UCSF HELEN DILLER FAMILY COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER

UCSF HELEN DILLER 

FAMILY COMPREHENSIVE 

CANCER CENTER 

American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 

April 1 – 5, 2017 

Washington, DC 

UCSF Presentation Brochure 

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Committed to Advancing 

Development of Improved 

Cancer Therapies, Imaging 

Modalities, and Biomarkers 

As president of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer 

Center, one of my key priorities is to initiate and advance programs 

that are developing new anticancer drugs making significant impact 

on helping cancer patients live longer and better lives. I recognize this 

goal is best accomplished by working in partnership with the broader 

life science industry. This searchable abstract book of UCSF research 

presented at AACR is a resource for potential partners interested in 

identifying world-class faculty engaged in basic science and clinical 

oncology research. 

As an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, UCSF is 

recognized for our outstanding science, extensive resources, depth 

and breadth of our research in basic, clinical, and population sciences, 

as well as cutting edge research that bridges these scientific areas. 

Practically, this means that our clinicians and basic scientists work 

closely together to (1) identify, develop, and optimize novel therapeutics 

for biological efficacy and clinical utility, (2) assess tumor status and 

responsiveness to current therapies, (3) develop biomarkers for patient 

stratification and therapeutic response, and (4) advance supportive 

care options to mitigate the toxicities associated with chemotherapy. 

Alan Ashworth, PhD, FRS 

President, UCSF Helen Diller 

Family Comprehensive 

Cancer Center 

Senior Vice President 

for Cancer Services, 

UCSF Health 

Professor of Medicine, 

Division of Hematology/ 

Oncology, Department 

of Medicine 

UCSF is home to many of world’s finest oncology clinicians and 

scientists. I invite you learn more about our work and expertise 

by reaching out to our faculty during this meeting. If you have any 

additional questions or need any assistance with your outreach, 

please contact the Director of Strategic Alliances for the Cancer 

Center: Cammie Edwards (cammie.edwards@ucsf.edu). 

Wishing you a very productive meeting and we look forward to 

future discussions and collaborations. 

Alan Ashworth, PhD, FRS 

President, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

HDFCCC Overview 

A Designated NCI Comprehensive 

Cancer Center Since 1999 

The “comprehensive” designation—NCI’s highest ranking, awarded only 

after a rigorous evaluation process—recognizes UCSF’s excellence in 

basic research, clinical research, population based research, outreach and 

education, and our ability to integrate these diverse research approaches to 

cancer and turn them into clinical practice. 

Our Success is Driven by Our Faculty 

HDFCCC Membership: 415 Members & Affiliate Members 

2 Nobel Laureates 

3 Albert Lasker Award winners 

8 Howard Hughes Medical Investigators 

14 Members of the National Academy of Sciences 

20 Members of the Institute of Medicine 

22 Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 

6 Fellows of the Royal Society 

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Working Together Advancing the 

Understanding and Treatment of Cancer 

Multi-Disciplinary Research Programs 

• Breast Oncology 

• Cancer Control 

• Cancer Genetics 

• Cancer, Immunity, and Microenvironment 

• Developmental Therapeutics 

• Hematopoietic Malignancies 

• Neurologic Oncology 

• Pediatric Malignancies 

• Prostate Cancer 

• Tobacco Control 

Multi-Disciplinary Clinical Programs 

• GU Oncology (non Prostate) 

• GI (includes Pancreas Cancer) 

• Thoracic Oncology 

• Cutaneous Oncology 

• Head and Neck Cancer 

• Sarcoma 

• Endocrine 

• Gynecologic Oncology 

• Breast Oncology 

• Prostate Cancer 

Key Initiatives 

• Precision Imaging of Cancer and Therapy 

• Cancer Immunotherapeutics 

• Global Oncology 

• Center for BRCA Research 

• UCSF 500 

• Cell Engineering 

• Target Validation Initiative 

• The San Francisco Cancer Initiative (SF CAN) 

Translating Laboratory Discoveries into Improved Patient Care 

Whether it is advancing a new vaccine based immunotherapy, developing a new diagnostic 

test to distinguish benign moles from malignant melanoma or pioneering new adaptive clinical 

trial designs, UCSF success in translating laboratory discoveries into improved patient care 

comes from its faculty and culture of exploration and collaboration. With over 400 faculty 

relentlessly pursuing oncology research and clinical practice, we continue to make significant 

strides in understanding the biology of disease and improving patient outcomes with 

advanced clinical care. 

