President's Message

The SITC 2011 election is right around the corner! Voting for the 2011 election will open on September 26th and run through October 14th. All regular members of SITC are invited to help determine the future of the Society by casting your vote in the 2011 election process. On the ballot, you will be able to voice your opinion on:

• SITC Secretary/Treasurer
• Three (3) At-Large Director Positions on the SITC Board of Directors
• Suggested Changes to the SITC Bylaws

Votes can be submitted online, via fax or mail. Please watch for follow up emails from SITC in the coming weeks with additional information about the election.

As President of SITC, I encourage our members to vote in this upcoming election -- now is the time for your voice to be heard!

Sincerely,

Thomas F. Gajewski, MD, PhD
SITC President
 

SITC in Action

SITC to Partner with the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology on Joint Symposium

SITC will partner with the largest clinical oncology professional organization in China, the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), for a joint symposium on September 16, 2011 in Xiamen, China. The symposium is part of the 14th Chinese National Clinical Oncology Conference & CSCO 2011 Annual Meeting, which takes place September 14-18, 2011. This initial meeting between SITC and CSCO, will cover recent developments in cancer immunotherapy and agents approved in the United States. Co-chaired by Shu-Kui Qin, MD, President of CSCO, Dr. Wenru Song of The Chinese American Hematologist Oncologist Network (CAHON), and Dr. Bernard A. Fox, Immediate Past President of SITC, the symposium is expected to reach some 5,000 clinical oncologists, investigators and trainees who are interested in the science, regulation and clinical application of cancer immunotherapies. The conference will include advances in cancer immunotherapy; the science and
clinical application of sipuleucel-T for the treatment of prostate cancer; the biology of CTLA-4 blockade and the clinical application of ipilimumab for melanoma treatment; regulation of cellular therapy; and cancer immunotherapy from the Chinese perspective. This collaborative program is unique in that it promotes meaningful scientific interaction and collaboration between SITC and CSCO and the broad audience of Chinese clinical oncologists.

SITC would like to thank Dendreon for their generous support of this joint symposium.

Melanoma Research: A Bridge from Naples to the World

The second annual meeting of Melanoma Research: A Bridge from Naples to the World, will take place December 5–6, 2011, in Naples, Italy. Organized by Paolo A. Ascierto, MD, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale and SITC Vice President, Francesco Marincola, MD, National Institutes of Health (NIH), this meeting will bring together a congress of international faculty members to discuss the recent advances in melanoma molecular biology, immunology and therapy. Collaborating organizations for this meeting include: SITC, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), INT Fondazione G. Pascale and Fondazione Melanoma ONLUS. This meeting is held under the auspicies of: Italian Melanoma Intergroup (IMI) and the Italian Network for Biotherapy of Tumors (NIBIT). SITC encourages all its members to attend this very special meeting. For more information, please click on the link below.

Articles of Interest

Research Takes Resources, Act Now!

Medical research funding is critical to our nation’s health, competitiveness, and economic vitality. As legislators begin the fiscal year 2012 appropriations process, it’s crucial that we take action and speak out on the importance of funding for medical research. Mary Woolley, President of Research!America, a not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance, recently posted a letter on the Research!America website in which she included tips on how to write an effective letter to the editor, along with templates you can use to write your own medical research advocacy letter. We urge you to write a letter to your representative today! To access Mary Woolley’s letter click on this link.

September Is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and Malecare, a national nonprofit volunteer men’s cancer support group and advocacy organization recently posted an article on their website encouraging readers to build awareness for prostate cancer by lighting a blue bulb every night during the month of September. To access the article click on this link.

In light of recent advances in prostate cancer research, the SITC 26th Annual Meeting will feature a disease specific plenary session on Sunday, November 6, titled Prostate Cancer as a Learning Model.

Events Calendar

Find the latest meeting announcements and important dates to remember here:

• September – Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
• September 16 – Early Registration Deadline for the SITC 26th Annual Meeting
• September 16 – Exhibitor Application Deadline for the SITC 26th Annual Meeting
• September 16 – SITC /CSCO Joint Symposium in Xiamen, China
• September 26 – Voting Opens for the 2011 SITC Election
• October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• October 3 – Hotel Reservation Deadline for the SITC 26th Annual Meeting

Community Update

SITC would like to welcome the following new members for the month of August:

• John H. Stewart, MD
• Bitao Liang, PhD
• Stewart E. Abbot, PhD
• Steffen Walter, PhD
• Edward J. Roy, PhD
• Craig Dee, PhD
• Stephanie A. Schittone, PhD
• Krithika N. Kodumudi, PhD
• Ms. Yishan Chuang
• Dean A. Lee, MD, PhD
• Stephen E. Wright, MD
• Sarah Church, MS
• Laura A. Johnson, PhD

SITC Highlights

Early Registration and Hotel Reservaton Deadline Approaching

Discounts are available to delegates and guests that register for the SITC 26th Annual Meeting & Associated Programs, before the September 16 early registration deadline. Take advantage of lower rates and register today!

A block of hotel rooms has been reserved at the meeting venue, the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel in Bethesda, MD. Housing reservations can be made online up until the October 3 housing deadline. Room rates established for the meeting will be available three (3) days before and three (3) days after the meeting dates, subject to availability at the time of booking. A limited number of discounted rooms are available for students/post doctorial fellows. For these student rate rooms, please contact the SITC office at 414-271-2456. Visit the SITC website at www.sitcancer.org or click on this link for complete hotel reservation information.

Abstract Submission Highly Successful

We are pleased to announce that a total of 228 scientific abstracts were submitted for presentation at the SITC 26th Annual Meeting, surpassing last year’s numbers in both late breaking abstract submissions and total submissions! This heightened interest in presenting basic, translational and clinical research results in tumor immunology and cancer immunotherapy at the SITC Annual Meeting underscores the rapid growth and recent successes in the field. The abstract submission period is now closed. SITC would like to thank all of the investigators who contributed to this important science by submitting an abstract.

Thank you SITC 26th Annual Meeting & Associated Programs Supporters

SITC would like to thank the following gold and silver level supporters of the SITC 26th Annual Meeting & Associated Programs:

Platinum



Gold


Silver
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute

Purchase Your “Friend of the Society” Ribbon

Purchase your “Friend of the Society” ribbon to show your support for the field! Ribbons may be acquired for a minimum donation of $50. All proceeds go to the SITC Trust to support research, training and education. “Friend of the Society” ribbons can be purchased on the SITC 26th Annual Meeting registration form.

If you will not be attending the SITC 26th Annual Meeting, but you would like to support the mission of the SITC Trust with a contribution, please click on this link to the SITC Trust Donation Form.

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