Fred Hutchinson Science and General News Releases

Denise Galloway and Gerald Smith Named AAAS Fellows

December 18, 2008

SEATTLE December 18 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center scientists Denise Galloway, Ph.D., a microbiologist, and Gerald Smith, Ph.D., a geneticist and microbiologist, have been awarded the distinction of AAAS Fellow. Election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS, by their peers.

Galloway, a member of the Hutchinson Center's Human Biology and Public Health Sciences divisions, is being honored, according to the AAAS, "for distinguished contributions to the field of virology, particularly for the elucidation of mechanisms by which human papillomaviruses cause anogenital malignancies." Galloway studies the role of HPVs in cancer development. She and her colleagues firmly established that nearly all cervical cancers - a leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide - and the majority of other anogenital cancers are caused by HPVs. Breakthrough studies by her lab and others laid the groundwork for Gardasil®, a vaccine that protects against the two most common cancer-causing HPVs. Galloway is also a research professor of microbiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Smith, a member of the Center's Basic Sciences Division, is being honored "for distinguished contributions to our understanding of the genetics and enzymology of homologous recombination, DNA break repair and meiosis." Smith studies the molecular mechanisms of genetic recombination to better understand diseases such as cancer and, possibly, ways to predict or prevent them. For example, his laboratory studies the genetics and enzymology of DNA-break repair, or recombination, proteins in Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that causes stomach cancers and ulcers. Studies of these enzymes could lead to the development of new, more-effective drugs to combat many bacterial infections. Smith's lab also studies recombination during meiosis, the formation of sex cells. Mistakes in recombination during meiosis can lead to chromosome aberrancies, such as inheritance of an extra chromosome, which is the cause of Down syndrome. Smith is also an affiliate professor of genome sciences and pathology at the UW School of Medicine.

Galloway and Smith are among 486 AAAS Fellows selected this year for their "scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications." For their contributions they will be presented with an official certificate and gold rosette pin Feb. 14 at the Fellows Forum during the 2009 AAAS Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Other AAAS Fellows from the Hutchinson Center include Nobel laureate Linda Buck, Ph.D., Maxine L. Linial, Ph.D., and Paul Neiman, Ph.D., all of the Center's Basic Sciences Division; John Potter, M.D., Ph.D., former head of the Center's Public Health Sciences Division; and Meng-Chao Yao, Ph.D., formerly of the Center's Basic Sciences Division who is now head of the Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, in Taipei, Taiwan.

The AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science. The organization was founded in 1848 and the tradition of electing AAAS Fellows began in 1874.

Note for media only: Digital photos of Galloway and Smith are available upon request.

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Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit www.fhcrc.org.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science (www.sciencemag.org). AAAS was founded in 1848, and includes some 262 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world, with an estimated total readership of 1 million. The non-profit AAAS (www.aaas.org) is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy; international programs; science education; and more. For the latest research news, log onto EurekAlert!, www.eurekalert.org, the premier science-news Web site, a service of AAAS.

Media Contacts
Kristin Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

Molly McElroy (AAAS)
202-326-6434
mmcelroy@aaas.org

A Month Left to Enter the 'Get Screened' Video Contest for a Chance to Win up to $2,500

December 16, 2008

SEATTLEDecember 16There's still a month left for movie makers to enter Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's "Get Screened" video contest - a creative challenge to help shine a spotlight on the importance of colorectal-cancer screening. All entries are due by Jan. 15, 2009.

The contest is part of the Hutchinson Center's ongoing awareness campaign - "Your colon. Your life. Your call." - to increase colon-cancer screening rates and reduce deaths from the disease in Washington state.

The competition is open to movie makers age 18 and older. Film or video submissions must be either 30 seconds or 60 seconds in length and can be in any style or genre, including animation, drama, still art, imagery, comedy or documentary. Entries will be judged on five criteria: originality, creativity, concept, information and overall presentation.

The top 15 entries will be posted to YouTube.com in February and the public will be allowed to view each finalist's submission and to post comments. Each finalist will be evaluated by a panel of celebrity judges.

In mid-March five winning entries will be announced: one grand prize ($2,500), two first-runners-up ($1,000) and two second-runners-up ($500). The winning videos and finalists will also be posted on the campaign Web site and be screened at a public event.

The winning videos will incorporate some or all of the following messages:

Getting screened for colon cancer can save your life
The risk of colon cancer increases around age 50
Ask your doctor about the importance of colon-cancer screening
Encourage anyone you know around age 50 to get screened for colon cancer

Screening and early detection are crucial because people with colon cancer may be asymptomatic for many years, and precancerous lesions or polyps may take 10 years to transform from benign to malignant. If routine screening via colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy detects a precancerous polyp, it can be removed immediately.

For more information about the contest, please visit http://www.endcoloncancernow.org/video/

Media Contact
Kristin Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

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Life Sciences Discovery Fund awards $4.7 million to support new vaccine program

December 16, 2008

SEATTLE The Washington Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) has awarded nearly $4.7 million to launch the start-up phase of the Washington Vaccine Alliance (WAVA) and to support initial research into three new vaccines for E. coli, herpes and syphilis. Announced today, the grant is funded by Washington’s $350 million tobacco-lawsuit-settlement bonus and provides essential funding to bring this innovative new organization to life.

WAVA core operations during the initial startup phase will operate within the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

WAVA is a consortium of seven nonprofit-research institutions that is focused on providing the necessary skills and infrastructure to develop, test and deploy new or improved vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. In addition to the Hutchinson Center, the consortium includes Battelle Pacific Northwest Division, Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), PATH, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (SBRI), University of Washington (UW), and Washington State University (WSU).

This creative new consortium is a demonstration of the innovation and determination of the members to bring new vaccine solutions to world, said Harlan Patterson, executive director of WAVA.

Scientists at WAVA organizations are collectively researching about a dozen disease clusters that are potential candidates for vaccines and which have succeeded in winning major internationally focused research grants in infectious diseases. The WAVA structure will allow the member organizations to more effectively develop and share critical skills and facilities, help build economic activity for vaccines in Washington, and position the organizations to partner with commercial pharmaceutical and biotech companies in the final vaccine development and deployment stages.

WAVA represents a chance for the state of Washington to become an international center recognized for both research and vaccine development, said Larry Corey, M.D., principal investigator of the LSDF-funded project and co-director of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute at the Hutchinson Center. The successful development and deployment of even one vaccine will have a significant impact on the health of the citizens and will provide a very cost-effective intervention to reduce overall health care costs.

The LSDF award provided critical funding to complete the first phases of three new vaccine projects and the ability to secure funding for the rest of the development process. The projects aim to:

Develop an E. coli vaccine for cattle (a joint effort of WSU, UW and the University of Idaho). Researchers will test and identify the best candidate for a vaccine that would reduce the level of E. Coli O157 in cattle to a level that would prevent transmission to humans via meat or waste.
Develop a herpes vaccine (a joint effort of the Hutchinson Center, IDRI and UW). Researchers will test and select the most effective vaccine formulations for phase 1 clinical trials.
Develop a syphilis vaccine (a joint effort of UW, IDRI and the University of Victoria). Researchers will test, evaluate and select the best vaccine formulation to complete preclinical development and then test in phase 1 clinical trials.