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Core Capabilities 

Supporting Our Programs 

• Biostatistics 

• Clinical Research Support 

• Genome Analysis 

• Laboratory for Cell Analysis 

• Immunohistochemistry & Molecular Pathology 

• Mouse Pathology 

• Preclinical Therapeutic Testing 

• Bio-specimen Banking 

• Tobacco Biomarkers 

• Bioinformatics 

• Computational Biology 

Approximately one-quarter of the 

University’s ~2,200 full-time faculty 

members work in cancer research or 

cancer care. 

UCSF consistently ranks among 

the top U.S. biomedical research 

organizations in cancer-specific 

federal funding. In 2016, UCSF 

received more than $92M from the 

National Cancer Institute. 

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Partnering with 

UCSF HDFCCC 

UCSF faculty have a long history of working with industry 

partners translating discoveries into products that ultimately 

improve patient care. We are experienced in establishing and 

executing on a wide range of successful partnerships. If you are 

interested in learning more about working with the HDFCCC 

and its faculty, please contact: 

Cammie Edwards, PhD 

Director of Strategic Alliances, HDFCCC 

• On average, UCSF has 200-300 new invention disclosures per year 

• An estimated 90 life science start-up companies have been spawned 

from the University’s labs, including Genentech, Chiron, and Intellikine 

• Included among UCSF patents are top revenue producers, such as 

- Hepatitis B vaccine 

- Bovine growth hormone 

- Barrier repair lipids 

- Yeast expression vector 

- Magnetic resonance imaging 

UCSF IN THE NEWS (Click on link to read story) 

UCSF, Pfizer Renew Research Collaboration, Citing Progress in Drug Discovery Research 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2017/01/09/ucsf-pfizer-renew-research-collaboration-citing-progress-in-drug-discovery-research.8092 

Search Engine: How Artificial Intelligence Techniques Are Aiding the Hunt for New Drugs 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2017/01/04/search-engine-how-artificial-intelligence-techniques-are-aiding-the-hunt-for-new-drugs.8079 

New Targeted Chemotherapy Technology Proves Effective in Mice 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2016/12/12/new-targeted-chemotherapy-technology-proves-effective-in-mice.8063 

Mutant Protein Linked to Spread of Lung Cancer within the Body 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2016/11/21/mutant-protein-linked-to-spread-of-lung-cancer-within-the-body.7986 

‘Cellbots’ Chase Down Cancer, Deliver Drugs Directly to Tumors 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/news/2016/09/29/cellbots-chase-down-cancer-deliver-drugs-directly-to-tumors.7921 

Dr. Amit Sabnis Awarded the 2017 AACR-Aflac, Inc. Career Development Award for Pediatric Cancer 

Research. The award will be used to further his research in identifying the molecular mechanism behind an oncogene-directed 

therapy in rhabdomyosarcoma and defining the PAX3-FOXO1 translatome. 

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Presentations 

Presentations 

View full abstracts on line at: 

http://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/4292 

*UCSF authors in bold 

Saturday, April 1, 2017 

Retooling CRISPR to turn genes on and off 

Authors*: Luke A. Gilbert 

Presentation #: 

Presentation Date/Time: April 1, 2017, 8:30 - 8:55AM 

Location: Room 207, Level 2, Washington Convention Center 

Presentation: Educational Session 

Weissman Research Interests: Our laboratory is looking at how cells ensure that proteins fold into their correct shape, as 

well as the role of protein misfolding in disease and normal physiology. We are developing experimental and analytical 

approaches for exploring the organizational principles of biological systems and globally monitoring protein translation 

through ribosome profiling. Additionally, our research focuses on identifying and understanding the machinery necessary 

for efficient folding, as well as studying the mechanism and consequences of protein misfolding. We are also developing 

experimental and analytical approaches for exploring the organizational principles of complex biological systems and for 

monitoring protein translation in vivo with unprecedented precision and depth. 

http://weissmanlab.ucsf.edu/research/research.html 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Brain cancer immunotherapy 

Authors*: Hideho Okada 


Presentation Date/Time: April 1, 2017, 10:15 - 12:15 PM 

Location: Independence Ballroom E-H, Meeting Level 4, Marriott Marquis DC 


Okada Research Interests: As a translational physician scientist, Dr. Okada and his lab are focused on development of 

novel immunotherapeutic strategies for brain tumor patients. For example, Dr. Okada conducted one of the first immune 

gene therapy trials in patients with malignant glioma. His lab was also the first to identify and fully characterized cytotoxic 

