April 20, 2007                                                      

National Grant Brings Visiting Cancer Expert to SIU Med School

The awarding of a medical and academic partnerships (MAP) grant by Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company is bringing a nationally known research scientist to the SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute at Southern Illinois University this month.  The grant is one of seven national MAP awards for this year.  It sponsors Michael G. Brattain, Ph.D., professor and chair of pharmacology and therapeutics at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., as a Pfizer visiting professor in oncology at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

Brattain will present twice during his visit to Springfield, April 23-25.  He will share his perspectives on how to foster basic cancer research and cancer education, and how to promote collaborative and translational research between basic scientists and physician scientists.  He currently is involved in five active research grants for the treatment and control of cancer and has published more than 200 scholarly papers.

A senior vice-president for basic research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Brattain will present “To the Clinic and Back to the Bench with Molecular Targeting” at the Department of Internal Medicine’s Grand Rounds at 8 a.m. Tuesday, April 24.  He also will present “Target Kinases in a Flexible Context” at noon on Monday, April 23, at 913 N. Rutledge, room 1252.

SIU’s Grand Rounds are weekly teaching sessions organized by each of the clinical departments at the medical school and open to the SIU faculty, medical students and residents as well as other interested medical professionals.

The SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute is focusing SIU’s efforts in cancer research, physician and public education, and treatment for patients from across central and southern Illinois.  More than 75 SIU physician and basic science faculty are involved with the Institute.

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Note to media:  Reporters are welcome to attend either presentation.  Contact Nancy Zimmers or Ruth Slottag, Public Affairs, 545-2155.