Initially, WAVA will create several core service centers that are critical to bring vaccines to market: discovery, development, production and deployment. These services will be extremely cost effective by taking advantage of existing expertise and sharing these resources across the larger portfolio of vaccine projects. Member organizations will contract with each other to speed the testing and development process. The service cores will each have a lead organization and include vaccine economics (PATH), protein expression and purification (SBRI), formulation and early testing (IDRI), proteomics (Battelle), immune monitoring (Hutchinson Center and UW). The Hutchinson Center will also oversee informatics and clinical trials design and management.

Washington state has accumulated a critical mass of expertise in crucial areas necessary for the successful identification and development of vaccines. The creation of WAVA provides the catalyst to allow each member to create new programs that build upon the substantial existing successes, said King Holmes, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the UW Department of Global Health.

The portfolio of vaccine projects for WAVA covers major infectious diseases that await the development of effective and affordable vaccines. These include HIV, hepatitis C, influenza, diarrheal diseases (especially of infants and children), pneumonia of the elderly, sexually transmitted infections (such as genital herpes, syphilis, and chlamydia), and the pandemic infections of tuberculosis and malaria.

The worldwide recognition of the potential for vaccines increased use of existing, improved and new creates the opportunity for the state of Washington to contribute to an unprecedented reduction of the human and financial costs of some of our greatest health challenges, said Chris Elias, M.D., M.P.H., president and CEO of PATH.

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At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit fhcrc.org.

About the Life Sciences Discovery Fund
The Life Sciences Discovery Fund, a Washington State agency established in May 2005, makes grant investments in innovative life sciences research to benefit Washington and its citizens. For more information on the Life Sciences Discovery Fund, visit: www.lsdfa.org.

Contacts:
Dean Forbes
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 605-0311
dforbes@fhcrc.org

Harlan Patterson (WAVA)
(206) 434-1164
hpatters@fhcrc.org

33rd Annual Hutch Holiday Gala Raises Millions For Cancer Immunotherapy Research

December 08, 2008

SEATTLE — December 8, 2008 — Saturday's Hutch Holiday Gala raised more than $2.2 million for cancer and related disease research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

"Help the Hutch," a portion of the live auction during which guests raise their bid cards for specific contribution levels, brought in $1.2 million to be directed toward immunotherapy, through which clinicians harness a patient's immune system to battle cancer.

The black-tie Gala took place Dec. 6 from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel. Leading the "Help the Hutch" appeal was Dr. Lee Hartwell, president and director of the Hutchinson Center, who said donations made through the annual outreach event are essential to help scientists make discoveries that improve the future of human health.

"We are fortunate that the community recognizes the need for private support in the fight against cancer," Hartwell said. "Government grants simply do not provide the resources necessary to pilot new research ideas or bring new breakthroughs to patient care.

"Our science has demonstrated the potential of immunotherapy to change the face of cancer treatment," he said. "Because of the resources required to develop these novel therapies, we have had to move slowly. Yet our extraordinary success with these therapies and new information about how to extend their results has brought us to the point where a major acceleration of this work is needed."

Funds raised through the "Help the Hutch" portion of the Gala will be used for an expansion of immunotherapy clinical trials to test their impact on normally fatal late stage disease for a variety of cancers, Hartwell said.

An example of the Center's success in immunotherapy research was reported in the June 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, in which a team led by Cassian Yee, M.D., an associate member of the Clinical Research Division, described the first successful use of a human patient's cloned infection-fighting T cells as the sole therapy to put advanced melanoma tumors into long-term remission. A type of white blood cell was removed from a 52-year-old man who had metastatic Stage 4 melanoma; more such cells were grown in the lab, then infused into the patient. Two months later the man's tumors were gone and he remained disease-free two years later, when he was last checked. Yee and other Center researchers are now expanding clinical trials that use T-cell therapy to treat advanced tumors.

At the Saturday night Gala patrons also bid for exclusive auction packages including a zero-gravity flight with space and science celebrities including Bonnie Dunbar and Charles Simonyi and Dr. Hartwell, which sold at $7,500 per person for a total of $157,500; an Italian sojourn at Villa Madalena, $20,000; a U.S. Open package, $16,000; VIP tickets to the Country Music Awards, $14,000; and an exclusive July 4 fireworks party on a rooftop deck at the Hutchinson Center's South Lake Union campus, $13,000.

The evening's festivities included the presentation of the Grace Heffernan Arnold Guild's 2008 Distinguished Community Service Award to the Swanson family. Accepting the award were Gerry and Gloria Swanson, who have been involved with the community for 30 years through such causes as the Hutchinson Center, Seattle Children's and United Way. The couple's children and their spouses also support a variety of organizations and, in combination with a family fund at Children's, established the Swanson Family Endowed Chair in Pediatric Bone Marrow and Transplantation Research, a chair held by the Hutchinson Center's Dr. Jean Sanders.

Presented by the Grace Heffernan Arnold Guild and the Hutch Holiday Gala board of trustees, the Hutch Holiday Gala featured live and silent auctions and an elegant dinner with hundreds of business and community leaders in attendance. Through the past three decades the Gala has raised more than $60 million in support of key research initiatives and patient and family programs at the Hutchinson Center.

To learn more about the Hutch Holiday Gala, call 206-667-5423 or visit www.hutchgala.com. More information about the Hutchinson Center is available at www.fhcrc.org.

Media Contact
Christi Ball Loso
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5215
closo@fhcrc.org

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Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center benefits from shopping site

November 18, 2008

SEATTLE — November 18, 2008 — Just in time for the holiday season, shoppers can visit the new Web site www.ShopForCancerCures.org to benefit cancer research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and 10 other world-class cancer centers of the Cancer Research Alliance (CRA). A portion of each purchase on the site launched today by Mall Networks, the leading provider of merchant-funded loyalty shopping solutions, will benefit the cancer- research institutions.

Highlights of the online shopping mall include:

Discounts and coupons from more than 600 merchants
Free shipping offers
Comparison-shopping involving millions of products

On the site, each merchant posts the percentage of its sales that will benefit cancer research. Through www.ShopForCancerCures.org, the Hutchinson Center and CRA intend to empower individual shoppers to drive breakthroughs in science and cancer care.

"This is a win-win situation — consumers can shop for holiday gifts while, at the same time, help raise money to fund innovative cancer research," said Kit Herrod, director of External Relations at the Hutchinson Center. "We turned to Mall Networks for this exciting project because we're confident that its innovative and robust online loyalty shopping solution will make it simple, convenient and enjoyable for people to make a difference in the fight against cancer."

Ben Kaplan, COO of Mall Networks, said, "We are delighted to support the CRA in its efforts to raise money for these highly regarded cancer centers this holiday season by offering the most innovative and exciting online shopping program for consumers. Driving consumers to actively support the CRA is crucial to the success of the Shop for Cancer Cures campaign, and our online shopping program is an effective way to help reach this goal. With this new online mall, we're proud to help the CRA to simultaneously engage holiday shoppers and accelerate cancer research."

Media Contact
Christi Loso
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5215
closo@fhcrc.org

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The Cancer Research Alliance
The Cancer Research Alliance is comprised of 11 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers representing varying geographic areas of the U.S. All of its participating facilities are designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as comprehensive cancer centers-a distinction shared by only 41institutions in the country. The NCI designation as "comprehensive" acknowledges the breadth, depth and integration of the cancer centers' laboratory, clinical, and population-based research programs.

