May 17, 2017

Director's Column - A Victory Lap for Miles for Moffitt by Dr. Tom Sellers

The year just keeps getting better and better. The Scientific Symposium was spectacular, prompting me to characterize it as the best day of the year so far. But then along comes the Miles for Moffitt event! Dr. List set a very high goal: to raise one million dollars. It took a little while to build momentum, but deadlines have a way of spurring action. Thus, as the final week came up, activity really picked up steam. I'm sure you've all heard by now that by race day we shattered our goal and our attendance records, with $1.03 million (so far) and more than 7,000 participants. Because of the incredible corporate support, all costs of the race were covered, and every dollar raised from registration, virtual runners, and team donations goes for research. Thanks to everyone who ran, walked, volunteered or donated monies for the cause. A special shout out to Event Planner Allison Fonner and her team for running an exceptional event.

The race had some similarities to previous years, the same racecourse starting near the USF Sun Dome and passing in front of the hospital, clinics and research buildings and the superb emceeing by our very own Joshua Rivera. The survivor celebration was the best ever, with survivors coming to the stage to be cheered. We also recognized the lives of those who lost their battle to cancer. Miles for Moffitt is about celebrating our survivors and avenging those we have lost, taking pride in accomplishing something by supporting research. Matt Kupec likened it a college football pre-game party - the energy was that palpable.

I was chatting with Dr. Jong Park at the event. He's been to every race we've had, going back to 2006. He reminded me that $52,000 was raised that first year, and we SPLIT the amount. He got half, but was so appreciative that he continues to pay it forward. He seemed a bit relieved that we no longer ask prior winners to wear a tee shirt that says "Ask me about my research" on the back - not because he wasn't excited. But it turns out that people were asking him while he was running, further enhancing the challenge of getting enough air to breathe.

We owe a lot to Karen Dalton and Priscilla Mack for their heroic efforts to launch Miles for Moffitt twelve years ago. It took hundreds of volunteer hours to line up sponsors and develop the infrastructure to host an event like this. It grew, and grew, and grew and has become one of the signature events in Tampa. Not only for a good cause, but a healthy one, too. In my article last week, seven awards were announced from last year's fundraising. With the strong finish, we have more money than we thought we'd have, creating opportunities to do even more. I suspect I'll get a few e-mails or phone calls with some really great ideas, which is why we work so hard to raise money to help them move along.

Although we're really pleased, we aim to raise even more next year. In the interim, we have the Magnolia Ball on May 20th. I can't wait to see how that turns out!  

WATCH:
Miles for Moffitt Recap Video

(NEW) Signals Spotlight: Heiko Enderling, PhD

Dr. Enderling is an assistant member in the Integrated Mathematical Oncology Department. His research interests are focused on developing clinically- and experimentally-motivated and quantitative models of cell-cell interactions within a tumor, as well as at the tumor-host interface. In particular, the work in his laboratory focuses on the role of cancer stem cells in tumor progression and treatment response, with the ultimate goal to improve patient-specific treatment design.

Did you participate in Miles for Moffitt? Why is it important for team members to participate each year?
Yes, I did participate in Miles for Moffitt this year, as well as every year since joining Moffitt as a faculty member in 2013. I am not a runner, but my motivation to participate includes (1) fundraising for our innovative science here, (2) being part of the Moffitt family and joining other researchers, doctors, nurses, administrators, and support staff in supporting our patients and donors, and (3) getting the little bit of exercise once a year. The energy on race day is truly remarkable. Running together with patients who proudly sign their shirt with the months and years they are cancer survivors thanks to the treatment they have received at Moffitt is very rewarding. Discussing our science with community members and sponsors also gives the scientists in my lab and myself great exposure.  

This year, you were awarded a Miles for Moffitt research grant. Can you tell us more about the research study being funding by this award?
Human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancer is one of the few types of cancers increasing in incidence. Treatment with radiotherapy provides 75-95% five-year locoregional control (LRC). Why most, but not all, patients are cured in cohorts of similar stage and tumor volume remains unknown. Reliable biomarkers are direly needed to predict radiation response and to maximize cure rates while minimizing associated toxicities. We propose the first step in filling this gap by investigating the patient-specific tumor-immune ecosystem as prognostic factor and actionable biomarker for individualized RT outcome. Our preliminary data suggests that the effectiveness of radiation in eliminating the cancer is a combination of the direct lethal effect of radiation on both tumor and immune populations, and the subsequent indirect effect of stimulating a successful antitumor immune response. The Miles for Moffitt research grant will help us to assess the tumor-immune ecosystem composition on retrospective tissue specimen. This will inform a mathematical model to simulate radiation therapy and identify tumor-immune ecosystems that may be associated with oropharyngeal cancer cure. We then want to use the model to explore the immunologic consequences of different dose schemas, as well as innovative radiation protocols. This project will respond to two unmet clinical needs. Patient-specific biomarker information can be used to de-escalate RT and reduce common RT-associated toxicities without sacrificing cure, and therapy can be intensified or adapted (either alone or in combination with targeted agents) for patients that are predicted to fail the standard of care RT. This will motivate profound changes to how we conceive of and clinically prescribe radiation.  

