January 30, 2009
OHRP Research Community Forum: "Human Subject Protections: Bridge to the Future"
Office for Human Research Protections
Glendale, AZ

The Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) continues to sponsor a series of workshop on responsibilities of researchers, Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), and institutional officials for the protection of human subjects in research. The meetings are open to everyone and should be of special interest to those persons currently serving or about to begin serving as a member of an IRB. This conference will provide an update on federal human subjects protections regulations, concurrent sessions on investigator responsibilities, community-based participatory research, collection of tissues in a multi-institution setting, and other important updates for the research community and how they affect human subjects protections.

February 3 - 4, 2009
Molecular Targets for Cancer Prevention Conference
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD

The purpose of this two-day small conference is to bring together leaders in cancer prevention research from the CCR/NCI and the extramural community to respond to new opportunities for discovery that can advance the field in three major areas of investigation: Targeting Transcription Factors, PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Bioenergetics as Targets, and Oxidant Stress and Inflammation. All sessions include both preclinical and clinical studies as well as molecular targeted approaches. Unique to this conference are Round Tables that focus on interactive mouse-human studies that are needed to move toward individualized prevention.

February 25 - 27, 2009
Third National Leadership Summit on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health
Office of Minority Health
National Harbor, MD

The 2009 Summit is a continuation of OMH's efforts to develop a national strategy and to move toward common language, from health disparities to health equity. Results of the Summit will become part of the National Blueprint for Action, which will guide OMH and its public and private partners. Together, experts, practitioners, leaders, stakeholders, and partners from both private and public sectors will begin to construct strategies and actions, shape policies, and foster the next generation of leaders to continue our mission.

March 16 - 18, 2009
Advancing Cancer Research Through Biospecimen Science
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD

The National Cancer Institute Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research (OBBR) and the National Institutes of Health Office of Rare Diseases present the 2nd Annual Biospecimen Research Network (BRN) Symposium. The symposium will address the significant impact of pre-analytical biospecimen variables on cancer research and molecular medicine. The meeting will bring together leaders in the fields of biospecimen research, genomics, proteomics, oncology, pathology, biobanking, hospital administration and pharmaceutics as well as patient advocates.