About Mall Networks
Mall Networks is the leading provider of merchant-funded loyalty shopping solutions that increase revenue, strengthen customer loyalty, and improve member engagement for a range of industries including financial services, card issuers, airline and hospitality, affinity organizations and loyalty programs. Featuring an integrated network of more than 700 world-class online and bricks-and-mortar merchants, Mall Networks' multi-channel shopping solutions and flexible, on-demand platform power personalized online and in-store shopping programs for more than 100 million members. Industry leaders including JPMorgan Chase, Delta, Upromise, Verizon, Shop.org, and Virgin rely on Mall Networks to build loyal, profitable customer relationships. Mall Networks is headquartered in Lexington, Mass. For more information, visit www.mallnetworks.com.

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester wins 2008 Hutch Award

November 10, 2008

SEATTLE November 10, 2008 Left-handed pitcher Jon Lester, who came back from an off-season battle with cancer to pitch the winning game for the Boston Red Sox in the 2007 World Series, will receive the 2008 Hutch Award. The award is given annually to a Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the honor, courage and dedication of baseball great Fred Hutchinson, both on and off the field.

The 24-year-old Tacoma, Wash., native made his Major League Baseball debut in June 2006. Lester ended the 2008 season with a 16-6 win/loss record and a 3.21 ERA with 152 strike outs.

"This is a tremendous honor for me and my family to have been selected for the Hutch Award," Lester said. "I'm humbled to know that legends such as Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax and Lou Brock have won this award in the past."

Lester was diagnosed with anaplastic large-cell lymphoma in August 2006. Referred to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, the treatment arm of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, he underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and recuperated at his parents' home in Puyallup, Wash. In December 2006, doctors determined he was cancer-free and in February 2007 he joined the Red Sox for spring training in Florida. After some work in the minors, he returned to the major league mound against the Cleveland Indians on July 23, 2007. Boston won the game, 6-2.

"Congratulations to Jon Lester on the Hutch Award. Jon handled his adversity with grace and dignity," said Red Sox Manager Terry Francona. "He is an inspiration to us all, on top of just being a really good kid."

Lester's experience with cancer has affected his life off the field and has influenced his fans. For example, he has taken time to meet young fans undergoing cancer treatment, and a group of Boston-area college students have started The Lester Project, which raises money for the Jimmy Fund, a cancer-research charity associated with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The Red Sox honored Lester with its 2007 Tony Conigliaro Award and the American League named him Player of the Week (May 19-25, 2008) and Pitcher of the Month for both July and September, 2008.

Lester will visit children at the Hutchinson Center's Hutch School and receive his award at the annual Hutch Award Luncheon on Jan. 21 at Safeco Field in Seattle. Legendary pitcher and baseball Hall of Famer Tom Seaver will be the luncheon's keynote speaker.

Funds raised through the Hutch Award Luncheon benefit The Gregory Fund® for early cancer-detection research at the Hutchinson Center. The Gregory Fund was established in 2003 as a collaboration of the Hutchinson Center and The Moyer Foundation, founded by major-league pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen.

The Hutchinson Center was founded by Fred's brother Bill, a prominent Seattle surgeon, after Fred died of cancer at age 45. The Hutch Award was established in 1965 and was first given to Mickey Mantle. Other Hutch Award winners have included Moyer, 2007 recipient Mike Sweeney, Mark Loretta, Craig Biggio, Willie McCovey, Willie Stargell, Omar Vizquel, Sandy Koufax and Carl Yastrzemski. In all, 11 Hall-of-Famers have received the Hutch Award. For more information about the Hutch Award, including a full list of past recipients, visit www.fhcrc.org/hutchaward.

Media Contact
Christi Ball Loso
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5215
closo@fhcrc.org

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Migraines Associated with Lower Risk of Breast Cancer

November 06, 2008

SEATTLE — November 6, 2008 — Women who suffer from migraines may take at least some comfort in a recent, first-of-its-kind study that suggests a history of such headaches is associated with a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Christopher I. Li, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center report these findings in the November issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

We found that, overall, women who had a history of migraines had a 30 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who did not have a history of such headaches, said Li, a breast-cancer epidemiologist and associate member of the Hutchinson Center’s Public Health Sciences Division.

In particular, migraine history appeared to reduce the risk of the most common subtypes of breast cancer: those that are estrogen-receptor and/or progesterone-receptor positive. Such tumors have estrogen and/or progesterone receptors, or docking sites, on the surface of their cells, which makes them more responsive to hormone-blocking drugs than tumors that lack such receptors.

The biological mechanism behind the association between migraines and breast cancer is not fully known, but Li and colleagues suspect that it has to do with fluctuations in levels of circulating hormones.

Migraines seem to have a hormonal component in that they occur more frequently in women than in men, and some of their known triggers are associated with hormones, Li said. For example, women who take oral contraceptives three weeks of active pills and one week of inactive pills to trigger menstruation tend to suffer more migraines during their hormone-free week, he said. Conversely, pregnancy a high-estrogen state is associated with a significant decrease in migraines. By the third trimester of pregnancy, 80 percent of migraine sufferers do not have these episodes, he said. Estrogen is known to stimulate the growth of hormonally sensitive breast cancer.

While this study represents the first of its kind to look at a potential connection between migraines and breast cancer, Li and colleagues have data from two other studies that in preliminary analyses appear to confirm these findings, he said.

While these results need to be interpreted with caution, they point to a possible new factor that may be related to breast-cancer risk. This gives us a new avenue to explore the biology behind risk reduction. Hopefully this could help stimulate other ideas and extend what we know about the biology of the disease.

For the study, the researchers combined data from two population-based, case-control studies of 3,412 Seattle-area postmenopausal women, 1,938 of whom had been diagnosed with breast cancer and 1,474 of whom had no history of breast cancer, who served as a comparison group. Information on migraine history was based on self-report and was limited to migraines that had been diagnosed by a physician or other health professional.

The National Cancer Institute funded the research, which also involved researchers from the Hutchinson Center’s Human Biology Division and the University of Washington School of Medicine Department of Neurology.

Note for media only: To arrange an interview with Li or obtain a copy of the paper, Migraine in postmenopausal women and the risk of invasive breast cancer, please contact Kristen Woodward, 206-667-5095 or kwoodwar@fhcrc.org.

Media Contact
Kristin Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

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'Get Screened' video contest throws a spotlight on the importance of colorectal-cancer screening

October 27, 2008

SEATTLE — October 27, 2008 — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center today announced a video contest called "Get Screened" — a creative challenge to movie makers to help shine a spotlight on the importance of colorectal-cancer screening. The contest is part of the Hutchinson Center's ongoing awareness campaign — Your colon. Your life. Your call. — to increase colon-cancer screening rates and reduce deaths from the disease in Washington state.

Colon cancer is the third most-commonly diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. An estimated 49,960 Americans, including 940 Washington state residents, will die of the disease this year, according to the American Cancer Society.

"Most of these deaths could be prevented if the disease were caught early. We're launching this video contest to help increase awareness about the importance of early detection and motivate people to get screened," said Lee Hartwell, Ph.D., president and director of the Hutchinson Center.

The contest is open to movie makers age 18 and older. Film or video submissions must be either 30 seconds or 60 seconds in length and can be in any style or genre, including animation, drama, still art, imagery, comedy or documentary. Entries will be judged on five criteria: originality, creativity, concept, information and overall presentation. All entries are due by Jan. 15, 2009.

The winning videos will incorporate some or all of the following messages:

Getting screened for colon cancer can save your life
The risk of colon cancer increases around age 50
Ask your doctor about the importance of colon-cancer screening
Encourage anyone you know around age 50 to get screened for colon cancer

Downloadable images:

EPS format
TIFF format
GIF format

To save a high-resolution logo to your computer:
— Internet Explorer users: Right-click on either of the links and select "Save Target As." Save to your desired location.
— Safari users: Click on either link above and then drag & drop onto your desktop.

For more information:
For more information about the contest, please visit http://www.endcoloncancernow.org/video/

In addition to the contest rules, the site provides a tool for calculating one's risk for colon cancer and information about the latest recommended screening options and guidelines, among many other life-saving resources.

Media Contact
Kristen Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

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Hutchinson Center researcher receives $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant for innovative global-health research

October 22, 2008

SEATTLE — October 22, 2008 — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center today announced that it has received a U.S. $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will support an innovative global-health research project conducted by James Kublin, M.D., M.P.H., who directs the Hutchinson Center-based HIV Vaccine Trials Network.

Kublin's project is one of 104 grants announced by the Gates Foundation for the first funding round of Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative to help scientists around the world explore bold, new solutions for health challenges in developing countries. The grants were provided to all levels of scientists in 22 countries and five continents.

To receive funding, Kublin showed in a two-page application how his idea falls outside current scientific paradigms and could lead to significant advances in global health if successful.

The $100,000 grant will provide seed money to develop a way to generate large numbers of infective malaria sporozoites in the lab. The goal is one day to use modified but still infective sporozoites in a whole-cell malaria vaccine. This is a different approach than has been used to date, according to Kublin.

"Many efforts to generate an effective vaccine against malaria have focused on using well-characterized recombinant proteins as immunogens," said Kublin, also an associate professor in the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. "We and others hypothesize that using modified but still infectious sporozoites will result in vaccines that elicit a more protective and durable immune response. The advantage for preferring whole organisms over subunits is the comprehensiveness of a complete, live and infectious parasite as a vaccine; once injected, it delivers a large number of potential antigens to the immune system."

The current approach of generating a whole-cell sporozoite vaccine is to dissect them out of the salivary glands of mosquitoes. "That may provide sufficient volume for clinical trials, but a vaccine for public-health interventions will require quantities of sporozoites obtainable only through in vitro culture with large-scale capacity," Kublin said.

The in vitro culture techniques that will be developed in the lab essentially will replicate, if not improve upon, sporozoite development in the mosquito.

Sporozoites are the end product of the cycle that begins when an uninfected mosquito bites an infected person or animal and ingests the blood. The infected blood contains the reproductive cellular building blocks for producing sporozoites, thus infecting the mosquito and perpetuating the malaria life cycle.

"I congratulate each individual who took the initiative to share their idea with us to help fight the world's most serious diseases," said Dr. Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundation's Global Health Program. "The number of creative approaches we received exceeded our highest aspirations. Projects from this initial pool of grants have the potential to transform health in developing countries, and I will be rooting for their success."

Media Contact
Kristen Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

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About Grand Challenges Explorations
Grand Challenges Explorations is a five-year $100 million initiative of the Gates Foundation to promote innovation in global health. The program uses an agile, streamlined grant process - applications are limited to two pages, and preliminary data are not required. Proposals are reviewed and selected by a committee of foundation staff and external experts, and grant decisions are made within approximately three months of the close of the funding round.
Applications for the second round of Grand Challenges Explorations are being accepted through November 2, 2008, and topics for the third round will be announced in early 2009. Grant application instructions, including the list of topic areas in which proposals are currently being accepted, are available at www.gcgh.org/explorations.

Dr. Larry Corey named new member of the Institute of Medicine

October 13, 2008

SEATTLE — October 13, 2008 — Larry Corey, M.D., senior vice president and co-director of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, today was named as one of 65 new members of the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM).

Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Members are elected through a highly selective process that recognizes people who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health.

"I am honored by the recognition," Corey said. With a tip of the hat to those who work in his labs, Corey added, "I thank all of the smart fellows, post docs, technicians and collaborators who have made me look so good over the years. I hope I continue to stay out of their way and allow them to pursue their ideas, with just the right touch of guidance from me."

With their election to the IOM, members make a commitment to volunteer a significant amount of time to IOM committees, which engage in a broad range of studies on health policy issues.

Corey is principal investigator of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, which is based at the Hutchinson Center. He is also head of the University of Washington's Virology Division and is a professor of medicine and laboratory medicine at the UW School of Medicine.

Research in Corey's labs includes studies dealing with the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of HIV and herpes virus infections. These investigations include the development of experimental vaccines for both genital herpes and HIV. The labs have also pioneered novel tests for diagnosing and monitoring therapies for viral infections.

Media Contact
Kristen Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

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Ten finalists chosen for Hutch Award®

October 07, 2008

Awardee to visit Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in January

SEATTLE — October 7, 2008 — A national committee of Major League Baseball and media representatives has released a list of 10 players, one of whom will go on to receive the prestigious Hutch Award® in January. The finalists for the 2008 Hutch Award are:

Rocco Baldelli, Tampa Bay Rays
Lance Berkman, Houston Astros
Doug Davis, Arizona Diamondbacks
Ken Griffey Jr., Chicago White Sox
Raul Ibanez, Seattle Mariners
Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox
Aaron Rowand, San Francisco Giants
Mark Teahen, Kansas City Royals
Vernon Wells, Toronto Blue Jays

The 2008 Hutch Award recipient will be selected in mid-November through a vote of all surviving former awardees. Through the years, 43 players have been honored. Mickey Mantle accepted the inaugural award in 1965, the year after baseball great Fred Hutchinson (known as "Hutch") succumbed to cancer at age 45. Hall-of-Famers Sandy Koufax, Carl Yastrzemski, Al Kaline, Willie McCovey and Lou Brock all have received the Hutch Award, and in more recent years Jamie Moyer, Trevor Hoffman, Craig Biggio, Mark Loretta and Mike Sweeney have joined their ranks.

The Hutch Award is given annually to the major league player who best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire of Hutch. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center -- which was named in Hutch's honor by his brother Bill, a surgeon -- is an independent, nonprofit research institution dedicated to the understanding, treatment and prevention of cancer and other potentially fatal diseases.

Each year in January the award is presented in Seattle, Hutch's hometown and the site of the renowned cancer center that bears his name. While in Seattle, Hutch Award recipients often visit with young cancer patients undergoing treatment on the Hutchinson Center campus. The Hutch Award will be presented at a luncheon honoring the awardee on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009 at Safeco Field in Seattle. MLB pitching legend Tom Seaver will serve as keynote speaker for the ceremony.

For more information about the Hutch Award, including a full list of recipients, or to learn more about the January award luncheon, visit www.fhcrc.org/hutchaward.

Media Contact
Christi Ball Loso
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5215
closo@fhcrc.org

# # #

International implementation of breast health guidelines for developing countries published by Cancer

October 06, 2008

October 6, 2008 — A special supplement of the Oct. 15 journal Cancer for the first time details guidelines for low- and middle-income countries to implement breast cancer programs to detect and treat the most common disease among women worldwide.

"Guidelines for International Breast Health and Cancer Control - Implementation" developed by the Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) outlines a tiered system of resource allocation - based on countries' overall economic status and availability of resources - toward early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and developing an overall breast health program. Other papers contained in the supplement outline how countries implement programs in breast pathology, radiation treatment, surgery and treatment of locally-advanced cancer.

"The breast health guidelines for implementation will be an essential medical reference for low- and middle-income countries to improve breast health outcomes," said Benjamin O. Anderson, M.D., founder, chair and director of the Seattle-based BHGI organization.

