MRS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011

MRS NEWS Notes from the President

Greetings from Down Under

As we shake off the coughs and colds from winter down under (see above!), and y’all up North near the end of summer, thanks to Amy and Carrie for another compilation of news, events and activities. Special thanks to Jonathan and Sue for coordinating this issue. As described on page 5, we continue our planning for the 2012 MRS congress. In this issue, however, we focus our attention on the “New Concepts in Cancer Metastasis” meeting that was co-sponsored by TuMIC, MRS, and Champalimaud Foundation. By all measures, the conference, which took place in Lisbon’s fabulous Champalimaud Centre, Lisbon, was a tremendous success. A hearty congratulations to Jonathan Sleeman who worked tirelessly to organize this innovative and inspiring meeting. In addition to great science, Sue Eccles did an

incredible job of engaging younger members for Young MRS Ambassadors, as detailed inside. Key ongoing issues for the MRS are the MRS 2012 congress, improving the website and outreach to new members. In exciting news from down under, Robin and I have kicked off OzMRS – an Australian metastasis interest group aligned with the MRS. We’ll have an inaugural one-day symposium on Oct 27 at St. Vincent’s Institute, Melbourne (see flyer attached). In addition to international speakers, we will have short talks from Australasian students, post-docs and early career researchers Hope to see you at TEMTIA-V in Singapore! Please send your ideas. We want to hear from you!

Best, Rik

Bringing Metastasis Research to You!

SEPTEMBER 2011

Special Features:

Regular Features:

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Report of the Joint TuMIC-MRS – Champalimaud Foundation Conference

MRS 2012: The 14th International Biennial Congress of the MRS in Brisbane, Australia

Featured Scientist: Dr. Li Yang, National Cancer Institute

New Impact Factor of 4.113 for Clinical & Experimental Metastasis

Please visit us at metastasis-research.org

By Erik (Rik) Thompson, Ph.D. St. Vincent’s Institute & University of Melbourne

Department of Surgery, St. Vincent’s Hospital

President, Metastasis Research Society, 2010-2012

Upcoming Meetings

Members in the Spotlight: Drs. Rajeev Samant and Lalita Shevde-Samant, Mitchell Cancer Institute

We want your news! As you can see by our new look the MRS Newsletter is undergoing some important changes. Our goal is to make this newsletter and the MRS YOUR society. To this end we need your news and your input. Contacts for the Newsletter Production and Website Improvement are detailed on Page 6 of this newsletter. Please take a moment to share your news and views with us!

Consider joining the MRS. The MRS leadership is working to reinvigorate the society and bring new people and ideas to the society. As part of this process we are sending out newsletters to a broader audience so more people can learn about the MRS. Please consider joining our efforts. Joining is really easy! Just follow the instructions for joining the society which are provided on our website (www.metastasis-research.org). We hope to hear from you soon!

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Ideas for Showcasing Younger Members in the MRS Newsletter 7

This issue edited by Jonathan Sleeman, University of Heidelberg and Sue Eccles, The Institute of Cancer Research

Young Investigators at the 2011 Lisbon Meeting 6

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Tumor metastasis remains the prime cause of death for cancer patients. Therefore it is imperative that we properly understand the process of metastasis so that suitable strategies can be designed for improved diagnosis, prognostic evaluation and therapeutic intervention. In recent years a number of seminal observations have been made which have challenged prevailing paradigms about the process of metastasis. These observations have opened up new areas of research that hold the promise of uncovering the secrets of metastasis. In turn, this will pave the way to much improved management of metastatic disease. The aim of the conference “New concepts in cancer metastasis” was to bring together key researchers from across the world working in a number of these recently emerging areas in metastasis research, including the role of cancer stem cells, the metastatic niche and regulation of metastasis through the microenvironment, as well as mechanisms of tumor cell dissemination, EMT, and organ-

Conference photograph of all participants assembled in the outdoor amphitheatre of the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown. Photo taken by the Champalimaud photographer.