T-lymphocyte epitopes for gliomas. Dr. Okada has also delineated the role of an integrin receptor very late activation 

antigen-4 and chemokine CXCL10 in efficient trafficking of T-cells to brain tumor sites. Dr. Okada has integrated these 

findings to develop a number of vaccine trials in both adult and pediatric glioma patients. More recently, his group developed 

a novel chimeric antigen receptor targeting glioblastoma cells, and are currently conducting a pilot trial. 

http://neurosurgery.ucsf.edu/index.php/about_us_faculty_okada.html 

6 *UCSF authors in bold

Presentations 

Tissue Tension: The extracellular martrix and PDAC phenotype 

Authors*: Valerie M. Weaver 


Presentation Date/Time: April 1, 2017, 11:15 - 11:40 AM 



Weaver Research Interests: The extracellular matrix (ECM), the noncellular component of the microenvironment, influences 

cell growth, survival, migration and tissue-specific differentiation through a repertoire of cellular receptors including integrins, 

syndecans and discoidin receptors. We are exploring the molecular mechanisms whereby these ECM receptors modulate 

cell fate: specifically, how mechanical and topological properties of the matrix, which are related to its composition and 

organization, regulate the function of matrix receptors to alter cell behavior. Our research program is broadly divided into 

two fields of inquiry: (1) how matrix composition and organization influences mammary tissue development and tumor 

progression and (2) to clarify the role of matrix force on embryonic and adult stem cell fate. 

http://weaverlab.ucsf.edu 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Transforming breast cancer treatment with CDK4/6 inhibitors 

Authors*: Hope S. Rugo 



Location: Room 145, level 1, Washinton Convention Center 


Rugo Research Interests: Dr. Rugo, Director of Breast Oncology & Clinical Trials Education, is PI on multiple clinical trials 

focusing on combining novel targeted therapeutics to improve the treatment of both early & late stage breast cancer (BC). 

She also works on studies to improve supportive care for early & late stage BC patients, including with UCSF’s Advanced 

Breast Cancer Program. Dr. Rugo has numerous collaborations with large academic medical centers & consortia in order 

to expand the novel therapies available to patients. She was the director of the 2016 ASCO Breast Cancer Education 

Committee meeting, is a member of the Alliance & is a founding member of the translational Breast Cancer Research 

Consortium where she co-leads the triple negative working group. She is on the novel agents committee and leads the 

safety committee for the neoadjuvant multi-center I SPY2 trial. At UCSF, Dr. Rugo runs the Breast Forum, a bimonthly 

educational session for breast cancer patients, families & friends from throughout the bay area. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/rugo_hope.3648 


Presentations 

Translating the cancer genome one codon at a time and its therapeutic implications 

Authors*: Davide Ruggero 





__________________________________________________________________________ 

Response to checkpoint therapy and exhausted CTL in the tumor microenvironment 

Authors*: Adil I. Daud 



Location: Ballroom C, Level 3, Washington Convention Center 

Presentation: Methods Workshop 

Daud Research Interests: Our group at UCSF is focused on developing new immunotherapy agents and specifically 

understanding the biology of the immune response to PD-1 in melanoma. We developed IL- 12 gene therapy in melanoma 

and carried out the first in human clinical trial in 2005-2007. Based on this work, IL-12 electroporation is being explored in 

many cancers as an immune agent and as a combination treatment with PD-1 and other checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma. 

I have been involved in the development of anti-PD-1 antibodies for melanoma. With my colleagues Michael Rosenblum and 

Max Krummel at UCSF, we have developed a novel assay that profiles the intra-tumoral microenvironment in depth and can 

predict non-response to PD-1. We are currently exploring novel strategies for PD-1 non-responsive subsets of melanoma (and 

potentially other cancers). 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/daud_adil.3622 


Presentations 

A beginner’s guide to perplexing clinical issues in pancreatic adenocarcinoma 

Authors*: Margaret A. Tempero 




Presentation: Special Session 

Tempero Research Interests: Director of the UCSF Pancreas Center and Leader of the UCSF Pancreas Cancer Program, Dr. 

Tempero oversees research projects from risk assessment to early detection, biology, and therapeutics in PNET and PDAC. 