BHGI, an alliance comprised of a strategic mix of internationally-focused health care organizations, was founded by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

"The BHGI guidelines are intended to assist ministers of health, policymakers, administrators and institutions in prioritizing resource allocation as breast cancer treatment programs are implemented and developed in their resource-constrained countries," the authors note in their overview of the 172-page supplement. The 16 articles by 56 authors from around the world are the culmination of work begun in 2002 when the first of three global summits on breast health took place.

"The development and implementation of these international evidence-based breast health care guidelines, which are oriented to countries or regions of the world with limited financial resources, is a crucial step toward improving breast health care and breast cancer care in these regions," said Anderson. "Current evidence about the value of earlier detection and cost-effective diagnosis and treatment can be applied to define best practices with limited resources for breast health care. While health care strategies may differ, measurable improvement in breast cancer outcomes can be achieved using the best standard of care that is practical in a given setting."

Why breast cancer and why low- to middle-income countries? Breast cancer comprises 23% of all female cancers. It's also the leading cause of cancer mortality. There is a marked geographical variation in case fatality rates, which are highest in developing countries and lowest in developed ones. Further, women in poor- and middle-income nations generally are diagnosed when their cancer has progressed due to lack of resources to detect cancer earlier, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality rates.

BHGI recently launched a five-year plan to achieve guideline implementation. It focuses on three key areas: dissemination & implementation (D&I) research; education and training programs; and technology application and development. The foundation of the plan will be creation of "learning laboratories" - in-country locations in which to test programs that will form the basis for breast health program expansion in low-to-middle-income countries. BHGI is working with partner organizations - Komen for the Cure, HopeXchange, and the Ghana Breast Cancer Alliance - to open the first learning laboratory in Kumasi, Ghana this year, with a second learning laboratory planned for South America in 2009.

Note to editors/reporters: "Guidelines for International Breast Health and Cancer Control - Implementation" is available online here: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/121417905/HTMLSTART

Media Contact
Kristen Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-7005
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

# # #

About the Breast Health Guidelines Initiative
BHGI is comprised of an alliance of the following healthcare organization: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, American Society of Clinical Oncology, U.S. Office of International Affairs, National Cancer Institute, Pfizer Inc, American Cancer Society, Lance Armstrong Foundation, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., GE Healthcare, Novartis Oncology, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Oncology Nursing Society, Pan American Health Organization, U.S. Office on Women's Health, NCI, U.S. Office of Research on Women's Health, NIH, American Society for Breast Disease, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, Breast Surgery International, International Union Against Cancer, International Atomic Energy Agency of the United Nations, International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research, International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care, International Society of Breast Pathology, Middle East Cancer Consortium, World Society for Breast Health.
The Breast Health Global Initiative is co-sponsored by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. www.bhgi.info

An 'HIV-test' equivalent for early detection of lung cancer

September 15, 2008

New cancer-screening strategy uses the immune system to signal early signs of disease

SEATTLE — Sept. 15, 2008 — A team of researchers led by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reports online today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology the validation of a potential "HIV-test" equivalent for the early detection of lung cancer. The test, which relies on immune-system signals, much like an HIV test, can detect the presence of lung cancer a year prior to diagnosis, long before symptoms appear.

Samir M. Hanash, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at the Hutchinson Center and University of Michigan found that just as the immune system reacts to the presence of HIV by producing an antibody response, which indicates a person is HIV positive, it also mounts a response against specific antigens, or proteins, produced by cancerous lung tumors in their early stages of development.

"This kind of immune response won't necessarily kill the tumor, but it can act as a canary in a coal mine, signaling lung cancer at an early stage, before actual symptoms emerge," said Hanash, head of the Molecular Diagnostic Program in the Public Health Sciences Division at the Hutchinson Center. "It is an important step toward developing a biomarker-based blood test for the early detection of lung cancer."

The validation study tested the sensitivity and specificity of three biomarkers linked to early stage, pre-symptomatic disease: two previously identified antigens, known as annexin1 and 14-3-3 theta; as well as a newly identified lung-cancer antigen called LAMR1.

For the study, the researchers conducted a blinded analysis of blood samples from 85 current or former smokers collected within a year of lung-cancer diagnosis and blood samples from 85 current or former smokers who did not go on to develop lung cancer.

When combined, the sensitivity of the three-biomarker panel was 51 percent, meaning that autoantibodies to these antigens were present in the blood of more than half of the people who later developed lung cancer. The specificity of the biomarker panel was 82 percent, meaning that about one-fifth, or 18 percent, of the comparison group tested positive for the autoantibodies, even though they did not develop the disease.

"The fact that we got a signal like this with just three biomarkers is very significant. If we can enlarge this panel by adding a few more, we could develop a blood test with sufficient sensitivity and specificity for detecting lung cancer much earlier than current screening methods allow," Hanash said.

The initial goal is to use such a blood test in conjunction with imaging techniques, such as CT scans, to improve the early detection of lung cancer in those at high risk. Hanash envisions such a test could be in clinical use within five years.

To this end, Hanash and colleagues next hope to further validate this biomarker panel by securing funding for a retrospective multi-center study of patients who undergo lung CT scanning. "We want to see how much we could improve the sensitivity and specificity of CT scans with the addition of the blood test. For example, could the blood test detect early lung cancer in someone who tested negative on a CT scan? Or, could we use it to shed light on a suspicious lesion to help determine whether it may be cancer?"

Ultimately, Hanash foresees extending this approach to improve the early detection of other common forms of cancer.

"If we could identify those antigens that provide the best signature for not only lung cancer, but also for cancers of the colon, breast, prostate, ovary and the like, then with the tiniest drop of blood we could have a screening test for all the common types of cancer to catch them at their earliest stages, when cure rates are high," he said. "That would be phenomenal."

The National Cancer Institute Early Detection Research Network and the Canary Foundation funded this research.

Note for media only:
To arrange an interview with Hanash or obtain a copy of the Journal of Clinical Oncology paper, "Occurrence of antoantibodies to annexin 1, 14-3-3 theta and LAMR1 in pre-diagnostic lung cancer sera," please contact Kristen Woodward, Hutchinson Center Media Relations, at (206) 667-5095 or kwoodwar@fhcrc.org.

Media Contact
Kristen Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

# # #

YMCA and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center offer free exercise program for cancer survivors

August 04, 2008

Research shows benefits of exercise after treatment

SEATTLE — Aug. 4, 2008 — Puget Sound-area cancer survivors have access to a new strength-and-fitness program designed specifically for them thanks to a partnership between the YMCA of Greater Seattle and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The 10-week program, Exercise and Thrive, is available free to adults who have completed cancer treatment, regardless of where they were treated.

Exercise and Thrive will help cancer survivors strengthen muscles, increase flexibility and improve endurance while receiving health-and-wellness coaching and support from professional YMCA staff. Studies have shown exercise can improve cancer survivors' quality of life, lessen treatment side effects and help recovery.

The program is supported in part by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which has developed a multi-year partnership with 10 YMCAs nationally, including the YMCA of Greater Seattle, to create wellness programs for cancer survivors. The partnership is a key component of the YMCA's Activate America initiative, which is designed to address the country's growing obesity-related health crisis.

Some participants of Exercise and Thrive are patients of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Survivorship Program, which provides clinical care, patient education and research opportunities to patients who have survived cancer and are not in active cancer treatment or are in long-term therapy. The Survivorship Program also receives support from the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Exercise and Thrive classes will be held at three YMCA locations in the Seattle area: Downtown Seattle YMCA, Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA (in Seattle's Central District) and Northshore YMCA (in Bothell). All participants receive a free 10-week YMCA family membership. Participants must be 21 years of age or older and have medical clearance from their doctor to participate.

