103rd American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting

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Research in the News


Research grant recipient Jiyoung Ahn, PhD (center) is pictured with Judy Garber, MD, MPH, President of the AACR and Julie Fleshman, JD, MBA, President and CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Dr. Ahn received the 2012 The Daniel and Janet Mordecai Foundation – Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – AACR Career Development Award, and is one of 14 research grant recipients this year. A record total of more than $3.4 million was distributed to scientists and clinicians throughout the country.
© AACR 2012/Todd Buchanan

 

Drs. Ken Olive (standing) and Bob Vonderheide (seated) led a Career Conversations session. Ken Olive, PhD received the 2011 Tempur-Pedic® Retailers – Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – AACR Career Development Award, and Bob Vonderheide, MD, DPhil is a member of our Scientific Advisory Board.
© AACR 2012/Todd Buchanan

Pancreatic cancer researchers gather at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting is the highlight of the year for most cancer researchers, and this year was no exception. The 103rd Annual Meeting was held in Chicago in April, 2012, and over 16,000 scientists were in attendance from around the world.


Cosimo Commisso, PhD, recipient of the 2011 Samuel Stroum – Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – AACR Fellowship Grant speaks to a crowded room at the poster/discussion session.
© AACR 2012/Todd Buchanan

The AACR annual meeting is a big event for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network since we proudly partner with the AACR to administer our research grants each year (click here to learn more). This year’s 14 research grant recipients were officially acknowledged and presented their awards at a dinner reception hosted by the AACR at this meeting.

In addition, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network uses the occasion of having so many pancreatic cancer researchers in one place to organize opportunities to exchange scientific information, to enhance the career development of our more junior scientists, and to encourage interaction and collaboration among pancreatic cancer scientists.

For the first time this year, the meeting included a Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – AACR Research Grants Poster Presentation and Discussion. Eleven grant recipients from 2010 and 2011 were invited to share their work in a short oral presentation and displayed on poster boards. The session was extremely well attended; it was standing room only! This was a terrific opportunity for our grant recipients to update their colleagues on their scientific progress and receive feedback on the direction of their experimental aims.


Drs. Diane Simeone and Michael (Tony) Hollingsworth (not pictured) were featured in a Meet the Research Pioneers session. Drs. Hollingsworth and Simeone are members of our Scientific Advisory Board, and Dr. Simeone received the 2010 The Randy Pausch Family – Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – AACR Innovative Grant.
© AACR 2012/Todd Buchanan

In addition, pancreatic cancer researchers were highlighted at two sessions aimed at career development. Drs. Ken Olive and Bob Vonderheide were featured in a Career Conversations symposium, and Drs. Michael (Tony) Hollingsworth and Diane Simeone were selected to lead a Meet the Research Pioneers session. Both sessions allowed the scientists to speak about their career paths, and address audience questions about launching a career in the field of pancreatic cancer.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s presence and participation at these fantastic AACR Annual Meetings educates the larger cancer research community about pancreatic cancer, and helps bolster the careers and facilitate collaboration among those already studying the disease.