Karmanos Researcher Receives Top Honors at the American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting

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Karmanos Researcher Receives Top Honors at the American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting
    LOS ANGELES, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Fazlul H. Sarkar, Ph.D.,
professor at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI) and Wayne
State University in Detroit, MI was honored today for making significant
contributions to the field of cancer research. This honor comes from the
Society of American Asian Scientists in Cancer Research (SAASCR) at the
American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in Los
Angeles, CA.
    "We are extremely pleased that Dr. Sarkar is being honored this year,"
John C. Ruckdeschel, M.D., president and chief executive officer, Karmanos
Cancer Institute, said. "He is a tireless researcher committed to achieving
the best in translational research."
    In the last year, Dr. Sarkar has published over 30 journal articles, 12
of which have appeared in "Cancer Research," considered one of the most
prestigious journals in its field. Dr. Sarkar and members from his lab will
have several presentations at the AACR annual meeting.
    Dr. Sarkar has worked at Karmanos for more than 16 years, and in that
time he has collaborated on numerous successful research projects. In
conjunction with Omer Kucuk, M.D., a medical oncologist and professor of
internal medicine with Karmanos, Dr. Sarkar investigated the effect of soy
isoflavones on the body. Their research shows that soy isoflavones may
increase a patient's sensitivity to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This
sensitivity means less radiation or chemotherapy is needed for effective
treatment, reducing a patient's exposure to toxicity.
    Several clinical trials at the Karmanos Cancer Institute are currently
exploring this concept. The most recent is a Phase II clinical trial
combining standard chemotherapy with soy isoflavones in patients with
advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer. This study is in collaboration
with Karmanos Drs. Philip Philip and Basil El-Rayes. This protocol is also
being opened at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in collaboration with Dr.
James Abbruzzese.
    In conjunction with Adhip N. Majumdar, Ph.D., a professor for the
Karmanos department of Internal Medicine, Dr. Sarkar was jointly awarded an
antibody patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office last year for the
discovery of antibodies expressed by the EGF-Receptor Related Protein
(ERRP). Between the two doctors, they have published over 20 articles
exploring the role of ERRP in cancer treatment. They hope that the
discovery of this protein will lead to a Phase I trial at Karmanos.
    "Translational research, bringing research from the bench to the
bedside, is one of the most important things we do at comprehensive cancer
centers," Dr. Sarkar says. "When research originates in the laboratory, and
then is translated, at the same institution, it puts the institution at the
front line of innovation. Now we, and other investigators, can build on
this research."
    The AACR was founded in 1907 by a group of eleven physicians and
scientists interested in research, "to further the investigation and spread
the knowledge of cancer." Today, AACR accelerates progress toward the
prevention and cure of cancer by promoting research, education,
communication, and advocacy.
    Based in midtown Detroit, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is
committed to a future free of cancer. The Institute is one of 39 National
Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United
States. Caring for more than 6,000 new patients annually on a budget of
$216 million, conducting more than 700 cancer-specific scientific
investigation programs and clinical trials, the Karmanos Cancer Institute
is among the nation's best cancer centers. Through the commitment of 1,000
staff, including nearly 300 faculty members, and supported by thousands of
volunteer and financial donors, the Institute strives to prevent, detect
and eradicate all forms of cancer. John C. Ruckdeschel, M.D. is the
Institute's president and CEO.
SOURCE Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
http://www.karmanos.org
CONTACT:
Courtney McCrimmon, +1-412-225-6899, or Linda
Remington, +1-313-576-8614, both of Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer
Institute