For information about the classes contact the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Survivorship Program at (206) 667-2814 or survivor@fhcrc.org.

About the YMCA of Greater Seattle
The YMCA of Greater Seattle is a charitable, non-profit organization serving King and south Snohomish counties since 1876. Reaching more than 191,200 people annually through 12 branches, two resident camps and more than 200 program sites, the YMCA provides a wide range of programs and services in child care, youth development, education, foster care, family support, wellness and outdoor experiences. More information may be found at www.seattleymca.org.

About Activate America®
The YMCA's Activate America initiative is the organization's bold approach to directly address the nation's growing health crisis. Through Activate America, YMCAs nationally are shifting how they focus their work inside and outside the YMCA to engage health seekers: children, youth, adults and families whose successful pursuit of health and well-being in spirit, mind and body requires continuous supportive relationships and environments. Advisers to the YMCA for this effort include professionals from the Harvard School of Public Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Steps to a Healthier US, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Active Living By Design and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. Visit www.ymca.net/activateamerica.

Media Contacts
Linnea Westerlind
YMCA of Greater Seattle
206-382-4368
lwesterlind@seattleymca.org

Christi Ball Loso
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5215
closo@fhcrc.org

# # #

A new biomarker for early cancer detection? Research reveals that 'microRNA' may fit the bill

July 28, 2008

SEATTLE — July 28, 2008 — Scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have discovered that microRNAs — molecular workhorses that regulate gene expression — are released by cancer cells and circulate in the blood, which gives them the potential to become a new class of biomarkers to detect cancer at its earliest stages. Muneesh Tewari, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues describe their findings in the July 28 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

MicroRNAs, which act as brakes on different parts of a cell, keeping genes in check, have some advantages over protein-based early-detection systems, including that they can be detected potentially in smaller quantities and that the technology exists to rapidly develop microRNA-based early-detection tests, said Tewari, an assistant member in the Hutchinson Center's Human Biology and Clinical Research divisions. His work is focused on understanding why the brakes fail — allowing unchecked cell growth — in prostate and ovarian cancer.

"Current technology for developing tests to measure microRNAs in clinical samples is quite advanced, whereas the bottleneck for developing protein-based biomarkers is the slow process of generating assays for measuring specific proteins," he said.

The next steps, now that a proof of principle has been established, are to identify specific microRNAs that can signal the presence of a variety of solid-tumor cancers at an early stage, and to further develop the technology to detect the microRNAs in minute quantities.

For the study, Tewari and colleagues tested blood from mice and humans with advanced prostate cancers, as well as that from healthy controls. They measured microRNAs made by the tumors in both cases and controls, and they could distinguish which individuals had cancer based on blood microRNA measurement.

"This research shows that microRNAs, which weren't previously thought of as markers of cancer in the blood, are a worthwhile class of molecules to study for the purpose of early cancer detection," Tewari said.

The research that led to the surprising finding of microRNAs in plasma and serum resulted from a combination of observations and a hunch, he said.

MicroRNAs play a key role in a wide range of normal cell processes, including embryonic development and cell differentiation. The tiny regulatory molecules modulate the activity of specific messenger-RNA targets, which in turn give rise to proteins. Humans have 30,000 genes that can make messenger RNAs. There are more than 500 known microRNAs encoded by the human genome and each is thought to target up to hundreds of messenger RNAs.

That microRNAs existed in humans is in itself a recent discovery. Tewari's group initially was studying their role in cancer development and maintenance because microRNAs are often dysregulated in cancer. During the course of those experiments, the scientists found that microRNAs circulate outside of cells and are remarkably stable.

"We were surprised to discover that there are microRNAs in plasma and serum that are not associated with cells and that are not being degraded by enzymes in the blood that would degrade regular RNA," Tewari said. It isn't fully known how the microRNAs are protected from degradation or how they get into the blood.

This in turn led the researchers into a new direction of determining whether cancer-associated microRNAs could be found. Earlier studies in model organisms such as worms and flies showed that some microRNAs have specific expression in certain kinds of cells and not anywhere else.

The paper details the step-by-step approach that led to discovering microRNAs in plasma and serum components of blood, that microRNAs remain stable even after incubation at room temperature for 24 hours and after eight freeze/thaw cycles, and finally that tumor-derived microRNAs enter the circulation at levels sufficient to be measured as biomarkers for cancer.

"The results presented here establish the foundation and rationale to motivate future global investigations of microRNAs as circulating cancer biomarkers for a variety of common cancers," the authors wrote.

The availability of existing, powerful tools to characterize and measure microRNAs, such as polymerase-chain reaction technology for DNA amplification, "suggests that the discovery-validation pipeline for microRNA biomarkers will be more efficient than traditional proteomic biomarker discovery-validation pipelines, which typically encounter bottlenecks at the point of antibody and quantitative assay development for validation of biomarker candidates," the authors wrote.

In addition to those from the Hutchinson Center, scientists from the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, the Department of Urology at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the Department of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System contributed to the research. The National Cancer Institute, the Pacific Ovarian Cancer Research Consortium Specialized Program of Research Excellence, the Pacific Northwest Prostate Specialized Program of Research Excellence, the Core Center of Excellence in Hematology and the Paul Allen Foundation for Medical Research funded the research.

Note to editors/reporters:
Contact Dean Forbes at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to schedule interviews with Dr. Tewari and to obtain an embargoed proof copy of the paper "Circulating microRNAs as stable blood-based markers for cancer detection."

Media Contact
Dean Forbes
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-2896
dforbes@fhcrc.org

# # #

Hutchinson Center receives $7.6 million federal grant to study how genetic variations influence risk of common diseases

July 17, 2008

SEATTLE — July 17, 2008 — Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have received a $7.6 million, four-year grant from the National Human Genome Research Institute to better understand the genetic and biological roots of common diseases. The Hutchinson Center is one of four U.S. research institutes to receive grants totaling about $31 million toward this effort.

The Hutchinson Center project, led by biostatistician and principal investigator Charles Kooperberg, Ph.D., and epidemiologist and co-principal investigator Ulrike "Riki" Peters, Ph.D., both of the Center's Public Health Sciences Division, will study how specific genetic variants influence the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other common conditions, from obesity to dementia.

Mining more than a decade of data from the Women's Health Initiative, an ethnically and socio-economically diverse study population involving nearly 162,000 postmenopausal women nationwide, Kooperberg and colleagues will look also at how previously identified genetic variants are related to biological and physical characteristics associated with disease risk, such as weight, cholesterol and blood-sugar levels, and bone density. The scientists also will examine how lifestyle factors, such as diet, medications and smoking, may interact with genetic factors to influence health outcomes. For example, if a person follows a low-fat diet high in fruits and vegetables, would that lessen or negate the disease risk associated with a specific genetic variant?

"Through previous genome-wide association studies we know there are common genetic variants in the population that are associated with a moderate increase in the risk of various diseases. Now we want to know how environmental exposures and lifestyle factors, such as diet or smoking, influence disease risk in people with these genetic variants," Peters said.

Another goal of the study is to examine the pathways by which these genetic variants influence disease. "We hope to learn more about the mechanisms by looking at the associations between these genetic variations and intermediate biomarkers of disease, such as cholesterol levels as a marker for heart disease and bone density as a marker for hip fractures," she said.

