Former executive employs skills to fight lung cancer
San Francisco Chronicle, CA - Dec 30, 2007
"Bonnie J. Addario is a lung cancer survivor who was motivated to start a foundation dedicated to raising awareness about the disease. 'I was just outraged about the lung cancer statistics, about the fact that 450 people a day die just in the United States,' she said.............David Jablons was one of the four doctors who performed Addario's surgery at UCSF. Because Addario asked so many questions while she was under his care, Jablons asked Addario to become a member of his thoracic advisory board."
Annual Thoracic Oncology Program Retreat on April 17, 2008
Thoracic Oncology Program - Apr 09, 2008
The annual UCSF Thoracic Oncology Program Retreat will be held this Thursday, April 17th from 8:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Dr. Passi Janne, MD, Ph.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will be our guest speaker this year. Dr. Janne's main research interests include the study of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and their impact on EGFR-targeted therapeutic agents such Erlotinib and Getfitinib. EGFR mutations occur primarily in a small segment of lung cancer patients, but these patients have a high response rates to such treatments. Dr. Janne's lab is studying mechanisms of developing resistance to these agents and to identify novel ways to overcome the resistance using newer agents in the labs and in clinical trials.
World Leaders in Lung Cancer Convene for Inaurgural Lung Cancer Summit
Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation Website - Nov 09, 2007
On November 9, 2007, the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation invited leading physicians, clinicians, scientists, and researchers including a number of Thoracic Oncology Program members to convene at the University of California Mission Bay Conference Center. The Summit Meeting broke into various panel discussions focused on four major areas in the diagnosis and treatment of Lung Cancer, followed by a panel on collaborations and funding mechanisms. The summit concluded with a general brainstorming discussion on four focused areas: 1) early detection, 2) biomarkers and molecular diagnostics, 3) basic research, and 4) clinical trials. Dynamic discussions evolved from these, detailing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in creating a new landscape in the diagnosis and treatment of Lung Cancer.
Natalie Olsen Receives Thierry Jahan “A Breath Away From the Cure” Award
November 9, 2007Nurse Practitioner Natalie Olsen received the Thierry Jahan “A Breath Away From the Cure” Award from the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation at its second annual SIMPLY THE BEST II fundraising event at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. The award honored Natalie for "her contributions to the fields of oncology, early detection, screening, coordinated treatment, and care and compassion for those with lung cancer".
Liang You Presented David Jablons “Asclepios” Award
November 9, 2007Liang You, MD, PhD was presented with the David Jablons “Asclepios” Award for his pioneering research. The award honors those whose dedication to healing exemplifies the principles and spirit of Asclepios, Greek God of Medicine and Healing. The award was presented at the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation’s annual fundraising event in San Francisco.
Pierre Theodore Named Van Auken Endowed Chair in Thoracic Oncology
November 1, 2007Pierre Theodore, M.D. was named the recipient of the newly created Van Auken Endowed Chair in Thoracic Oncology. Dr.Theodore, an Assistant Professor of Surgery performs lung transplants and surgery for lung cancer, mesothelioma, esophageal cancer. He also has a research lab.
U.S. Surgical Awards Covidien Fellowship to UCSF for Thoracic Surgery
November 1, 2007
U.S. Surgical Corporation awarded the Section of General Thoracic Surgery funding to support a new thoracic fellow for training in minimally invasive thoracic surgery. “This affords a tremendous learning opportunity for the aspiring surgeon", said Michael Mann, M.D., Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Program Coordinator and Chief of General Thoracic Surgery at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.
"Our four surgeons bring a unique, multi-institutional, perspective to general thoracic surgery, incorporating the best practices and state-of-the-art techniques from the Surgery Branch of the NCI/NIH, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, New York Hospital/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Harvard Medical School. This will provide a rich didactic experience for the new General Thoracic Surgery Fellow.”
Thoracic Oncology Researchers Honored for Work
October 24, 2007Liang You, MD, PhD and Biao He, PhD, senior scientists in the Thoracic Oncology lab, received awards for their pioneering work in lung cancer research. Dr. He received the Eileen Ludwig Award in Thoracic Oncology Research, Dr. You the Barbara Isackson Award in Thoracic Oncology Research. The awards were presented before a panel discussion on Translational Research in Lung Cancer (see related story below).
Dr. Eric Small Leads Panel Discussion on Targeted Therapy
October 24, 2007
The Thoracic Oncology Program sponsored a panel discussion on Translational Research in Lung Cancer led by Eric Small, MD, Professor of Medicine and Urology, and Director of Investigational Therapeutics at the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center. The panel featured medical oncologist, Dr. Sarita Dubey, Dr. Biao He and Dr. Minh To, a researcher in the laboratory of Dr. Allan Balmain.
Sarita Dubey Invited Poster at 12th World Conference on Lung Cancer September 3, 2007
Sarita Dubey, M.D., an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology Oncology, and member of the Thoracic Oncology Program, was selected as a poster in the Epidemiology and Tobacco Control group at the 12th World Conference on Lung Cancer held by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer http://www.iaslc.org/. A retrospective study of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and malignant pleural effusion.Karrim, Juliana; Hwang, Jimmy; Jahan, Thierry; Jablons, David
David Jablons Invited Speaker at 12th World Conference on Lung Cancer September 2-7, 2007
David Jablons, M.D., was an invited speaker at the 12th World Conference on Lung Cancer sponsored by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer http://www.iaslc.org/. Assessment of Mediastinal Disease: Invasive Approach vs PET - The Case for Invasive Techniques. Dr. Jablons is the Ada Distinguished Professor and Program Leader of Thoracic Oncology.
Biao He Awarded Joan’s Legacy Grant for Lung Cancer Research
October 31, 2006
Joan's Legacy, (The Joan Scarangello Foundation to Conquer Lung Cancer) awarded Biao He, Ph.D., a senior scientist in the Thoracic Oncology Lab, a $50,000 grant to study Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma (BAC).
He Biao, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco: Identification of Novel Wnt Signaling-Related Therapeutic Targets Against Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma
UCSF Researchers Fingerprint Lung Tumors, Test New Drug Candidate
July 27, 2006
Adding their own contributions to a rapidly advancing field, UCSF researchers - along with colleagues from Incyte Corporation and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center - have described new targets in lung cancer and evaluated a promising new drug candidate that halts growth signals in tumor cells grown in the lab. Their report is featured in the July issue of the scientific journal Cancer Cell. Stopping tumor growth is a never-ending challenge for oncologists. But thanks to improved research tools and researchers' deeper understanding of cancer biology, the challenge is leading to better drugs, better matching of drugs with patients and, for some, much better outcomes.
"We're emerging from an era when we lumped all tumors together," says study author David Jablons, MD, head of the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center's Thoracic Oncology Program. "It used to be that a pathologist would look under a microscope, confirm a diagnosis - nonsmall cell carcinoma, for instance - and those patients would all get the same platinum drug for treatment. "Van Leeuwenhoek could have made the call," rues Jablons, referring to the 17th-century microscope whiz who first viewed living cells.