specific metastasis. Reflecting its far-reaching ambitions, the conference was a joint venture between the MRS, TuMIC and the Champalimaud Foundation. Being held in Europe, the conference represents an important step towards the aim of the MRS to move from a biannual meeting to an annual meeting, as well as to hold its meetings all around the world to represent and attract a fully inter-national membership. Members of the society were able to attend the conference at reduced registration rates; an benefit of being an MRS member. The TuMIC consortium (http://www.ma.uni-heidelberg.de/inst/cbtm/mbio/tumic/) is a European Union-funded metastasis research initiative that aims to investigate and integrate newly emerging principles and ideas with the different hypotheses that have until now tried to explain the process of metastasis. A grant from the European Union as part of this initiative provided a significant proportion of the funding for the meeting. Continued on page 4

Report of the Joint TuMIC-MRS – Champalimaud Foundation Conference, June 2011, Portugal

By Jonathan Sleeman, Ph.D., University of Heidelberg

The Champalimaud Foundation (http://www.fchampalimaud.org/) provided a truly outstanding and awe-inspiring venue, namely the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, an award-winning complex of clinics and laboratories designed by the architect Charles Correa. ��� This complex houses the Champalimaud Cancer Centre, a comprehensive facility dedicated to research, prevention and treatment of metastatic disease that was inaugurated in October 2010. The Champalimaud Cancer Centre aims to bring thirty research groups focused on metastasis together with clinicians treating metastatic disease in a venture that holds great promise for a major international impact. The conference was opened by a gracious and inspiring welcome to participants from Jonathan Sleeman (TuMIC coordinator), António Parreira (Clinical Director at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown), and Rik Thompson (President of the MRS). Thereafter

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Dr. Li Yang finished her Ph.D. training with Dr. David Carbone, and postdoc training with Dr Harold Moses at Vanderbilt University. She joined the NCI as a tenure track investigator in January 2009. Her laboratory, as part of Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, CCR, focuses on TGF-β , inflammation and tumor microenvironment, is devoted to understanding TGFß regulation of tumor metastasis.

TGFβ is a fascinating molecule that can promote tumor metastasis in the later stage of cancer, but paradoxically, TGFβ also functions as a tumor suppressor in the early stage. It is unclear what controls this functional switch and when it occurs. These are important biological questions and have significant implication in TGFβ targeted therapy. Dr. Yang’s research suggests that host derived Gr-1+CD11b+ cells in the tumor microenvironment may be a critical player in this process. In addition, host derived immature myeloid cells also modulate distant lung environment in tumor-bearing mice prior to the arrival of tumor cells, through induction of growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, and chemokines.

Featured Scientist: Li Yang, Ph.D. National Cancer Institute Center, Bethesda, Maryland

Dr. Yang’s research takes this new angle of the tumor host interaction. Her team uses focused genetic models in which TGFβ R2 receptor is specifically deleted in tumor cells, or host immature myeloid cells or cancer associated fibroblasts. One apparent mechanism involves inflammatory reaction. We hope our research will provide insight for TGFβ regulation of tumor metastasis. Recent publications: Yang L. TGFbeta and cancer metastasis: an inflammation link. Cancer Metastasis Rev 29, 263-71, 2010 Yan, H. H., Pickup, M., Li, S., Gorska, A., Chytil, A., Geng, Y. P., Min, Y. F., Jerome, W., Lin, C. P., Moses, H. L., Yang, L. Gr-1+CD11b+ myeloid cells tip the balance of immune protection to tumor promotion in the premetastatic lung. Cancer Research, 70:6139, 2010

Yang, L., Huang J. H., Ren, X., Gorska, A. E., Chytil, A., Aakre, M., Carbone, P. D., Matrisian, L. M., Richmond, A., Lin, P. C., Moses, H. L. Abrogation of TGFß signaling in mammary carcinomas recruits myeloid immune suppressor cells that promote metastasis. Cancer Cell 13:23, 2008