To this end, the researchers will aim to genotype blood samples from 58,000 WHI study participants to investigate up to 100 known disease-specific genetic variants.

"Information generated from this study will be critical to determine the health impact of any given genetic variant and to prioritize them for intervention studies aimed to reduce their associated risk," Kooperberg said. "These findings may also provide valuable insights into disease pathways and mechanisms, and identify targets for disease screening, prevention and treatment."

The Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division houses the Clinical Coordinating Center for the Women's Health Initiative, one of the most definitive, far-reaching studies of postmenopausal women's health ever undertaken in the United States. Enrollment began in 1993 and participants will be followed at least until 2010. The study examines the prevalence and risk factors for a number of diseases common in aging women, as well as the effects of various interventions, from low-fat diets and hormone therapy to calcium and vitamin D supplementation.

"We are extremely grateful for the study participants who have provided a wealth of biological data that will permit us to link genetic variants to relevant intermediate biomarkers that will potentially provide important clues to the biological basis of the disease," Kooperberg said.

Also collaborating on the project, in addition Kooperberg, Peters and colleagues from the WHI Clinical Coordinating Center, are investigators from the University of Arizona Cancer Center, Ohio State University and the University of Pittsburgh.

Media Contact
Kristen Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

# # #

Four-story 'Basket of Light' embraces optimism of science

July 17, 2008

Towering 60-foot sculpture is new focal point of Hutchinson Center campus

SEATTLE — July 17, 2008 — It may seem a contradiction, but the new, landmark architectural sculpture at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center should strike observers as both monumental and delicate. That's according to its creator, architectural sculptor Ed Carpenter, whose installation team just put finishing touches on this 60-foot-tall glass-and-metal piece called "Vessel."

Carpenter characterizes "Vessel" as a centerpiece for the Hutchinson Center. "My intention was to create a sculpture that could not be anywhere else - that would feel right for this site and this institution both physically and metaphorically," he said.

"Rising more than four stories in a transparent and searching gesture, the sculpture employs light to represent the optimistic spirit of the institution," he said. "It is a luminous container for the aspirations and hopes of all involved."

"Vessel" is lit from the inside and outside at night; its open design encourages pedestrians to walk into its center.

To achieve the sculpture's light yet towering appearance, Carpenter used laminated and tempered safety glass to strengthen structural sections of aluminum, allowing longer spans at a lighter weight than with conventional methods. He rebuilt the structure with enhanced reinforcement after the partially built original sustained damage in a windstorm last October.

Carpenter, who is based in Portland, is an internationally acclaimed artist with pieces commissioned in Ireland, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and many locations across the United States. Regionally, his works can be found in downtown Seattle at the new U.S. Federal Courthouse, in Redmond at City Hall and in the Safeco corporate headquarters, and in Bellevue at Meydenbauer Center. He also played a key role in the redesign of the rose window of St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle.

Carpenter has been overseeing and participating in every step of the installation with a crew of longtime helpers; the structural portion of the piece has taken about six weeks to complete. The accompanying lighting and landscaping in the traffic circle at the Center's main entrance should be finished this week.

The commission of "Vessel" was made possible by a gift from the family of a former Center scientist who specified that the funds be used for the creation of outdoor art. The Center's art committee established selection criteria and initiated an international call for artists, eventually narrowing it down to six finalists. From there, the committee chose Carpenter's work after considering artist presentations and input from faculty and staff, who favored "Vessel" in an online survey.

Editor's note:
High-resolution photos of "Vessel" are available upon request. More information about Carpenter and his work, including "Vessel," can be found on the artist's Web site at www.edcarpenter.net.

Media Contact
Christi Ball Loso
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5215
closo@fhcrc.org

# # #

Science teachers join labs for summer at Fred Hutchinson

July 08, 2008

To find out if there's a participating teacher from your area, please see attached list

SEATTLE — July 8, 2008 — About 30 science teachers from Washington — plus two from Singapore and one from Australia — are spending part of their vacation at "summer school," working beside scientists in research laboratories at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and several other partner sites throughout Seattle. The summer workshop, which runs July 14-30, will host teachers from nearly 20 communities throughout the state and abroad.

"Our goal is for teachers to bring back what they learn over the summer to help jump-start their students' knowledge of bioscience and research and perhaps kindle their interest in jobs or careers in science," said Nancy Hutchison, Ph.D., director of the Hutchinson Center's Science Education Partnership, or SEP, program, now in its 18th year.

Working in labs at the Hutchinson Center and partnering local academic-research institutions and biotechnology firms, this year's cadre of teachers will update and hone their lab techniques and teaching strategies in life sciences, particularly genetics and molecular biology.

"Teaching science is like teaching a foreign language," Hutchison said. "By participating in the Science Education Partnership, teachers explore the whole country; they get immersed. After the two weeks are up, they have begun to think like the 'locals' and see how the research culture really works," she said. "As a result, their students gain a better understanding of what science really is and how it influences their daily lives."

Participating institutions this year, in addition to the Hutchinson Center, include the corporate biotechnology firm ZymoGenetics, as well as Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, the University of Washington Genome Sciences Department and the joint UW/Hutchinson Center Molecular and Cellular Biology, or MCB, doctoral-research program.

After a jumpstart session to learn laboratory basics, the teachers will spend about half of their time working one-on-one with a scientist-mentor in a research laboratory on projects tailored to their interests. Lab work over the past several years has focused on such topics as protein structure, DNA sequencing, oncogenes, yeast genetics and fruit-fly development. This mentorship often leads to lasting partnerships that extend beyond the summer session to include classroom visits by scientists during the school year.

"Many of our mentors have a sense of wanting to give something back to the community; this is a great chance for them to do that," Hutchison said. The program also gives the scientists a chance to improve their own communication and teaching skills by learning from the teachers.

The other half of the educators' time will be spent in the Teaching Laboratory at the Hutchinson Center, where they will work as a group with Lead Teachers — master teachers experienced with the SEP workshops — focusing on effective ways to use scientific techniques in the classroom and refining curricula for the coming school year.

Key to their planning is access to the SEP's science-kit loan program, which is available on an ongoing basis to all teachers who participate in the yearlong program. The kits, assembled and maintained at the Hutchinson Center, contain all the equipment necessary for experiments in such areas as DNA gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation and fruit-fly genetics.

"Each new group of teachers coming into SEP each year directly influences more than 3,000 students annually," said SEP director Hutchison. Combined with ongoing participants' use, last year more than 130 teachers and 14,000 Washington students worked with SEP kits in their science classes.

"We send out the real thing; these are not kids' toys," Hutchison says. The kits, costing up to $10,000 each, come in bright green crates filled with supplies that range from the exotic (microcentrifuges) to the mundane (plastic wrap, meat tenderizer, dishwasher detergent).

SEP also provides teachers with:

surplus lab supplies that have been donated by labs from throughout the research community;
a resource library from which to borrow the latest teaching tools, from textbooks to DVDs; and
a $500 stipend and graduate-level credit through the University of Washington.

"Another benefit of the Science Education Partnership, perhaps less tangible but equally important, is the connection teachers make with scientists and their teaching colleagues," Hutchison said. "It is a real learning community."

But perhaps most important, the program encourages teachers - many of whom haven't been in a laboratory since college - to sharpen their critical thinking, questioning and problem-solving skills. In short: to teach outside the box.

