Jeffrey D. White, M.D., director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, will speak at City of Hope’s first complementary medicine research meeting.
A medical oncologist and cancer researcher, White will give an update of ongoing complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) research funded by the NCI. In addition, White will lead a grant workshop on how to prepare grant proposals related to complementary and alternative medicine. He is scheduled to address attendees at the first CAM Research Symposium at City of Hope, held May 15.
 Lily Lai co-leads a complementary and alternative medicine task force at City of Hope. (Photo by Markie Ramirez ) |
The Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Resource Center and Integrative Medicine Task Force are supporting the half-day conference, which will offer continuing medical education credit.
“We’re very excited to be able to bring Dr. White’s expertise to our physicians and scientists at City of Hope,” said Lily Lai, M.D., co-chair of City of Hope’s Integrative Medicine Task Force. “In addition, the symposium will include talks about ongoing CAM studies here on campus, and so, it will offer data from work by our own researchers.”
The symposium will feature results from four teams of City of Hope researchers who received CAM Research Grants from the Biller Patient and Family Resource Center and Integrative Medicine Task Force in 2008, the first year grants were awarded. Melanie Palomares, M.D., M.S., medical oncologist and epidemiologist, is symposium chair.
Two preclinical and two clinical teams received funding. They included these projects:
• “Modulation of Metastatic Potential of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells by Blueberry Extract” — Lynn Adams, Ph.D., and Shiuan Chen, Ph.D.
• “Identification of CAM Agents for the Treatment of Diabetes and Colon Cancer” — Barry Forman, M.D., Ph.D., Ruth B. and Robert K. Lanman Chair in Gene Regulation and Drug Discovery Research
• “Art Therapy Interventions with Caregivers Supporting Pediatric Patients Who Are Undergoing Bone Marrow Transplants for Cancer” — Kate Kravits, R.N., M.A., and Ellen Bolotin, M.D., Ph.D.
• “Use of Preoperative Hypnosis to Reduce Postoperative Pain and Anesthesia-related Side Effects” — Michael Lew, M.D., Carlos Garberoglio, M.D., and Kate Kravits, R.N., M.A.
“We hope these pilot studies will create opportunities for researchers to obtain external funding to expand their investigations,” said Annette Mercurio, M.P.H., C.H.E.S., director of programs for the Biller Patient and Family Resource Center and co-chair of the Integrative Medicine Task Force’s grant committee.
CAM, also called integrative medicine, includes a variety of health-related systems, practices and products considered outside of today’s conventional medicine, according to the National Institutes of Health. Examples include traditional Chinese medicine, music therapy, homeopathy and Ayurvedic practices, as well as supplements and mind-body therapies including meditation.
The CAM Research Symposium will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on May 15 in Cooper Auditorium. In addition, the workshop on CAM grant preparation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Needleman 1 Conference Room. Breakfast and lunch are provided, but attendees must make reservations by May 11. For more information or to R.S.V.P., call ext. 62682.