Her personal research career has focused on the area of investigational therapeutics in PDAC. She was a pioneer in the use 

of antibody-based therapies and helped develop the fixed dose rate concept for gemcitabine. Dr. Tempero’s group developed 

effective gemcitabine combinations and provided a foundation for using CA19-9 as a surrogate for survival, and is currently 

assessing molecular subtypes and molecular enrichment for selecting new drugs for clinical evaluation. She is a DreamTeam 

P.I. on a SU2C grant evaluating innovative immunotherapy approaches, and is co-PI on a U01 award to establish high risk 

cohorts for testing early diagnosis biomarkers. She has served as the NCCN Guidelines Panel Chair on Pancreatic Cancer 

since 2000, and on several SABs including the Mayo Clinic Pancreas Cancer SPORE and MDACC’s Moon Shot Program. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/tempero_margaret.3701 


Presentations 

Sunday, April 2, 2017 

Targeting BRD4 overcomes cetuximab resistance in HNSCC 

Authors*: Toni Brand, Yan Zeng, Brandon Leonard, Rachel O’ Keefe, Hua Li, Daniel Johnson, 

Jennifer Grandis, Neil E. Bhola 

Presentation #: 95 

Presentation Date/Time: April 2, 2017, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm 

Location: Section 4 

Presentation: Poster Session/ Board #16 

Head and Neck Cancer Lab: is dedicated to increasing our understanding of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma 

(HNSCC) to develop new treatment and prevention approaches. One overarching theme is to identify predictive biomarkers that 

will identify which treatment(s) are most effective for individual patients, thus allowing for personalized medicine. Translational 

resources we have developed to support our projects include a large collection of patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) 

and tissue microarrays containing over 500 human HNSCC research samples linked to a professionally curated clinical and 

pathologic database that includes information on treatment and survival. In addition to basic and translational research, 

we also have experience conducting investigator-initiated clinical trials of novel therapeutics, including an antisense EGFR 

(epidermal growth factor receptor) gene therapy and a novel decoy oligonucleotide targeting STAT3 (signal transducer and 

activator of transcription). 

https://ohns.ucsf.edu/signaling-lab 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Silibinin suppresses bladder cancer through down-regulation of actin cytoskeleton 

and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways 

Authors*: Mitsuho Imai-Sumida, Takeshi Chiyomaru, Shahana Majid, Priyanka Kulkarni, Pritha Dasgupta, Sharanjot Saini, 

Taku Kato, Shigekatsu Maekawa, Yutaka Hashimoto, Marisa Shiina, Guoren Deng, Varahram Shahryari, Hannah Nip, 

Rajvir Dahiya, Yuichiro Tanaka, Soichiro Yamamura 






Presentations 

Site specific risk factors for colorectal cancer 

Authors*: Samir Gupta, Ranier Bustamante, Ashley Earles, Maria E. Martinez, Karen Messer, Christina D. Williams, 

Andrew J. Gawron, Tonya Kaltenbach, Lin Liu 





Kaltenbach Research Interests: Dr. Kaltenbach is an active researcher and educator in the field of advanced endoscopic 

imaging and therapy. She has numerous publications on non-polypoid neoplasia, image enhanced endoscopy and 

endoscopic mucosal resection. She is currently leading a national intiative to measure and report colonoscopy quality 

across the VAs, and moreover, aims to improve colonoscopy quality through provider feedback and teaching. She played 

a major role in the recent efforts to enhance the quality of colonoscopy for the surveillance and management of dysplasia 

in inflammatory bowel disease throughout the world. These efforts have brought forward a practice paradigm that is 

built on evidence based medicine, and have included a new consensus guideline, atlas, teaching video and practice and 

implementation algorithm. 

http://profiles.ucsf.edu/tonya.kaltenbach 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Regulation of macropinocytosis-dependent cell survival in pancreatic cancer cells 

Authors*: Sung Eun Kim, Man-Tzu Wang, Frank McCormick 

Presentation #:435 





Presentations 

The role of miR-24 as a race-related genetic factor in prostate cancer 

Authors*: Yutaka Hashimoto, Marisa Shiina, Taku Kato, Soichiro Yamamura, Yuichiro Tanaka, Shahana Majid, 

Sharanjot Saini, Varahram Shahryari, Priyanka Kulkarni, Pritha Dasgupta, Yozo Mitsui, Mitsuho Sumida, Guoren Deng, 

Laura Tabatabai, Deepak Kumar, Rajvir Dahiya 





Dahiya Research Interests: My group, which is part of the Urology Research Center at the VAMC/UCSF under the leadership 

of Dr. Peter Caroll, focuses on mechanisms of growth control in GU disorders, especially prostate and renal cancer. We have 

developed various novel methods for evaluating epigenetic pathways, microRNAs, gene regulation, and function in these 

diseases both in in vitro and in vivo models. In particular we are studying the role of microRNAs in the progression and 

metastasis of prostate cancer, diet, miRNAs, epigenetic changes in prostate cancer and wnt antagonist genes in kidney 

tumor progression and metastasis. 

