Ohio Division Supported Research Pilot Grants (for beginning researchers to engage in basic, clinical or behavioral/cancer control cancer research)

• Charles L. Brooks, PhD, Dept. of Veterinary Sciences, The Ohio State University Research Foundation, "Prolactin Antagonism During Estrogen-induced Mammary Tumorigenesis in Female Mice"
• Yongqing Feng, MD, Dept. of Medicine, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, "A microRNA component of the senescent transcription network"
• Metin N. Gurcan, PhD, Dept. of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University Research Foundation, "Computer-aided clinical image analysis for cutaneous lymphomas"
• Donna E. Hansel, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic, "Targeting Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) in Urothelial Carcinoma"
• Linda C. Hsi, PhD, Dept. of Cell Biology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, "Promotion of IL-13 Signaling Induces Glioblastoma Multiforme Cell Death"
• Mette Praetorius Ibba, PhD, Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, The Ohio State University Research Foundation, "Dietary Modulation of Autophagy in Breast Cancer"
• Michael P. Markey, PhD, BS, Wright State University, for "Regulation and Alternative Transcription of HdmX"
• Haifeng Yang, PhD, Dept. of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, "Identification of new drug target(s) among HIF2? target genes in kidney cancer"
• Glendon M. Zinser, PhD, University of Cincinnati for "Vitamin D3 Bioactivation and Signaling via Breast Adipose Regulates Epithelial Cell Growth Inhibiting Mammary Transformation"

Cancer Research Fellowships (to encourage clinicians to pursue academic cancer research)

• Maynard Prescott Phelps, DMD, The Ohio State University, "Mucoadhesive patch delivery of fenretinide and berry anthocyanins for oral cancer chemoprevention"
• Munir R. Tanas, MD, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, "Therapeutic targeting of argininosuccinate sythetase deficiency in malignant nerve sheath tumor"

Joseph S. Silber Fellowships (to expose undergraduate and graduate students in Cuyahoga County to hands-on summer laboratory cancer research experience)

• Sarah Ahmed, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, "Understanding ROS involvement in intercellular signal transduction leading to tumorogenesis in GBM," Sponsor: Saikh Jaharul Haque, PhD, Dept. of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute
• Mark Broadbent, Case Western Reserve University, "New therapeutic strategy in leukemia therapy," Sponsor: Lili Liu, MD, PhD, Assoc. Prof. of Medicine, Div. of Hematology/Oncology
• John Chien, Case Western Reserve University, "The role of macrophage-mediated inflammation in promoting melanoma growth," Sponsor: Kurt Lu, MD, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Dermatology, CWRU School of Medicine
• Sachin Gadani, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, "Glioma stem cell regulation via integrin signaling," Sponsor: Jeremy N. Rich, MD, Chair, Dept. of Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine
• Caroline Garber, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Taussig Cancer Institute, "Isolation and characterization of nitrosylcobalamin from human serum using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis," Sponsor: Daniel Lindner, MD, PhD, Center for Hematology and Oncology Molecular Therapeutics
• Eddie Hackler, III, Bowling Green State University, "Development of novel therapeutic strategies of treatment of rectal cancer based on rational design," Sponsor: Janet A. Houghton, PhD, Chair, Department of Cancer Biology , Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
• Urbee Haque, Case Western Reserve University, "The Role of Lyn in Glioma Cell Migration," Sponsor: Candece L. Gladson, MD, Dept. of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic
• Sheeba Joseph, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ireland Cancer Center, "KLF4 as a key regulator of macrophage-associated tumor immune responses," Sponsor: Julian Kim, MD, Prof., Chief, Div. of Surgical Oncology
• Caroline Lee, Case Western Reserve University, "Analysis of Carcinogenic Splice Site Mutations Using a Novel Sliceosome Model System," Sponsor: Saba Valadkhan, MD, PhD, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Case School of Medicine
• Janie Liang, Case Western Reserve University, "Systematic identification of posttranslational modifications of PTPRT by proteomics," Sponsor: John Wang, PhD, Dept. of Genetics, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Bryan Sisk, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, "Predisposing factors for non-diagnostic needle core biopsy results in patients with large, unresectable renal masses," Sponsor: Brian I. Rini, MD, Dept. of Solid Tumor Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute/Glickman Urological Institute
• Kevin Wang, Case Western Reserve University, "Study of migration kinetics of oral cancer cells to ß-defensin using microfabricated cells islands," Sponsor: Harihara Baskaran, PhD, Dept. of Chemical Eng.

National Extramural Research Grants (newly funded or transferred to Ohio in FY 2009)*

• Xue-Feng Bai, MD, PhD, The Ohio State University, "CDC200 and Cancer Immune Evasion," 07/01/2009 through 06/30/2012
• Helene Bernstein, MD, PhD, TRANSFER to Case Western Reserve University, The Role of CD4+ Natural Killer Cells in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma," 07/01/2007 through 06/30/2011
• Fan Dong, MD, PhD, University of Toledo, "Gfi-1 in the Regulation of Cell Proliferation and Survival," 01/01/2009 through 12/31/2012
• Charis Eng, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, "PTEN Cancer Phenomics," 07/01/2009 through 06/30/2014, Clinical Research Professorship
• Gary Koski, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, "A Cancer Vaccine Strategy using DCs and Strategically-Paired TLR Agonists," 07/01/2009 trough 06/30/2013
• Quintin Pan, PhD, TRANSFER to The Ohio State University, "Mechanism of PKCepsilon-induced Tumorigenesis in Head and Neck Cancer." 07/01/2009 through 06/30/2012
• Arne Rietsch, PhD, Case Western Reserve University, "Control of Type III Effector Secretion in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa," 07/01/2009 through 06/340/2013

*Most Extramurals funding is allocated over a 4-5 yr. period

Hero of Hope Research Medals of Honor (Award Category)

• Clark Distelhorst, MD, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology (Basic Research)