COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) announces the following awards, honors, grants and more that were recently given to the organization, teams or individuals: Grant-funded project will help determine optimal design of tiered taxes on electronic cigarettes The National Cancer Institute has awarded a five-year grant of $3.14 million to help OSUCCC – James researchers address knowledge gaps about the design and effectiveness of tiered tax rates on electronic cigarette (EC) smoking among adolescents and young adults. Principal investigator for this study is Ce Shang, PhD, associate professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at Ohio State and a member of both the Cancer Control Program and the Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science at the OSUCCC – James. Dr. Shang is a health economist with extensive experience in regulatory science. New grant-funded study will help researchers devise strategies for preventing and treating PTLD Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a leading cause of death in patients following solid organ transplants, but a five-year, $1.83 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) will help OSUCCC – James researchers find new strategies for preventing PTLD and improving patient outcomes. Robert Baiocchi, MD, PhD, professor in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State and member of the Leukemia and Hematologic Malignancies (LHM) Program at the OSUCCC – James, is principal investigator (PI) and project leader. Other PIs are Christopher Oakes, PhD, and Timothy Voorhees, MD, who are also in the Division of Hematology. Dr. Oakes is in the LHM Program and Dr. Voorhees is in the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James. Researchers gain NCI grant to study how altering human gut microbiome may improve cancer immunotherapy A two-year grant of nearly $414,000 from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) will help OSUCCC – James researchers study how modifying a family of bacteria in the human gut microbiome may improve patient responses to a form of cancer therapy called immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Principal investigator (PI) is Daniel Spakowicz, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at Ohio State and a member of the Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program at the OSUCCC – James. His new NCI R21 grant supports exploratory cancer research at early conceptual stages. This work began as a 2018 clinical trial award that Dr. Spakowicz received from Pelotonia with co-PIs Steven Clinton, MD, PhD, and David Carbone, MD, PhD. Rolfo selected to receive prestigious international award Christian Rolfo, MD, PhD, MBA, Dr.hc, professor and director of the Division of Medical Oncology at Ohio State, was selected to receive the Palermo University Prize from the University of Palermo, Italy, for his contributions to liquid biopsy and his longstanding academic collaboration with the university. Liquid biopsy involves removing body fluid and analyzing it for biomarkers that correlate with cancer. The Palermo Prize is one of the university’s honorary distinctions and is awarded to internationally recognized scholars whose scientific work and collaborations have contributed to the university’s national and international reputation. Past recipients of the award, which is formally approved by the Academic Senate, include several distinguished international scientists and academics. Dr. Rolfo, who also serves as associate director for early-phase clinical trials and is in the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, will receive his award on Oct. 27 at the Palazzo Steri, the Rectorate of the University of Palermo. Bhat will serve on ASH Committee on Practice Seema Bhat, MD, associate professor in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State and member of the Leukemia and Hematologic Malignancies Program at the OSUCCC – James, has been selected to serve a four-year term on the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Committee on Practice, a national committee that is concerned with all issues affecting the practice of hematology. With appropriate review and approval by the ASH Executive Committee, the Committee on Practice responds to practice-related issues by formulating positions on pending federal legislation, regulatory issues and private insurance developments. It also responds to matters of importance at the regional, state and local levels, as well as ASH member requests. At the OSUCCC – James, Dr. Bhat specializes in treating patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL). Her expertise spans the full spectrum of CLL and HCL care, from prevention and screening to active surveillance, treatment and the management of complications such as Richter transformation. Tabung plays a lead role in President’s Cancer Panel meeting on reducing cancer risk Fred Tabung, PhD, MSPH, associate professor of Medical Oncology at Ohio State and member of the Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program at the OSUCCC – James, was an invited participant in an Oct. 26 President’s Cancer Panel virtual public meeting that focused on opportunities to reduce cancer risk through diet, obesity and inflammation interventions. The President's Cancer Panel monitors the activities of the National Cancer Program and reports to the president of the United States on barriers to progress in reducing the burden of cancer. The meeting followed up on the panel’s June session, where Dr. Tabung presented his research on dietary patterns, metabolic dysfunction, inflammation and cancer prevention. At the Oct. 26 meeting, he helped facilitate discussions that connected scientific evidence presented by national experts to opportunities for cancer-prevention recommendations. The discussions emphasized emerging evidence on diet and the gut microbiome, the importance of translating mechanistic fundings into dietary interventions, and strategies for making evidence-based nutrition approaches more accessible and scalable. At the OSUCCC – James, Dr. Tabung studies the role of diet and lifestyle in cancer prevention, treatment response and survival. Written by Bob Hecker Media Contact: Mary Ellen Fiorino, MaryEllen.Fiorino@osumc.edu