News briefs | April/May 2023
With a near-record 132 abstract submissions, the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Research Day highlighted some of the best cancer research being conducted by students, fellows and faculty from IUPUI, Indiana University-Bloomington, Purdue University, and the Harper Cancer Research Institute.
See a complete list of 2023 award winners
Save the date: The next Cancer Research Day will be May 2, 2024.
CTO to share research at AACI Clinical Research Innovation Meeting
Cancer center staff in the Clinical Trials Office will present research posters at the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) 15th Annual Clinical Research Innovation (CRI) Meeting held June 26-28 in Chicago.
The following abstracts were accepted:
- IUSCCC Expansion of Oncology Clinical Trials in the Indianapolis Suburban Region. (John Spittler)
- Adding to the Career Ladder of Clinical Research Staff at IUSCCC. (LaTrice Haney)
- Early Termination for Multi-center IUSCCC Sites with no Accruals (Amber Bauchle)
- How Protocol Development and Multi-center Teams Work to Manage Investigator-Initiated Trials (Amber Bauchle and Jessica Kline)
- New Employee Orientation - Joining the 21st Century. (Fyalon Kerr)
- Protocol Development Services for Investigator-Initiated Trials (IITs) (Jessica Kline and Mario Contreraz)
Welcome to new cancer center staff members
Rachel Bauer, M.A., has joined the cancer center’s administration team as a program management specialist. She will work closely with Hari Nakshatri, Ph.D., associate director of education, to coordinate the summer research programs and the newly launched Translational Cancer Biology Ph.D. program. She will work a hybrid schedule with an on-campus office in Walther Hall (R3) C132 (in the suite with Dr. Lee and Kelly Radabaugh). She can be reached at ranbauer@iu.edu or 274-0808.
Tanya Johnson has joined the cancer center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (OCOE) as a community partner liaison. She will be responsible for assessing, developing, and implementing strategies for partnerships between the community and the OCOE with an emphasis on outreach to partners servicing marginalized communities in the catchment area. She will assist in the oversight, coordination and operation of COE sponsored and/or led events. Tanya will work a hybrid schedule with an on-campus office in Gatch Hall CL, Suite 601. She can be reached at taejohns@iu.edu or 278-6151.
First SAM@Simon cohort announced
The cancer center’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has announced the inaugural Strategy and Management Succession program (SAM@Simon) cohort.
The 2023 SAM@Simon cohort is:
- Julian Marin Acevedo, M.D., assistant professor of clinical medicine, IU School of Medicine
- Sara Bourff, MPH, vice chair of clinical and academic administration IU School of Medicine
- Suparna Clasen, M.D., MSCE., FACC, assistant professor of clinical medicine, IU School of Medicine
- Mario Contreraz, MBA, MSN, R.N., director of operations, Clinical Trials Office, IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Felicia Kennedy, research analyst, IU School of Medicine
- Jennifer King, M.D., assistant professor of clinical medicine, IU School of Medicine
- Kathi Ridley-Merriweather, MA, communications, recruitment, and outreach manager, Komen Tissue Bank at IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Christopher Njeh, Ph.D., associate professor of radiation oncology, IU School of Medicine
- Lauren Roland, program management specialist, IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Pratibha Singh, Ph.D., MSC, assistant professor of pediatrics, IU School of Medicine
- Melissa Trowbridge, research analyst, IU School of Medicine
- Anita Turk, M.D., assistant professor of clinical medicine, IU School of Medicine
The SAM@Simon program is an intellectually rigorous, immersive, and highly experiential leadership development and succession planning program for cancer center members and affiliates to strengthen their strategic prowess. The program involves a two-day, off-campus retreat and an asynchronous four-week program.
This program will accelerate participants’ careers with an in-depth understanding of the core concepts that drive academic cancer centers. Although this program is specifically designed for women and underrepresented physicians, staff, and scientists, it is open to all.
Applications for the fall 2023 cohort are accepted on a rolling basis.
Self-nominations also are accepted.
Nominee Eligibility:
- Current cancer center member or affiliation
- Supports a core (shared facility) or involved in a research program (TMM, CPC, HHM, or EDT)
- A letter of support from your sponsor
- An outstanding member that displays talents, skills, and abilities for leadership
Questions? Contact Daenique Jengelley, Ph.D., or Antwione Haywood, Ph.D.
Upcoming events
The next Simon Says Expert Series will be at noon May 31, focused on melanoma. Karl Bilimoria, M.D., will present and Lawrence Mark, M.D., will serve as moderator. Register now.
The Review and Interpretation of the 2023 ASCO Meeting will be Saturday, July 15. This program will provide participants with the latest information presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting. Oncology/hematology faculty members from IU School of Medicine and the cancer center will provide participants with analysis of the more clinically applicable presentations at this year's ASCO meeting. Register now.
ICYMI: Check out the latest content on the cancer center’s social media channels
Watch on Twitter the cancer center’s team, the Life Savers, compete at the 11th Annual Republic Airways Plane Pull event to help benefit and grant hope to Indiana children suffering from life-threatening or terminal illnesses. The cancer center was a proud sponsor of this event.
Check out this Facebook video to see all the highlights from the 11th Chuckstrong Tailgate Gala, which raised more than $1.7 million for cancer research.
See Instagram photos of a group with End Lung Cancer Now who volunteered at an in-pantry event at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana Inc. and presented a donation of $15,338.
This LinkedIn post highlights the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center's advancement team – composed of communications staff and gift development officers – as they attended the 32nd annual NACCDO-PAMN conference, hosted by the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.
Member headlines and highlights
 Pasupuleti  Storey | Santosh Kumar Pasupuleti, Ph.D. (HHM), and Reuben Kapur, Ph.D. (HHM), were among the researchers to identify a promising combination of drugs to treat juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer that affects children. Learn more in this IUSM blog post. |
Susan Storey, Ph.D., RN (CPC), was the primary author of the poster, The Experience of Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors with Type 2 Diabetes, presented at Oncology Nursing Society Congress, April 26-30 in San Antonio. | |
Elizabeth Yeh, Ph.D. (EDT), received the Trustees Teaching Award, established by IU’s Board of Trustees. This award honors faculty who have positively impacted student learning, especially undergraduates. | |
Kathy Miller, M.D. (EDT), Harikrishna Nakshatri, Ph.D. (TMM), and Bryan Schneider, M.D. (CPC), have been appointed by Susan G. Komen to serve as advisors to the organization. They and six other medical and research experts will be part of a distinguished group, known as Komen Scholars, who will help guide Komen’s research and scientific programs. Read the announcement. | |
Rafat Abonour, M.D. (HHM), and Attaya Suvannasankha, M.D. (HHM), were leading speakers for the HealthTree Myeloma Round Table, a patient education event on April 22 in Indianapolis. | |
Tarah Ballinger, M.D. (CPC), was a guest on the Heroes Foundation's Summits podcast. She shared the supportive oncology programs offered by the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center and the important correlations between physical activity and cancer care. Watch on YouTube. |
New members
Jianneng Li, Ph.D.
Associate member, Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis
Fei Gao, M.D. Ph.D
Associate member, Experimental and Developmental Therapeutics
