Date
March 29, 2024
1–5:30 pm
Location
Huntsman Cancer Institute
Research South auditorium
We are thrilled to invite you to our Third Annual Project Next Symposium!
This innovative event will be hosted by the Breast and Gynecologic Cancers Research Advocate Committee. This symposium provides an opportunity for the next generation of scientists and clinicians to present their work and highlights the value of patient advocates.
Last year’s symposium attracted more than 50 attendees with diverse expertise and backgrounds. This year, we are excited to announce the symposium’s keynote speaker, Lisa Barroilhet, MD, MS,—a clinical associate professor and director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology and Clinical Research at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Our symposium will be held on Friday, March 29 from 1–5:30 pm at Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Research South auditorium. It will feature six oral presentations, a series of three-minute lightning talks on breast and gynecologic cancer research from graduate students, postdocs, staff scientists, and medical fellows, and a poster exhibit by patient advocates for presenters and attendees to get to know them better. Registration is not required, but we encourage you to participate!
We look forward to seeing you at the symposium,
Carla Lloyd, PhD
Chair, Breast & Gynecologic Cancers Research Advocate Committee
Alana Welm, PhD
Scientific Advisor, Breast & Gynecologic Cancers Research Advocate Committee
Lindsay Collin, PhD and Jake Polaski, PhD
Scientific Liaisons, Breast & Gynecologic Cancers Research Advocate Committee
Agenda
Plaza Space
Advocate Poster Exhibit
Better Together: How HCI advocates work with researchers and why this collaboration is valuable
Exhibit Explanation
Advocates share what they value most from working with researchers and what they hope to gain from future collaborations with them.
Meet and Greet (12:00–1:00pm)
- Advocate poster exhibit
- Coffee and cookies from BGCRA Committee Chair Carla Lloyd
Welcome and Symposium Overview (1:00–1:15pm)
- Alana Welm, Scientific Advisor, Breast & Gynecologic Cancer Research Advocate Committee
- Carla Lloyd, Chair & Research Advocate, BGCRA Committee
- Alana Welm, Memorial and Moment of Silence for Anna Erickson, Research Advocate, BGCRA Committee
Keynote Address (1:15–2:15pm)
- Alana Welm introduces speaker (1:15–1:20pm)
- Lisa Barroilhet, MD, MS, clinical associate professor and director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology and Clinical Research at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The Science and Strategy of Cancer Prevention (1:20–2:00pm)
- Q&A (2:00–2:15pm)
Keynote Speaker
Lisa Barroilhet, MD, MS
Clinical Associate Professor
Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology and Clinical Research
University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health
Presentation: “The Science and Strategy of Cancer Prevention“
Oral Presentations (2:15–3:15pm)
- Jake Polaski, Gynecologic Cancer Scientific Liaison introduces each presenter
- Three Oral Presentations with Q&A, 10-minute talk followed by 5 minutes Q&A
- “Investigation of estrogen receptor binding control in breast and endometrial cancer
Alexandra Richey
Graduate student, Gertz Lab - “MCAM alters mammary cell fate during development and breast cancer“
Brooke Gates
Graduate student, Spike Lab - “Enhancing the utility of progestin therapy in endometrial cancer”
Craig Rush
Post-doctoral fellow, Gertz Lab
- “Investigation of estrogen receptor binding control in breast and endometrial cancer
- Two advocate talks: Sara Orgill & Karen Strauss
Oral Presentations (3:15–4:15pm)
- Lindsay Collin, Breast cancer scientific liaison, introduces each presenter
- Three oral presentations with Q&A, 10-minute talk followed by 5 minutes Q&A
- “Harnessing patient derived models to understand tumor evolution in breast cancer“
Zannel Blanchard
Post-doctoral fellow, A. Welm Lab - “Investigating epigenetic changes in disseminating breast cancer cells and metastases by rapid autopsy”
Michael Emch
Post-doctoral fellow, Varley Lab - “Understanding tumor dormancy to prevent recurrence in hormone receptor positive breast cancer patients”
Alessandra Riggio
Post-doctoral fellow, A. Welm Lab
- “Harnessing patient derived models to understand tumor evolution in breast cancer“
- Two advocates talks: Toni Allman & Rebecca Cressman
Refreshments (4:15–4:45pm)
Catered by Upscale Comfort Food
Lightning Talks (4:45–5:45pm)
- Six three-minute presentations followed by 2 minutes Q&A
- “Investigating the role between self-reported health-related quality of life and intention to change dietary behaviors among the ovarian health and lifestyle study cohort”
Kandyce Keller
Ovarian Health & Lifestyle study coordinator, Doherty Lab - “Using data from cancer cases and controls to improve the classification of sequence variants observed during genetic testing of cancer susceptibility genes”
Scott Pew
Graduate student, Tavtigian Lab - “Investigating a potential immunotherapy for breast cancer bone metastasis”
Clint Valencia
Graduate Student, A. Welm Lab - “Understanding resistance to targeted therapies in breast cancer”
Elisabeth Brown
Graduate student, A. Welm Lab - “Understanding the immune response against breast cancer”
Marija Nadjsombati
Post-doctoral fellow, A. Welm Lab - “Finding the unknown in the cancer risk”
Ishor Thapa
Graduate Student, Tavtigian Lab
- “Investigating the role between self-reported health-related quality of life and intention to change dietary behaviors among the ovarian health and lifestyle study cohort”
Closing, Awards Announcements, and Thanks (5:45–6:00pm)
- Alana Welm
- Jake Polaski and Lindsay Collin
- Carla Lloyd