ASH News Daily - Saturday, December 10, 2011 - (Page A-8)

Page A–8 ® ANGIOGENESIS The Vessels of Life: 2011 Ham-Wasserman Lecture To Focus on Angiogenesis By Michael r. BiShop, Md A ngiogenesis, the growth of blood vessels, is an essential process from early embryo development through death. Understanding the molecular basis of angiogenesis is of tremendous medical relevance as angiogenesis not only contributes to normal growth, but it is significantly related to cancer, inflammatory disorders, ischemia, and infectious processes. No one understands or appreciates the scientific and clinical importance of angiogenesis more than Dr. Peter Carmeliet, who will deliver this year’s Ham-Wasserman Lecture. Indeed, Dr. Carmeliet has dedicated the last 30 years to the study of angiogenesis, and his 1995 publication in Nature, titled “Abnormal Blood Vessel Development and Lethality in Embryos Lacking a Single VEGF Allele,” is considered seminal work in this field. Dr. Carmeliet has continued to make significant contributions and will present his lecture, titled “Angiogenesis in Health and Disease,” today from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Hall AB of the San Diego Convention Center. Dr. Carmeliet will share his research on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which led to the development of several novel therapies from which thousands of patients benefit from daily (e.g., bevacizumab). However, blockade of VEGF with novel agents has relatively modest efficacy, and resistance to these agents remains problematic. Dr. Carmeliet will discuss new insights relative to emerging mechanisms of resistance against anti-angiogenic therapy and novel strategies and molecular drug targets to overcome these challenges. In addition, he will share the emerging paradigm of vessel normalization as a novel therapeutic approach as it relates to current anti-angiogenic therapies. Dr. Carmeliet received both his MD (1984) and PhD in medicine (1989) from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and he is currently professor of medicine and adjunct director of the Vesalius Research Center, Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, University of Leuven, Belgium. He has a joint appointment as professor at the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, The Netherlands, and assists in teaching the course on angiogenesis at Harvard Medical School. He has received numerous scientific awards including the Interbrew-Baillet Latour Health Prize (jointly with Désiré Collen), the Francqui Prize (Belgium), and the Outstanding Investigator Award (International Society for Heart Research). He was also an elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and was invited by the Nobel Committee to deliver the Nobel Forum Lecture. Dr. Carmeliet’s research has fo- cused primarily on angiogenesis in development, health, and disease, with a strong focus on tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. By applying gene targeting, silencing, or overexpression in mice, his laboratory is analyzing the role of family members of the VEGF system and its homologue placental growth factor (PlGF) as components of the coagulation system. In addition, they are studying the involvement of the transmembrane protein Notch3 in arterial integrity and arteriopathy. These studies have yielded promising therapeutic targets, such as anti-PlGF antibodies, which not only efficiently block tumor angiogenesis and growth, but also lack the side effects of typical VEGF receptor inhibitors. The Ham-Wasserman Lecture, named in honor of renowned hematologists Dr. Thomas Hale Ham and Dr. Louis R. Wasserman, is given annually by an individual from outside the United States who has contributed significantly to an area of hematology. Both Drs. Ham and Wasserman were past ASH presidents who contributed extensively to the Society and worked together to initiate the Education Program at the annual meeting. This year’s Ham-Wasserman Lecture promises to be an outstanding continuation in a long line of outstanding presentations, and it is hoped all attendees are able to share in the wonderful opportunity to hear the latest and truly cutting-edge research related to angiogenesis. Dr. Bishop indicated no relevant conflicts of interest. Drs. David J. Kuter, left, Keith B. McCrae, Vinod Pullarkat, Terry B. Gernsheimer, Jenny McDade Despotovic, James B. Bussel, and Douglas B. Cines discuss the care of ITP patients during the Friday Satellite Symposia “Advancing Quality of Life and Improving Treatment Outcomes.” ASH NEWS DAILY Saturday, December 10, 2011 Drs. Francine M. Foss, left, James O. Armitage, Steven M. Horwitz, Lauren C. Pinter-Brown, Kensei Tobinai, and Madeleine Duvic address clinical controversies in T-cell lymphoma, the topic of a Friday Satellite Symposia. Mentoring «« From Page A-5 necessary to pursue a successful career as a funded investigator in hematology. Sources of research funding and elements of successful grant applications were reviewed. Trainees had the opportunity to discuss the routes to clinical, translational, and basic science research careers in a small-group session. During Dr. Daniel J. Weisdorf’s (University of Minnesota Medical Center) talk on “Establishing a Clinical Research Career” he urged trainees to ”harness their creativity, seek innovation, and challenge dogma.” In addition, he gave the practical advice that every abstract must become a paper, as these papers are essential in obtaining a grant. Trainees attending the session commented that this advice was quite eye-opening. Another small-group session fo- cused on grant writing, which has become ever more competitive and challenging. Obtaining funding is essential to a successful research career but is variably emphasized in fellowship programs. Dr. John Byrd from The Ohio State University was asked when is an appropriate time to seek grant funding? He said that one must establish a foundation early and gave the example that it takes at least one year in a lab to generate preliminary data. He similarly echoed Dr. Weisdorf’s statement that every grant must become a paper, and finally, he encouraged trainees to persist and submit multiple applications. Dr. Byrd along with Dr. Eduardo M. Sotomayer from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute and Dr. John P. Leonard from Weill Cornell Medical College participated in the mock study session that concluded the session. This unique opportunity to explore the “real-life” experience of grant writing and the critiques that follow was of great interest to the attendees. ASH has a long history of sup- porting developing investigators at the trainee and even junior faculty levels. Today, more than 30 distinguished physicians and researchers will meet with trainees to discuss their careers that span research, private practice, academic, government, and industry professions, as well as others. On Sunday, Dr. Nancy A. Kernan from Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center will expose trainees to the rigor of scientific and clinical investigation, which is also underappreciated until you are “on the job” during the Trainee Simultaneous Didactic session “Ethics, Misconduct, and Research Integrity.” Lastly, trainees should not miss the opportunity to get first-hand advice from Dr. Cynthia E. Dunbar, editorin-chief of Blood, when she reviews “How to Publish a Manuscript in a Peer -Reviewed Journal.” Dr. Landau indicated no relevant conflicts of interest.

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ASH News Daily - Saturday, December 10, 2011

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