https://urology.ucsf.edu/people/rajvir-dahiya 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Differential expression of miR-34b and androgen receptor pathway regulate 

prostate cancer aggressiveness between African Americans and Caucasians 

Authors*: Marisa Shiina, Yutaka Hashimoto, Taku Kato, Soichiro Yamamura, Yuichiro Tanaka, Shahana Majid, 

Sharanjot Saini, Shahryari Varahram, Priyanka Kulkarni, Prita Dasgupta, Mitsuho Sumida, Guoren Deng, Rajvir Dahiya 





Dahiya Research Interests: My group, which is part of the Urology Research Center at the VAMC/UCSF under the leadership 

of Dr. Peter Caroll, focuses on mechanisms of growth control in GU disorders, especially prostate and renal cancer. We have 

developed various novel methods for evaluating epigenetic pathways, microRNAs, gene regulation, and function in these 

diseases both in in vitro and in vivo models. In particular we are studying the role of microRNAs in the progression and 

metastasis of prostate cancer, diet, miRNAs, epigenetic changes in prostate cancer and wnt antagonist genes in kidney 

tumor progression and metastasis. 

https://urology.ucsf.edu/people/rajvir-dahiya 


Presentations 

Clustering analysis of next-generation sequencing T cell repertoire data in 

sipuleucel-T treated prostate cancer patients 

Authors*: Li Zhang, Sounak Chakraborty, Jason Cham, David Oh, Nadeem Sheikh, Lawrence Fong 





Fong Research Interests: My lab focuses on how the immune system interacts with cancer as well as exploring tumor 

immunotherapies in mouse models and in patients. Our primary focus is in immunotherapy of GI and GU malignancies. 

We investigate how immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and cancer vaccines can enhance anti-tumor 

immunity both systemically and in the tumor microenvironment. Performing neoadjuvant immunotherapy trials, we determine 

how specific therapies can recruit immune effectors in cancer patients. Moreover, we have studied how clinical responders 

may differ from clinical non-responders. We are applying unbiased approaches to studying antigen-specific responses that 

are modulated in these patients and are currently developing biomarkers that may be predictive of clinical efficacy. 

http://hemonc.ucsf.edu/fonglab/ 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Mechanism of liver metastasis induced systemic suppression of checkpoint 

inhibitor response 

Authors*: James C. Lee, Adil Daud, Jeff Bluestone 

Presentation #: 683A 




Bluestone Research Interests: Our lab is broadly focused on understanding mechanisms regulating T cell activation. We 

have developed soluble receptor antagonists; mAbs & animals deficient in individual members of TCR & co-stimulatory 

pathways to define their individual roles in transplant rejection & autoimmunity including a special emphasis on regulatory 

T cells (Treg). We have also adapted animal studies to use biologics & cell-based therapies to develop therapeutics that can 

be used in humans with autoimmunity & under conditions of allotransplant rejection. A strong role for antigen-specific Tregs 

has been found in these model systems. Thus, the major goal of our work is to identify the antigen-specificity of thymic- 

& peripherally-derived Tregs with the expectation that these TCRs can be adapted for immunotherapy. Finally, our lab is 

determining mechanisms that control Treg stability with the goal of developing approaches using pharmacogenomics to 

either stabilize or destabilize Tregs in autoimmunity & cancer. 

http://bluestone.ucsf.edu 


Presentations 

TGFβ controls the DNA damage response via miR-182 regulation of BRCA1 and ATM 

Authors*: Qi Liu, Haydeliz Martinez-Ruiz, John Murnane, Simon N. Powell, Mary Helen Barcellos-Hoff 





Barcellos-Hoff Research Interests: The Barcellos-Hoff lab has actively pursued the translational potential of TGFβ inhibition 

in the context of radiotherapy in human cancer based on preclinical studies in mouse brain, breast, and lung tumor models. 

TGFβ inhibitors increase radiation sensitivity (i.e., 10-70% less dose is needed to reduce survival by 90%), inhibit molecular 

recognition of DNA damage, compromise DNA repair, and increases tumor control by radiation. Although most cancers are 

resistant to TGFβ growth control, most cancer cells appear to require TGFβ to effectively execute the genotoxic stress program, 

which provides a novel avenue to improve therapeutic response. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/barcellos-hoff_mary.6915 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Asymmetric cell division regulator prevents hyperproliferation in glioma cell-of-origin 

Authors*: Mathieu Daynac, Claudia K. Petritsch 





Petritsch Research Interests: The Petritsch Lab uses pharmacological, molecular, and in vivo and ex vivo techniques, 

to uncover the mechanism for cell fate decisions in oligodendrocyte precursor cells, in the healthy and diseased brain. 