Since the Science Education Partnership began in 1991, 368 teachers have participated and the program has touched the lives of more than 150,000 students. SEP receives direct financial support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Editor's note:
For more information or to arrange an interview or lab visit, please call Kristen Woodward, (206) 667-5095. Digital photos of most teachers are available upon request. SEP's Web address is www.fhcrc.org/education/sep.

Media Contact
Kristin Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

# # #

'Hibernation-on-demand' drug hydrogen sulfide significantly improves survival after extreme blood loss

July 01, 2008

Findings in rats show promise for 'buying time' in victims of lethal hemorrhage

SEATTLE — July 1, 2008 — For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that the administration of minute amounts of inhaled or intravenous hydrogen sulfide, or H₂S — the molecule that gives rotten eggs their sulfurous stench — significantly improves survival from extreme blood loss in rats.

Cell biologist Mark B. Roth, Ph.D., and colleagues in the Basic Sciences Division of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in collaboration with surgeon Robert K. Winn, Ph.D., and colleagues at UW Medicine's Harborview Medical Center, report their findings online ahead of print in The Journal of Trauma Injury, Infection, and Critical Care. The article is slated for the July print issue, which comes out on July 10.

The researchers successfully used H₂S to induce a state of reversible metabolic hibernation as a way to reduce death from insufficient blood supply to organs and tissues in a rat model of lethal hemorrhage. (Federal regulations mandate the use of such animal models in preclinical research to test the safety and effectiveness of various procedures and treatments before they can be tested in humans.)

They found that 75 percent of rats (18 of 24) given inhaled hydrogen sulfide and 67 percent of rats (eight of 12) given intravenous hydrogen sulfide survived at least two weeks — the duration of the monitoring period — after losing more than half of their blood for an extended period. In contrast, long-term survival rates for the untreated rats in the two control groups were 23 percent (three of 13) and 14 percent (one of seven), respectively.

"Our goal is to develop life-saving treatment for critically ill people suffering from acute, sustained blood loss, such as in a car accident or on the battlefield," said senior author Roth. "These findings have obvious implications for the military, but they also have tremendous implications for the civilian population."

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the U.S. Defense Services Office funded the research. The ultimate goal: designing self-injectable hydrogen-sulfide kits that critically injured soldiers could use in the field to temporarily dim their metabolism and reduce their oxygen demand. This would help "buy time" until they could get medical attention.

"The military feels that if a soldier can be kept alive for at least three hours, that would allow time for the situation to be stabilized and the scene of the incident secured enough to allow evacuation of that soldier to an area where he or she can get medical attention," Roth said.

Roth's study, which attempted to mimic a similar scenario, involved 56 rats, each of which underwent controlled hemorrhage to remove 60 percent of their blood for three hours before re-infusion with Lactated Ringer's solution to replace lost blood volume.

The rats were divided into two groups. In the first group, 24 rats were put into a controlled atmosphere of room air laced with 300 parts per million H₂S while 13 served as controls. The H₂S was administered about 20 minutes after initiation of blood removal and was supplied for about 20 minutes, until the end of the bleed. In the second group, 12 rats received a single intravenous dose of sulfide solution about 20 minutes after the initiation of blood removal while seven served as controls.

In both test groups, the rats maintained a reduced yet stable level of carbon-dioxide production, a surrogate measure of metabolism. Once H₂S was removed, metabolic rates returned to normal. In contrast, the untreated animals steadily grew metabolically weaker from blood loss until the point of death.

Functional and behavioral testing among the long-term survivors (those that lived more than two weeks after hemorrhage) showed no observable defects. In fact, the rodents that were bred produced normal-sized litters of healthy pups.

How does hydrogen-sulfide treatment prevent death from profound and sustained blood loss? One possibility is that in reducing metabolism, H₂S also reduces oxygen demand, which allows crucial neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls autonomic functions such as breathing and heartbeat, to withstand low oxygen levels due to hemorrhage.

Another mechanism may be that hydrogen sulfide, which is naturally present in the blood, is lost during hemorrhage and must be replaced to maintain life processes.

In April 2005 Roth and colleagues made headlines worldwide when they reported, in the journal Science, the first use of H₂S to induce a state of reversible hibernation in mice. Roth's latest research represents the next step in demonstrating hydrogen sulfide's potential to treat ischemic injuries caused by conditions such as severe blood loss, hypothermia, cardiac arrest and stroke.

Note for media only:
To arrange an interview with Roth or obtain a copy of The Journal of Trauma Injury, Infection, and Critical Care paper, "Surviving Blood Loss Using Hydrogen Sulfide," please contact Kristen Woodward, Hutchinson Center Media Relations, at (206) 667-5095 or kwoodwar@fhcrc.org.

Media Contact
Kristen Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

# # #

Symptom screening plus a simple blood test equals a 20 percent jump in early detection of ovarian cancer

June 23, 2008

SEATTLE — June 23, 2008 — Women's reports of persistent, recent-onset symptoms linked to ovarian cancer — abdominal or pelvic pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and abdominal bloating — when combined with the CA125 blood test may improve the early detection of ovarian cancer by 20 percent, according to new findings by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center published online today in CANCER.

Research has found that when used alone, a simple four-question symptom-screening questionnaire and the CA125 ovarian-cancer blood test each detect about 60 percent of women with early-stage ovarian cancer and 80 percent of those with late-stage disease. This study found that when used together, the questionnaire and blood test may boost early-detection rates to more than 80 percent and late-stage detection rates to more than 95 percent.

"Of course, it is the increase in the detection of early-stage disease that is the most exciting," said lead author M. Robyn Andersen, Ph.D., an associate member of the Public Health Sciences Division at the Hutchinson Center. Cure rates for those diagnosed when the disease is confined to the ovary are approximately 70 percent to 90 percent. However, more than 70 percent of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed with advanced-stage disease, when the survival rate is only 20 percent to 30 percent.

"This research suggests that if a woman has one or more symptoms that are new for her, having begun within the past year, and if the symptoms happen nearly daily or at least 12 times a month, that may well be a signal to go in and discuss those symptoms with her doctor," Andersen said. "It's probably not going to be ovarian cancer, just as most breast lumps are not breast cancer, but it's still a sign that it might be worth checking with her doctor to see if a CA125 blood test and transvaginal ultrasound may be appropriate."

Assessing the symptoms included in the symptom-screening index may already be done by some doctors based on a consensus statement issued last year by the National Institutes of Health. The researchers hope their symptom index will help doctors know which among their patients who complain of symptoms such as abdominal swelling and pelvic pain might have cancer.

The symptom-screening index, developed in 2006 by paper co-author Barbara A. Goff, M.D., professor and director of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, is not used proactively in clinical general practice, but Andersen and colleagues are conducting a pilot study to assess the value of using it as a screening tool among normal-risk women as part of their routine medical-history assessment.

For the just-published study, the researchers administered the symptom questionnaire to 75 women about to undergo surgery for pelvic masses who were later diagnosed with ovarian cancer (the case group), and 254 healthy women at high risk for ovarian cancer due to a family history of the disease (the control, or comparison, group). The cases were recruited through Pacific Gynecology Specialists at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, and the controls were recruited through the Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Study, a joint project of the Hutchinson Center and the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research.

The National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research and the Canary Foundation supported this research.

Note for media only:
To arrange an interview with Andersen or obtain a copy of the paper, "Combining a Symptoms Index with CA 125 to Improve Detection of Ovarian Cancer," please contact Kristen Woodward, Hutchinson Center Media Relations, at (206) 667-5095 or kwoodwar@fhcrc.org.

Media Contact
Kristen Woodward
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
(206) 667-5095
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org

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