, Subsidization Policies, and Cessation in Canada. White CM,
Rynard VL, Reid JL, Ahmed R, Burkhalter R, Hammond D. Am J Prev Med. 2015 May 29.
Laboratory testing for platelet function disorders. Israels SJ. Int J Lab Hematol. 2015 May;37
Suppl 1:18-24.
Mammography rates for breast cancer screening: a comparison of First Nations women and all
other women living in Manitoba, Canada, 1999-2008. Demers AA, Decker KM, Kliewer EV,
Musto G, Shu E, Biswanger N, Fradette K, Elias B, Griffith J, Turner D. Prev Chronic Dis. 2015
May 28;12:E82.
Quantitative superresolution microscopy reveals differences in nuclear DNA organization of
multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Sathitruangsak
C, Righolt CH, Klewes L, Tammur P, Ilus T, Tamm A, Punab M, Olujohungbe A, Mai S. J Cell
Biochem. 2015 May;116(5):704-10.
Optimal uptake rates for initial treatments for cervical cancer in concordance with guidelines
in Australia and Canada: Results from two large cancer facilities. Kang YJ, O'Connell DL, Tan
J, Lew JB, Demers A, Lotocki R, Kliewer EV, Hacker NF, Jackson M, Delaney GP, Barton M,
Canfell K. Cancer Epidemiol. 2015 May 21.
Routine filtration of hematopoietic stem cell products: the time has arrived. Paulson K, Gilpin
SG, Shpiruk TA, Anjos K, Tulloch M, Giftakis A, Blankstein AR, Szwajcer D, Wall DA. Transfusion. 2015 May 18.
Claudin 1 promotes migration and increases sensitivity to tamoxifen and anticancer drugs in
luminal-like human breast cancer cells MCF7. Zhou J, Blanchard A, Wang N, Ma X, Han J,
Schroedter I, Leygue E, and Myal, Y. In Press: Cancer Investigation, 2015
Prospective functional outcomes in sequential population based cohorts of stage III/ IV oropharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with 3D conformal vs. intensity modulated radiotherapy. Kerr P, Myers CL, Butler J, Alessa M, Lambert P, Cooke AL. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.
2015 May 13;44:17.
Functional Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Subsets Recover Rapidly after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cell Transplantation. Guan Q, Blankstein A, Anjos K, Synova O, Tulloch M, Giftakis A, Yang B,
Lambert P, Peng Z, Cuvelier GD, Wall DA. Biol Blood Marrow
Transplant. 2015 May 9.
Fast analytical scatter estimation using graphics processing
units. Ingleby H, Lippuner J, Rickey DW, Li Y, Elbakri I. J
Xray Sci Technol. 2015;23(2):119-33.
Overall Quality of Life Assessment in the Patients Undergoing
External Beam Radiation in Outpatient Radiation Oncology
Department Rashmi Koul , Richard Tse, Erwin Karreman, Arbind Dubey , Patricia Tai International Journal of HematologyOncology and Stem Cell Research, July. 9, (3):1-9.
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Brent Guppy (McManus lab) presenting
his results at the Canadian Student
Health Research Forum
Page 6
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/CALENDAR/EMBED?
SRC=MANITOBAINSTITUTEOFCELLBIOLOGY%40GMAIL.COM&CTZ=AMERICA/WINNIPEG
July 1—CanFASD Travel award
- FAAF NSERC Idea to Innovation
- Lung Cancer Research Foundation grant
- Helen Hay Whitney foundation post-doctoral fellowship
- JSPS Invitation Fellowship for Oncologist
- Histiocytosis Association Research Grant
July 2—LOI CCSRI Quality of Life Research grant
- North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Midlevel career development, nursing, pharmaceutical products, young investigator, Crohn’s and
colitis, and nutrition research grants
July 7- NSERC Idea to Innovation
- FAAF Dept of Defense Bone Marrow Failure Research Program : Idea award
- Weston brain institute transformational research –neurodegenerative disease of aging
July 15—NeuroDevNet Brain Canada studentship and post-doctoral fellowship
- Yamagiwa-Yoshida memorial international study award
July 21—Dept of Defense Bone Marrow Failure Research Program : Idea award
July 22—FAAF Dept of Defense Ovarian cancer research program pilot award
- AACR Bristol Myers Squibb Oncology Fellowship in clinical cancer research
- AACR Amgen Inc Fellowship in clinical/translational cancer research
- Dept of Defense Ovarian cancer research program clinical translation award
- Judah Folkman Fellowship for Angiogenesis research
July 25—Pre-application Department of Defense – Prostate Cancer Research Program – Idea
Development Award
July 27—Registration CIHR Foundation scheme 2nd live pilot
July 29—FAAF Dept of Defense Ovarian cancer research program investigator initiated research award
July 31—Federation of Chinese Canadian Professionals
- Wiley Prize in Biomedical Science (team award)
Aug 1—UM internal deadline CIHR Foundation scheme 2nd live pilot
- CureSearch for Children’s cancer
Saturday, July 25th, 2015
Grand Beach Entertainment Centre
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