By Patricia Steeg, Ph.D., National Cancer Institute

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Upcoming meetings

NEW IMPACT FACTOR of 4.113 for Clinical & Experimental Metastasis

The Editors of Clinical & Experimental Metastasis – the official journal of the MRS, are pleased to announce the latest impact factor for our journal. The impact factor has risen steadily over the past few years, to a new high of 4.113, up from 3.910 in 2009. We would like to encourage all members to consider publishing their manuscripts in CEM as it is the leading journal for metastasis related articles and its impact factor is likely to continue to maintain its steady rise of the past few years. In future issues of the Newsletter, we intend to highlight papers published in CEM. Please visit the MRS website at www.metastasis-research.org for directions on how to submit a manuscript to CEM.

From the Editors: Sue Eccles, Ph.D., Tatsuro Irimura, Ph.D. and Robin Anderson, Ph.D.

CEM is the official journal of the MRS.

The poster session at the 2011 Lisbon Conference. followed more than three days of an intense and fully packed programme in which recent and unpublished data of the highest quality were presented and discussed. In addition to invited speakers, many abstracts were chosen for oral presentation, providing a great opportunity and experience for many younger scientists at the Doctoral and Post Doctoral levels. Two lively poster sessions provided further opportunities for the energetic exchange of data and ideas, fostered by the excellent standard of the research presented in the posters. The conference discussion also gave participants the opportunity to stand back and assess how the field is developing. It was particularly exciting

to see that several research areas are coming together to give clearer picture of how metastasis works. Many MRS members gave talks, either as invited speakers or as oral presentations selected from submitted abstracts. It was very encouraging to see that the MRS attracts membership from a broad cross section of the metastasis research community, and that its members carry out work of the highest calibre. Even more inspiring were the bright and enthusiastic young scientists who are pursuing careers in metastasis-related research. It was exciting to hear their new ideas and be part of the launching of their careers.

Report of Lisbon Conference…(Continued from page 2)

Champalimaud Center (aerial view) showing its curving open architecture, which gives access to waterfront.

The amphitheater where partic-ipants enjoyed outstanding talks which addressed crucial aspects of metastasis.

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MRS 2012!

As Vice President of the MRS it is particularly exciting to watch the careers of scientists progress and flourish. Such is the case for Drs. Rajeev Samant and Lalita Shevde-Samant; long time members of the MRS. Specifically, young scientists from their laboratories were recognized and honored at the 2011 AACR meeting in Orlando, FL. Dr. Rajeev Samant’s laboratory at the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Cancer Institute (USA-MCI) is focused on understanding the process of epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) and developing strategies to intervene and reverse this process in tumor cells. Dr. Samant’s graduate student, Mr. Daniel Devine, was selected as a Finalist for the Scholar-in-training award at the AACR meeting. Mr. Devine presented his research in a

platform presentation at the AACR meeting. His talk focused on a novel molecule, N-Myc Interactor (NMI) that was first characterized for its role in decreasing the aggressiveness of cancer cells in the laboratory of Dr. Samant. Dr. Lalita Shevde-Samant, also a Faculty at USA-MCI, works on understanding the role of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in modulating the tumor microenvironment. The work mentored by Dr. Shevde-Samant earned her graduate student, Ms. Lillianne Harris, the AACR-WICR (Women in Cancer Research) Scholar Award. The research presented detailed autocrine Hh signaling that promotes tumor growth, as well as paracrine Hh signaling that promotes tumor vasculature. The WICR Scholar Award is a highly competitive award

Rajeev Samant, Ph.D. and Lalita Shevde-Samant, Ph.D., both of Mitchell Cancer Institute

The Samant Lab: (left to right) Rajeev Samant, Daniel Devine, Lillian Harris, and Lalita Shevde-Samant.

presented to women scientists-in-training who present meritorious scientific research at the AACR meeting. This year, 30 awardees were selected from a pool of nearly 200 applicants. We wish the best to these outstanding young investigators and their mentors.

Members in the Spotlight: Cancer Research from South Alabama

Please join us for MRS 2012 in beautiful Brisbane, Australia

The 14th International Biennial Congress of the Metastasis Research Society is set for the 2nd to 6th September 2012 at the Brisbane

Convention Centre, Brisbane, Australia.

