Grant Number:	1R13CA254014-01 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Basen-Engquist, Karen
Organization:	University Of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Project Title:	Translating Energy Balance From Bench to Communities: Application of Parallel Animal-Human Studies in Cancer
Fiscal Year:	2020

ABSTRACT This application is for partial support of a national conference hosted by the Center for Energy Balance in Cancer Prevention and Survivorship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, “Translating Energy Balance From Bench to Communities: Application of Parallel Animal-Human Studies in Cancer.” This conference will be held October 8-10, 2020 at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. As members of the energy balance and cancer research community, we have observed that some of the most successful bench to clinic translation occurs when transdisciplinary researchers perform parallel studies in which mechanistic studies in animal models inform clinical or population studies, and vice versa. A major need within the energy balance community is a forum for discussions based on clear examples of successful parallel studies, as well as frank discussion about the level of evidence needed in animal and clinical research to compel clinical practice change. This conference will help to meet that need by achieving the following aims: (1) Facilitate discussion among energy balance researchers about the translation of data between animal research, clinical care and population sciences, with emphasis on the level of evidence needed for paradigm change: Create a critical mass of researchers in these disciplines to participate in focused and constructive discussions; (2) Promotion of collaborative science: Promote multi-disciplinary discussion and collaboration building; (3) Career development: Provide career development to early stage investigators via group training sessions and to mid-career and senior investigators via individual career coaching sessions. The conference is designed to engage participants through moderated discussions as part of each of four plenary sessions: nutrition, physical activity or exercise, body composition, and controversies in clinical practice. Each plenary session has a speaker who is focused on animal research, one focused on clinical research, and one who performs parallel animal-human research, emphasizing the synergism between animal and human studies. Trainees and early stage investigators will benefit from one-on-one career counseling at the poster session and during lunch, as well as from a specific aims workshop and an educational session on communicating with colleagues in disparate fields on day three. Also on day three, a series of “hot topics” sessions will cover big data/genomics, immunology, microbiome, metabolomics, use of wearables to track activity, and clinical feeding study design. Here, we propose all of the components of a dynamic, impactful conference including keynote speakers from international leaders Melinda Irwin, PhD, MPH and Steven Hursting, PhD, MPH, several opportunities for audience participation through moderated discussions, and curated sessions which aim to highlight the powerful synergism of parallel animal-human studies in energy balance and cancer research.




Translating energy balance research from the bench to the clinic to the community: Parallel animal-human studies in cancer.
Authors: Garcia M.B. , Schadler K.L. , Chandra J. , Clinton S.K. , Courneya K.S. , Cruz-Monserrate Z. , Daniel C.R. , Dannenberg A.J. , Demark-Wahnefried W. , Dewhirst M.W. , et al. .
Source: CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 2023 Jul-Aug; 73(4), p. 425-442.
EPub date: 2023-02-24.
PMID: 36825928
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