Richard D. Klausner, M.D., director of the National Cancer Institute, will deliver the keynote address at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics Symposium in Omaha Friday, Sept. 12. The symposium will address new research and treatment in cancer and will be held on campus at the Eppley Science Hall Amphitheater.
The symposium is targeted toward health professionals who treat cancer patients and those in research and also recognizes September as National Bone Marrow Donor Awareness Month.
Dr. Klausner’s speech will be transmitted via satellite to Norfolk, Kearney, Grand Island, Scottsbluff and Chadron. Satellite downlink capability is available for those who would like to see Dr. Klausner’s presentation from noon to 1 p.m. CDT or 11 a.m. to noon MDT.
Titled, “Impact of Molecular Genetics on Cancer Care,” the lecture will discuss the development of genetic testing to identify those at risk for developing cancer. Gene therapy is also being studied by scientists as a way to treat cancer genes before they create disease and may lead to an alternative way of treating cancer.
About 200 health professionals are expected to attend the regional conference in Omaha. It is sponsored by the UNMC College of Medicine’s department of internal medicine, section of oncology/hematology, UNMC College of Nursing Continuing Nursing Education and the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center.
As director of the NCI, Dr. Klausner leads a national cancer research program impacting funding for NCI intramural laboratories and research at universities, medical schools, cancer centers, research laboratories, and private firms nationwide. The NCI, located in Bethesda, Md., is the largest of the 17 biomedical research institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health. The National Cancer Act of 1937 established the NCI as the government’s principal agency for cancer research and training.
Other guest lectures scheduled to speak at the symposium include Werner Bezwoda, Ph.D., a clinical researcher prominent in the use of high-dose chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of breast cancer, and Daniel Von Hoff, M.D., a nationally-recognized leader in conducting clinical trials for cancer treatment. Dr. Bezwoda, known for publishing the first randomized trial in bone marrowtransplantation for breast cancer, is a faculty member at the University of Witatersrant, Johannesburg, South Africa. Dr. Hoff is a faculty member at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
“The information shared by these nationally-recognized leaders will enhance UNMC’s cancer research programs,” said Julie Vose, M.D., UNMC oncologist and vice chair and associate professor of the department of internal medicine. “Research at UNMC makes a difference in the lives of patients around the world, including Nebraskans affected by cancer. We are dedicated to building upon our excellent programs.”
UNMC is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of leading cancer centers in the United States with the goal of developing high-quality, cost-effective services through research and treatment. UNMC is recognized internationally as a leader in the diagnosis and treatment of leukemias and lymphomas.
More than 1,840 bone marrow and peripheral stem cell transplants have been done at UNMC since 1983 when the program started. Among the treatments UNMC pioneered include: peripheral stem cell transplantation as an alternative to standard bone marrow transplants; outpatient bone marrow transplants for breast cancer patients; and radio-labelled antibody programs for patients with lymphoma.
Dr. Klausner was appointed director of the NCI in 1995. Before this, he was chief of the Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch, National Institute of Child Health & Human Development for 11 years.
He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University and his medical degree from Duke University. After post-graduate medical training at Harvard University, he began his research career at the National Institutes of Health in 1979. Dr. Klausner is well-known for his contributions to various aspects of cell and molecular biology. Over the past five years, he has been recognized as one of the 20 most highly-cited scientists in the world in biology and biomedical research.
In 1993, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences and was charged with writing the first comprehensive plan for science education for U.S. students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. He is the author of over 250 scientific articles and several books.
UNMC is the only public academic health science center in the state. Through its commitment to research, education and patient care, UNMC has established itself as one of the country’s leading centers for cancer research and treatment and solid organ transplantation. Nearly $25 million in research grants and contracts are awarded to UNMC scientists annually. In addition, UNMC’s educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution.