RAPID Program Welcomes Inquiries
NCI encourages applications to the ongoing Rapid Access to Preventive Intervention Development (RAPID) initiative. RAPID makes the contract resources from NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention available to academic and academically affiliated investigators for preclinical and early clinical drug development.

RAPID's goal is to promote the swift movement of novel molecules and compounds from the laboratory to the clinic for phase I and II clinical trials of efficacy. RAPID will assist investigators who submit successful requests by providing some or all of the preclinical and phase I clinical developmental requirements for phase II clinical efficacy trials. These include, for example, preclinical pharmacology, toxicology, and animal model efficacy studies. Suitable types of agents for RAPID may range from single chemical or biological entities to defined complex mixtures with the potential to prevent, reverse, or delay carcinogenesis. For more detailed information, go to http://cancer.gov/prevention/RAPID.

Instructions for requesting RAPID resources are described on the Web site. Written requests will be evaluated by a specially constituted RAPID panel, consisting of outside experts from academia and industry. Requests must be received on or before Nov. 1, 2005. Pre-application inquiries to clarify issues are encouraged. Please contact RAPID Program Official Izet Kapetanovic, 301-435-5011; e-mail: kapetani@mail.nih.gov or 301-594-0459; e-mail: jc94h@nih.gov.

Clauser Named Outcomes Research Chief
Dr. Steven Clauser has accepted the position of chief of NCI's Outcomes Research Branch (ORB) in the Applied Research Program of NCI's Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences. ORB coordinates and sponsors research to measure, evaluate, and improve the outcomes of cancer care. Dr. Clauser joined NCI in 2002 to develop research related to cancer care outcomes measurement and quality of care. His primary research interests are quality-of-care performance measurement and improvement, assessment of patient-reported outcomes, and factors that influence the use of evidence-based medicine in health delivery. Previously, Dr. Clauser held several senior policy research positions within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He serves on several national advisory committees on performance measurement, and has published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters.

Nanoparticles Transport Drug to Tumor Cells in Mice
Research suggesting that attaching anticancer drugs to dendrimers for targeted delivery to tumor cells could increase the therapeutic response has now been confirmed in an animal model of cancer by researchers at the University of Michigan. "This is the first study to demonstrate a nanoparticle-targeted drug actually leaving the bloodstream, being concentrated in cancer cells, and having a biological effect on the animal's tumor," said Dr. James Baker, Jr., who directed the study, which was published in the June 15 Cancer Research. Additional information about this NCI-supported study can be found at http://nano.cancer.gov/.

Immunology Conference Set for September
NCI's Center for Cancer Research (CCR) will sponsor a national meeting Sept. 22-23, in the Masur Auditorium in the NIH Clinical Center on "Translational Immunology Related to Cancer." This meeting will host the leaders in the field of cancer immunotherapy, and will also serve to highlight CCR's Center of Excellence in Immunology. This conference will focus on novel immunotherapy strategies for the prevention and/or treatment of a range of human cancers. Topics will include the innovative uses of monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, cell-based therapies, vaccines, and transplantation in the prevention and therapy of human cancers. There is no registration fee and all investigators working in this field are encouraged to register at http://web.ncifcrf.gov/events/tirc/ and submit abstracts by July 30 for poster presentations. The Web site also contains the list of sessions and speakers. NCI Director Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach and CCR Director Dr. Robert Wiltrout will present introductory remarks highlighting the importance of this meeting. Please contact Carlei O'Neal at carleioneal@adelphia.net or 301-846-6333 for additional information.