The European Association for Cancer Research
Advancing cancer research - from basic research to prevention, treatment and care
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The EACR Young Cancer Researcher Award
Thomas Helleday: EACR Young Cancer Researcher Award winner received his award at ECCO-14 and gave his lecture during the EACR Special Session at ECCO 14
An article based on his Award Lecture: 'DNA replication repair: molecular insights towards new approaches to targeted anti-cancer therapy' will appear in the EACR Newsletter and Yearbook 2008
Biography
Thomas Helleday started his own research group at the Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Sheffield (UK) in 2000, one year after completing his Ph.D. in Genetic Toxicology at the Stockholm University (Sweden). While having a group in Sheffield he has also been running a separate research group at the Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Toxicology at the Stockholm University, where he was promoted Professor in Molecular Genetics in 2006. Dr Helleday also received a professorship and chair in Cancer Genetics at the University of Sheffield in 2006. The Helleday groups have been recognised for identifying the importance of homologous recombination in repair of stalled replication forks. Currently, the groups investigate the role of DNA damage signalling in initiation of recombination repair and novel anti-cancer treatments.
The single most important contribution from the Helleday labs is a selective treatment for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. Dr Helleday identified that PARP activity is critical for survival of recombination defective cells, which is particularly relevant for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers as a result of a heterozygote mutation in either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Only the tumours lose the second functional copy and become sensitive to PARP inhibition. This treatment represents a novel and interesting way to exploit the defect that underlies the tumour development for targeted therapy as well as presenting a real possibility of a prophylactic treatment for women carrying a mutant BRCA1 or BRCA2. Early cancer cells losing the functional BRCA1 or BRCA2 allele will be sensitive to PARP inhibitors. Thus, carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations may choose a prophylactic treatment as an alternative to preventive mastectomy and/or oophorectomy. Dr Helleday has recently joined a new Radiation Oncology and Biology Unit at the University of Oxford (UK) to focus on translational cancer research based on exploiting cancer defects in DNA damage signalling and repair to tailor novel targeted treatments.
Dr. Helleday has published 42 scientific manuscripts in prestigious journals and has received a number of awards for his research including the Eppendorf Young European Investigator Award (2005), the European Environmental Mutagen Society Young Scientist Award (2005), the British Association for Cancer Research - AstraZeneca Young Scientist Frank Rose Award (2006), and the Hilda and Alfred Eriksson Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (2007).
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Newsletter 2008
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ECCO eLEARNING programme
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Survey 2008: feedback to members
Thank you for completing the 2008 EACR Members’ Survey, please visit the 'publications' page in the Members Area where there is a link to a summary of the survey findings.
Constitution and By-Laws
The EACR Executive Committee proposes changes to the 'Constitution and By-Laws' to strengthen the role of the EACR Council; enhance the Association's relationship with National Society Members and encourage the formation of EACR member networks. Click here and enter Members Area to review proposals and voting arrangements.
Jobs and Study Opportunities
Grant Application Announcement
World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) International is now inviting applications for grants worldwide to fund research into the effects of food, nutrition and physical activity on cancer.
Postdoctoral positions to work on SUMO and Ubiquitin
MRC funded 4 year posts (X2)
SCILLS funded 4 year posts (X2)
BBSRC funded 2.5 year post
Informatics Data Manager 4 year post
Enthusiastic and highly motivated postdoctoral scientists are sought to work on the role of ubiquitin and SUMO in pathways contributing to disease in humans. The successful applicants will join a team of researchers tackling these problems in the laboratory of Ron Hay. This is a well resourced laboratory in the College of Life Sciences which has excellent facilities for high-resolution mass spectrometry, X-ray Crystallography, light and electron microscopy, flow cytometry and whole genome siRNA screening.
Positions at the Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program (PEBC), Barcelona
1 Junior Group Leader (Includes funding for reagents and personnel)
1 Research Associate
3 Postdoctoral Researchers
3 PhD Students
3 Technicians (Including a confocal specialist)
1 Scientific Management Officer
The Catalan Institute of Oncology (Institut Català d'Oncologia, ICO) is a nonprofitable public company, created in March 1995 and member of the Servei Català de la Salut (Catalan Health Service). The Institute is a centre of integral oncology assistance, which, according to international tendency, integrates in only one organization all the elements and the efforts to fight effectively and efficiently against cancer.
University of Nice, CNRS, Inserm
Five Group Leaders
CANCER RESEARCH CENTER
The Inserm Federative Institute (IFR50, www.ifr50.fr/) and the CNRS Research Institute of Developmental Biology & Cancer (UMR6543, www.unice.fr/isdbc/), both affiliated to the University of Nice are preparing the emergence of a Cancer Research Center regrouping world class research teams in the field of Cancer Biology/Stem Cells and in close cooperation with the University Hospital and Cancer Center Antoine Lacassagne of Nice.
The Association for International Cancer Research (AICR) invites applications for the International Cancer Research Fellowships.
Postdoc for epigenetic analyses in breast carcinogenesis, Heidelberg University & DKFZ
Division of Toxicology and Cancer Risk Factors. The project will involve the establishment of high throughput methods to quantify methylation levels of DNA using MassARRAY technology. In addition, molecular-biological techniques will be used for the functional analysis of identified genes.
International PhD Program in Molecular Cell Biology and Oncology, Innsbruck Medical University
Students with a keen interest in biomedical sciences and a strong commitment to work in this interdisciplinary field are invited to apply for one of our 14 doctoral studentships.
For further information >University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
1 Post Doc and 3 PhD-positions in Experimental Oncology
Institute for Cell Biology (Tumour Research), Department of Molecular Cell
Biology
Postdoctoral position available
The package includes a competitive salary 36.000 euros/year, managerial and scientific training and a number of benefits.
IFOM-IEO Campus, Milan, Italy
For further information >Cancer Research Opportunities at IRCC (Italy) for post-docs and a junior P.I.
The Division of Molecular Oncology at the Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (IRCC) invites applications for three post-doctoral positions, to study the function of Met and the semaphorins in cancer progression, with particular interest for identifying the implicated molecular mechanisms and developing molecular tools to target these pathways in human tumors. In addition, we welcome applications for one tenure-track position reserved to young independent investigators, with outstanding qualification in this field.
Post-Doctoral Position, The Immunotherapy & Gene Therapy Unit
The Immunotherapy & Gene Therapy Unit seeks a candidate with experience in immunology to study regulatory T cells expansion, conversion and inactivation in tumor bearers using a variety of mixed bone marrow chimeras as well as gene shut down in bone marrow donors.