How did your career in mathematics bring you to a career in cancer research?
My undergraduate studies were actually in applied computer science in a joint degree with human medicine. The concept of this Bachelor and Master program "Computer Visualistics" is to train an interdisciplinary workforce with quantitative skills that can be applied in a hospital setting. I was a part-time computer programmer in my medicine professor's lab, who participated in a European Framework on mathematical modeling in cancer. Through this framework I met the now IMO department chair Sandy Anderson, whom I had the pleasure of training with as an exchange student for five months. Sandy's fascinating work motivated me to pursue a PhD in mathematical oncology. Since then, I have had the pleasure of working in cancer biology, first in a hospital in Dundee, Scotland, then in Boston, and now here at Moffitt. What is important to notice is that I don't see myself as a mathematician but as a cancer researcher. Mathematics is the tool that I use to analyze data and identify mechanisms that underlie complex biological processes and clinical treatment response pattern. The IMO department here at Moffitt is truly unique in its integration in cancer biology and clinical oncology. Mathematics alone will never be able to cure cancer. But in synergy with the many other expertise of our colleagues and collaborators we may be able to contribute a small piece of the big cancer puzzle.  

You oversee the HIP-IMO Program. Can you tell us more about the program and why it is so important to mentor high school students interested in math and science?
The High school Internship Program in Integrated Mathematical Oncology (HIP IMO) delivers interdisciplinary team science research experiences for high school students to help prepare them for cancer research careers. The program runs for 8 weeks each summer. The first two weeks are busy with introductory lectures into cancer biology, mathematical modeling, and computer programming boot camps. For the remainder of the program, students work under the direction and guidance of IMO faculty and postdoctoral fellow mentors in ongoing research projects. Most interns will develop their own mathematical models and computational simulations to answer specific questions posed by their mentors. The program includes different presentations so that the students learn to prepare and present their results, culminating in a final presentation on research day in front of their parents, teachers, and Moffitt researchers and patients. HIP IMO raises awareness of the intellectual value and excitement of multidisciplinary cancer research for students with exceptional quantitative skills. Most students are unaware of the opportunity to apply mathematics, physics, engineering, or computer science in such a rewarding career. With the HIP IMO program we aim to challenge the technical and quantitative skills of the students and push them to also excel in life sciences research. We evaluate the success of the HIP IMO by program by the number of alumni pursuing double majors in college that include both mathematics and biology. These students will successfully traverse established, long-standing department barriers to become leaders in multidisciplinary cancer research thus insuring our field will gain from the inclusion of motivated, talented and skilled individuals. The number of applicants has almost quadrupled from 17 in 2015 to 63 this year. With most IMO faculty donating their valuable time to mentor interns, we are proud to enroll 14 HIPsters in 2017. These students will, without a doubt, also teach us yet again what curious young minds can achieve if you let and guide them.  

(NEW) Moffitt Featured on National Morning News Program

(NEW) MRI Town Hall is June 26

(NEW) Community Resource Directory Now Available

Appropriations Act and Award Notices

Now that the 2017 Appropriations Act has been signed, Moffitt is expecting revised Notices of Award (NOAs) for approximately 15 NIH grants issued while the Continuing Resolution (CR) was in effect. We have been in regular contact with our Grants Management Office (GMO) Specialist at NIH regarding the reduced funding level for the last few months. We know that as soon as they receive approval to do so, NIH will issue revised NOAs restoring CR funding back to the 100% level. We have been assured that this will be done without prompting and as quickly as possible.

When OSR has the NOA in hand, we will process the revision and forward the information to our colleagues in Research Finance so that the impacted budgets can be increased appropriately, and they will notify your Research Financial Analyst. Please note, however, we have also been told that the NOAs to restore funding will take a lower priority to new funding and annual continuations. The GMO is interested in making sure new funds are issued as quickly as possible and those issued under CR should have ample funds for operations in the meantime. OSR will continue to monitor and follow up on awards that need revised NOAs until we have resolution for all of them. We are communicating very purposely knowing that the more we contact NIH about each award, the more we can potentially slow down the process.

If you have any questions, please contact Margaret Fonner, x6519.

 Research Staff Refresher Course

Certified Effort Reporting Process Update

An upgrade has been made to Lawson to provide an enhanced feature for routing action oriented items, such as the certification of effort reports. It allows us to improve the delivery of effort reports, as well as how the effort certifier action items are performed. 

The upgraded version of Lawson allows the certifier to receive his or her effort report through email, and the ability to approve or indicate further review is needed directly from the email message. To ensure security surrounding this process when the action item is selected, a prompt will appear so that the certifier can enter their network username and password. The process is developed so that only the user with the appropriate access can perform the action item. If a certifier forwards their effort reporting email to another individual that person will not be able to perform the action item associated with the effort report.

We were also able to provide some aesthetic changes to the effort report to hopefully provide the certifier with more meaningful information.

This enhanced delivery will minimize many of the Internet Explorer issues and problems experienced by MAC users utilizing the Safari web browser. We will provide more information as soon as the Lawson upgrade has been confirmed.

We are very excited about this improvement, which will make effort certification easier.  

Grants and Funding Announcements

NIH Director's Early Independence Award for Exceptional Junior Scientists

Chotiner Pediatric Research Pilot Funding Opportunity