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Dana-Farber's Belfer Institute to Lead Sessions at AACR Annual Meeting

Boston – March 26, 2012 - The Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science at Dana-FarberCancer Institute today announced that the Institute will present data, participate in panel discussions and lead educational sessions at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012, being held at McCormick Place in Chicago from Saturday, March 31 to Wednesday, April 4. The Belfer Institute of Applied Cancer Science is a fully integrated, collaborative cancer research center offering innovative drug discovery capabilities that range from the identification of cancer-causing genetic mutations to the full validation and selection of new drug targets. Working collaboratively together, across scientific disciplines, and closely with corporate partners, this team of distinguished faculty is driving the discovery of new cancer targets, defining the biological context of those targets and working to co-develop the next generation of novel cancer therapies.

“The Belfer Institute is honored to be presenting and speaking with top oncology researchers at the annual AACR meeting,” said Pasi Jänne, M.D., Ph.D., scientific director of the BelferInstitute for Applied Cancer Science. “There has been significant recent progress made in the growth and evolution of the Institute, as evidenced by the recent appointment of Jessie English, our new head of research, and in advancing our collaborations with our strategic partners Merck and Sanofi-Aventis. The Belfer Institute is built upon a tradition of research excellence and we look forward to translating this research into a revolutionary next generation of cancer therapies.”

The Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science schedule at AACR is as follows:

• On Saturday, March 31 at 8 a.m., Dr. Jänne will chair the educational session, “Established and Emerging Targets in Lung Cancer.” The session will be held 8-10 a.m. in Room S105 at McCormick Place South.
• On Monday, April 2 at 8:30 a.m., Jessie M. English, Ph.D., head of research of the BelferInstitute for Applied Cancer Science, will co-chair the professional advancement session,“WICR Career Mentoring Session.” The session will be held 8:30-10:30 a.m. in Continental Ballroom B-C at Hilton Chicago Hotel.
• On Monday, April 2 at 4:55 p.m., Dr. Jänne will be a discussant on the special symposium, “Clinical Trials Symposium 3: Clinical Trials of Novel Agents,” following the abstract presentations. The special symposium will be held 3-5:10 p.m. in Room W183 B/C at McCormick Place West. 
• On Tuesday, April 3 at 1:50 p.m., Dr. Jänne will give a presentation titled “Therapeutic strategies with mutant selective EGFR kinase inhibitors.” The presentation will be held as part of the session, “Targeting the EGFR Family with Small Molecules,” being held 1-3 p.m. in Room W181 at McCormick Place West.

About the Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science

The Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a fully integrated, collaborative cancer research center offering innovative drug discovery capabilities that range from the identification of cancer-causing genetic mutations to the full validation and selection of new drug targets. This unique approach enables the Institute to focus on the most promising early-stage biology to define the best targets and the optimal clinical path for targeted cancer therapies. Collaborating closely with strategic partners in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, the Institute’s proven team of leading scientists are translating key research findings into a revolutionary next generation of cancer therapies. The Belfer Institute was originally founded in 1999 and is part of Dana-Farber and affiliated with Harvard Medical School. For more information, please visit http://belferinstitute.dfci.harvard.edu/