The 2012 meeting is taking shape with the Japanese (JAMR) and Chinese (CMRS) societies are now formally serving as co-convenors. Welcome to Shun'ichiro Taniguchi, (Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Matsumoto City, Japan) and Wei-Gang Fang (Peking University Health Science Center, China) respectively. We thank you for your involvement in the 2012 Congress.

I am also delighted to report that the AACR-TME will sponsor one session at the 2012 MRS congress. Yves De Clerck, Chair of the TME working group is a member of our geographically balanced International Program Committee IPC. We are excited to have sessions on: Stress, Chaperones, Metabolism; Organo-tropism; Microenvironment and Inflammation; Stem cells and EMT/MET; the Pre-metastatic niche; an Imaging Workshop; Clinical aspects – clinical trials; and CTC/DTC and Dormancy.

In response to your suggestions, two Young Investigator Sessions will be organized and run by MRS Young Ambassadors (see inside), with two speakers each from Japan, China, USA, Europe and Australia. We also pleased to that Dr. Josh Fidler will give a Plenary lecture and will present the Inaugural I.J. "Josh" Fidler Innovation in Metastasis Research Award. We will also award the long-standing Paget-Ewing Award to an outstanding metastasis researcher. It is shaping up to be an exciting meeting and we hope to see all of you there!

By Rik Thompson (convenor) and Robin Anderson (co-convenor)

Save the dates and pre-register your interest by visiting http://www.metastasis-research2012.org/

By Carrie Rinker-Schaeffer, Ph.D., The University of Chicago

MRS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011

The Buzz on Champalimaud Young Investigators Share Their Interest in Metastasis Research at the magnificent

Centro de Champalimaud parao Desconhecido

By Carl Schaeffer, Homewood-Flossmoor High School, USA

Young investigators with MRS President, Rik Thompson and Sue Eccles at the 2011 Lisbon Meeting This past summer I had the honor of attending the “New Concepts in Cancer Metastasis” meeting at the Champalimaud Center for the Unknown in Lisbon Portugal. It was a great experience for my family and me. It was great to see the posters and even hear some talks. There were many young scientists there from all over the world. As a young person, it was exciting to meet people from Germany, Japan, Italy, Norway, Israel, Portugal, Australia, France, Canada, and, of course, the United States. As seen in this picture above, there are many young people who are interested in getting involved in MRS. This is great because Dr. Susan Eccles and Dr. Rik Thompson (seen in picture), as well as other senior scientists (like my mom Dr. Carrie Rinker-Schaeffer) are excited to have them participate in this society. I have been attending meetings since I was 3 years old – they are awesome! Another exciting part of the meeting was getting to tour the Champalimaud Center. It was so amazing; I decided to do some research1. It turns out that the Center, which is located at the mouth of the Tagus River, is the dream of António de Sommer Champalimaud who was a well-known entrepreneur, banker, and industrialist, but was best known for being the wealthiest man in

Portugal. The center focuses on research in Neuroscience and Metastasis. It also has clinics for treating patients with diseases in both of these areas. The architect who designed the Center is Charles Correa, who is a major figure in contemporary architecture around the world. In my view the design of the building is revolutionary. He implemented references to the great Portuguese explorers such as windows that resemble portholes of a ship. Other unique features are a tranquil rainforest and soothing colors such as yellow and blue which are especially nice for patients who are coming there for treatment. I was lucky enough to meet and speak with Mr. Correa, who told me that the rainforest is there to keep people’s tranquility in place. Another interesting feature is that all

of the laboratories are glassed-in so that you can see scientists working on their research. Our tour guide explained that this allows patients coming to the clinics to see researchers making discoveries. This “openness” is also reflected by the fact that the two buildings that comprise the center are interconnected by what looks like a giant glass tube, however, they call it a glass bridge.

