May 06, 2008
Event highlights areas of kidney/renal and prostate cancer research
Grand Rapids, MI (May 6, 2008) – Van Andel Institute hosted the 2008 Michigan Prostate Research Colloquium on Friday and Saturday, May 2-3, an annual event that provides research institutions an opportunity to share their latest research with peers. This year’s event, entitled “Frontiers in Urologic Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies” focused on kidney/renal and prostate cancer research.
Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), Wayne State University’s Department of Pathology, Henry Ford Health System’s Vattikuti Urology Institute and University of Michigan’s Department of Urology co-sponsored the event, which attracted over 60 participants from research organizations throughout the state. Participants attended keynote addresses by Judith Campisi, Ph.D., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Eric Jonasch, M.D., University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“The colloquium enables investigators from some of the most highly-respected research institutions in the state to come together in one place each year to share research, learn from one another’s findings and sow the seeds of collaboration,” said Van Andel Research Institute Distinguished Scientific Investigator Bin Tean Teh, Ph.D., one of the event organizers.
Zhongfa (Jacob) Zhang (VARI) won top honors in the research poster contest for his poster entitled “Hif2Alpha rather than Hif1Alpha Predicts Poor Prognosis in Clear Cell RCC.” Second prize went to Kannagi Chinnakannu of Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) and third prize was awarded to Sivalokanathan Sarveswaran also of HFHS .
Participants represented research institutions from throughout the state of Michigan including: Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, University of Michigan, Vattikuti Urology Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Spectrum Health and Grand Valley State University and Van Andel Research Institute..
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Established by Jay and Betty Van Andel in 1996, Van Andel Institute is an independent research organization dedicated to preserving, enhancing and expanding the frontiers of medical science, and to achieving excellence in education by probing fundamental issues of education and the learning process.