Fridays 12:30-1:30 in the EPI Library (Kresge 907)

Upcoming Talks

Please click here to see the latest upcoming talks (NEW as of 11/2/2009).

Check back frequently for scheduling updates on speakers and presentations!

11/20/2009

Speaker: Daniel Edelman, PhD

Title: The Clinical Molecular Profiling Core: Developing a New Laboratory Paradigm in Clinical Research Care

Abstract: In this new era of targeted cancer therapies, the Clinical Molecular Profiling Core (CMPC) under the auspices of the Center for Cancer Research offers NCI clinical investigators specific molecular analyses tailored for each human clinical study. The CMPC meets the need for a scientifically advanced laboratory program that helps elucidate pathological or treatment aspects of tumor biology where clinical trial outcomes are better characterized by molecular profiling of cancer genomes. Importantly, these data drive discovery of new tumor subsets and therapeutically relevant genomic features such as aberrant nucleotide mutations and chromosomal deletions and amplifications. A major strength of the CMPC is the ability to bring a multidisciplinary team to collaborations with expertise in clinical oncology, pathology, genome technology, bioinformatics, and clinical laboratory science. Of clinical significance, the CMPC is CLIA ’88 registered, which permits testing results to be reported directly to patient charts for use in diagnosis or treatment. In keeping with our mission, the CMPC utilizes state of the art assays that encompass many DNA and RNA testing modalities.

It is also important to note that in order to stay at the edge of new discoveries there is a technical development component to the CMPC so that recent findings can be translated into clinical care. To that end we have enjoyed our collaboration with Dr. Immaculata De Vivo in evaluating a QPCR-based telomere assay that quantifies the relative length of telomeres (Cawthon 2002). Our goal was to evaluate whether DNA storage or handling could result in fragmented telomeric DNA sequences affecting a common metric to gauge telomere length.

Spring 2010 PMAGE Journal Club Dates

Fridays from 12:30 - 1:30 PM

• January 29
• February 5
• February 12
• February 19
• February 26
• March 5
• March 12
• March 26
• April 2
• April 9
• April 16
• April 30
• May 7
• May 14