Overall, the Champalimaud Center is amazing. Clearly Mr. Correa and the Foundation had the time, money, focus and, of course, construction to make something unique in the world. It is so fortunate that center focuses on metastasis! So if you are a metastasis researcher of any age you should visit this place! It’s a revolutionary place that all began with a man’s dream, which came true in Lisbon in 2010. 1Wikipedia and the Champalimaud Center for the Unknown Website

Charles Correa

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Ideas for Showcasing Younger Members in the MRS Newsletter

Thank you again to all for your wonderful contributions to the September MRS News. This edition of the MRS News focuses on the exciting Lisbon Conference. Between the great science and beautiful scenery, I envy those that attended. Fortunately, there is another exciting MRS conference taking place September 2-6, 2012 in Brisbane, Australia. From the advertisements, it promises to have equally fantastic science, speakers, posters, views and more. Between now and the 2012 conference, each edition of the MRS News will feature an update of this conference. I urge you to register and attend Metastasis 2012 in beautiful Brisbane. Grab your hat and walking shoes and please join us for this distinctive metastasis research sharing experience. As always, please continue to SEND ME YOUR NEWS AND COMMENTS at ajohnson13@uchciago.edu.

WEBSITE ENHANCEMENT INITIATIVE Led by Conor Lynch, Ph.D. - Moffitt Cancer Center

This summer, the web enhancement committee (WEC) has focused on defining areas for re-development on the MRS website (www.metastasis-research.org). We will be providing the Society’s Board of Directors with our report in the fall and anticipate that the new web-site will be rolled-out in the spring of 2012. Pending the Board’s approval, key updates will include a dynamic front page that will allow visitors to; get up-to-date information on conferences; find out the latest breaking high impact publications in the areas of metastasis research; updates and news in the field; highlights of awards and achievements of our members in addition to an op-ed President’s corner. The member’s area will also be revamped with; improvements to the membership application/renewal process; the inclusion of a membership directory wherein members can elect to include their contact information as well as their availability to help review and critique the work/grants of other members and; the ability of members to submit and comment on news updates and advances in the field. We think that these changes and others will make the Society’s website a go-to place for metastasis researchers!

NEWSLETTER IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE Produced by Amy Johnson, Managing Editor, The University of Chicago

By Dr. Lalita Samant, Mitchell Cancer Institute We would like to start a segment in our MRS Newsletter to showcase young members of our society. This will introduce them to the other MRS members at large and also provide a platform for the young members to introduce themselves, their science and some tid-bits about themselves. It also provides a venue for future job opportunities, collaborations and e-networking! In future newsletters this section will be used for this segment. I hope to inspire you to use this space as your canvas to allow us to know a little bit about you and your work. Your article can be an essay or short answers to writing prompts – whatever you like! I understand that writing about oneself can be a daunting task. So if you hit a wall or run out of ideas, we’ve provided below a few questions that you can use as a template for a profile in this segment. You do not need to answer every question: choose your favorites. These are simply

prompts for the sort of information I believe will be of interest to the larger Metastasis Research Society Membership. Please include your name, affiliation, mentor, research project/interests, key publications, how long you have been in the field of metastasis research and a photograph. Some samples of writing prompts for personal information are provided below. Again, please answer as few or as many as you like or substitute your own. Examples of prompts include:

• In 10 years I want to be... • My dream/goal is... • My biggest concern about a career in research is... • One thing that would revolutionize my working life would be... • I would like to be remembered for... • My biggest mistake was... • My advice for those just entering the field is… • I get on my soapbox about…

• I would like to sneak a peek at … • The best decision I ever made was… • The one thing that I really love about being what/where I am now is… • Here is where I see cancer research going by the end of this decade… • My biggest graduate school nightmare was… • This is what keeps me going like a Duracell/Energizer bunny… • When I am not in the lab I… • I always wanted to be… • A person who has influenced me is… • My most memorable graduate school or postdoc moment was… Please submit your photograph and information to: Lalita Samant at lsamant@usouthal.edu. To kick off this segment, the November MRS News will showcase Dr. Clare Slaney of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.