A middle-aged man in a suit speaking at a podium in front of an audience.

Scientists gather to share cancer research findings

31st Annual Cancer Research Symposium celebrates breakthroughs and features poster competition

(SACRAMENTO)

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center held its 31st Annual Cancer Research Symposium on Oct. 9 and 10, uniting scientists and students working to find a cure for cancer.

“Our research symposium gives us the opportunity to highlight exciting new research and introduce new faculty,” said cancer center Director Primo “Lucky” Lara Jr., who provided the introduction and welcome to the symposium. “It also provides a platform for our early-stage investigators and trainees, our next generation of cancer researchers, to present their findings and to compete to win cash prizes.”

A focus on artificial intelligence and data science

The symposium’s opening session on artificial intelligence and data science in cancer was chaired by John McPherson, cancer center associate director. He presented findings on liver radioembolization using digital twins, practical open-source tools for using AI in labs, and approaches that leverage non-coding genomic regions and non-coding RNA signals.

Shehnaz Hussain, associate director for population sciences at the cancer center, chaired a session on population sciences and health disparities. It included presentations on using real-world data to improve cancer care delivery and the urgency of integrating environmental health into cancer care. There were also talks on the understudied cancer risk factors in firefighters and the potential of multilevel, clinic-based strategies to advance HPV prevention.

The session on career development and education was chaired by the cancer center’s Education Training and Career Development Associate Director Frederick J. Meyers. Investigators across the career spectrum shared experience and advise on how to succeed in incremental achievements and their roles in driving force in innovation and teamwork.

A session on basic research wrapped up the first day of the successful event. Chaired by Xiao-Jing Wang, topics covered included understanding gene editing, a live-cell imaging approach for tracking cellular metabolic and signaling, maintaining and directing persistent cell migration and more.

Overhead photo of people viewing poster presentations in sections marked by partitions

A total of 79 poster presentations were featured during the 31st Annual Cancer Research Symposium.

Highlighting community engagement and outreach

The final day of the symposium featured two sessions on. The first, on community outreach and engagement, was co-chaired by Laura Fejerman and Julie Dang and showcased co-presentations by community leaders and UC Davis faculty on their bi-directional collaborations including Connecting Cultures Collaborative, Thriving Pink, and the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.

The final session was chaired by Megan Daly, associate director for clinical research, and centered on clinical trials.

David R. Gandara Lectureship Award

The final keynote speaker, Lajos Pusztai, was presented with the David R. Gandara Lectureship on Developmental Therapeutics Award. Puszati is a professor of medicine at Yale University, a scientific co-director of the Center for Breast Cancer at Yale Cancer Center and a co-leader of the Yale Cancer Center Genomics Genetics and Epigenetics Program. He is also chair of the Breast Cancer Research Committee of the Southwest Oncology. His research concentrates on breast cancer.

The award is presented annually at the symposium to honor the work of Gandara, who is professor emeritus and serves as the co-director of the cancer center’s Center for Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer.

Man holds an award on a stage standing in between a woman with dark ponytail and a man with white hair.
Lajos Pusztai (center) was presented with the David R. Gandara Lectureship on Developmental Therapeutics Award by Megan Daly (left) and David Gandara (right).

Poster presentations and competition

Nearly 80 poster presentations were on display in the UC Davis Health Education Building. Seasoned cancer investigators as well as postdoctoral research scholars, graduate and undergraduate students showcased their innovative science and competed for cash prizes.

The winners were:

1st Place – Angela Soghomonian, Graduate Student ($750.
Collaborators: Claire Williams, Nicholas Love, Maayan Baron, Maija Kiuru.
Project Title: Spatial Transcriptome Analysis of the Keratinocyte Microenvironment in Melanoma.

2nd Place – Akshaya Karthikeyan, Graduate Student andJose Torres-Gonzalez, Medical Student ($500).
Collaborators: Bryan Correa-Gonzalez, Love Moore, Anamitra Bhaumik, Ethan Sandoval, Alan Lombard.
Project Title: Characterization of PARP Inhibitor Response in Prostate Tumor Cells Reveals Drug Tolerant Persister Phenotype.

3rd Place – Yeji Cho, Graduate Student ($350).
Collaborators: Cyrus J. Sholevar, Makan Karimzadeh, Megan Purl, Tasneem Mukarrama, Robert J. Canter.
Project Title: Interleukin 15 Stimulation Augments Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cell Immunosuppression in Cross-species Models of Sarcoma.

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated center serving the Central Valley and inland Northern California, a region of more than 6 million people. Its specialists provide compassionate, comprehensive care for more than 100,000 adults and children every year and access to more than 200 active clinical trials at any given time. Its innovative research program engages more than 240 scientists at UC Davis who work collaboratively to advance discovery of new tools to diagnose and treat cancer. Patients have access to leading-edge care, including immunotherapy and other targeted treatments. Its Office of Community Outreach and Engagement addresses disparities in cancer outcomes across diverse populations, and the cancer center provides comprehensive education and workforce development programs for the next generation of clinicians and scientists. For more information, visit cancer.ucdavis.edu.

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