Oligodendrocytes arise from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and accomplish myelination in the central nervous 

system to regulate axonal function. Although OPCs are the most abundant proliferative population in the adult and ageing 

brain, little is known about the underlying molecular regulation of OPC functions. In our lab, we are examining whether OPCs 

in the adult central nervous system decide about their fate by undergoing asymmetric divisions, whether the underlying 

mechanism of asymmetric cell divisions in mammalian cells diverge from the process found in Drosophila neuroblasts, 

whether this divergence involves epigenetic regulators and is there a cell intrinsic or extrinsic mechanism that determines 

whether OPC divisions are symmetrical or asymmetrical. 

http://petritschlab.ucsf.edu 


Presentations 

Oncology model fidelity scores 

Authors*: Debajyoti Datta, Theodore Goldstein, Zhiping Gu, Atul Butte 

Presentation #: LB-006 




Butte Research Interests: Dr. Butte’s group builds and applies tools that convert more than 400 trillion points of molecular, 

clinical, and epidemiological data into diagnostics, therapeutics, and new insights into disease. This research has led to truly 

novel insights into ways to treat diseases and the founding of three investor-backed data-driven companies. His lab uses the 

bioinformatics methods that they have developed in-house to integrate, leverage, and reason over genomic, genetic, phenotypic, 

and other sources of molecular data to yield tools for physicians and patients. Additionally, his lab has developed tools for 

indexing public genomic data sets, re-mapping microarray data and in cloud-computing, as well as novel methods to explore 

human physiology using electronic health record data and in the medical risk estimation from whole genomes. 

http://buttelab.ucsf.edu 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

The Pediatric Brain Tumor Atlas: building an integrated, multi-platform data-rich 

ecosystem for collaborative discovery in the cloud 

Authors*: Adam C. Resnick, Phillip B. Storm, Angela J. Waanders, Jena V. Lilly, Rishi R. Lulla, Sabine Mueller, Michael Prados, 

Leonard S. Sender, Allison Heath, Alex S. Felmeister, Anthony Cros, Yuankun Zhu, Pichai Raman 





Prados Research Interests: Dr. Prados is a world-recognized Neuro-oncology expert. He led the Adult Brain Tumor Consortium 

for over 15 years and founded the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC), a multi-institutional consortium of 

now 15 major academic centers across the United States. Currently Dr. Prados is Professor Emeritus at UCSF devoting his 

efforts towards pediatric Neuro-Oncology clinical and translational research. He is the co-Project Leader of a pediatric brain 

tumor SPORE project at UCSF and is co-Project Leader of the PNOC. His major interests are early phase clinical trials research 

and the translational studies that precede and inform those trials in both adults and children. He is part of the Editorial board 

of Neuro-Oncology, Journal of Neuro-Oncology and Journal of Clinical Oncology, and a member of the NCI/CTEP Brain 

Malignancies Steering Committee. In 2014 he was awarded the Victor Levin Award for lifetime clinical research excellence from 

the Society of Neuro-Oncology. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/prados_michael.3603 


Presentations 

The NCI RAS Initiative at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research 

Authors*: Frank McCormick, Frederick Streitz, Andrew Stephen, Frantz L. Jean-Francois, Thomas J. Turbyville -Invited Speakers 



Location: Marquis Ballroom Salons 3-4, Meeting Level 2, Marriott Marquis DC 

Presentation: NIH Sponsored Section 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Meet the Research Icon: Bruce M. Alberts, PhD, Organized by the Associate 

Member Council (AMC) 

Authors*: Bruce M. Alberts 



Location: AACR central Amphitheater (Booth 1125), Lower Level, Washington Convention Center 

Presentation: Meet the Research Icon 


Presentations 

Drug-tolerant persister cancer cells are vulnerable to GPX4 inhibition 

Authors*: Matthew J. Hangauer, Vasanthi S. Viswanathan, Matthew J. Ryan, Dhruv Bole, Jake Eaton, Stuart L. Schreiber, 

Frank McCormick, Michael T. McManus 




Presentation: Minisymposium 

McManus Research Interests: The McManus lab studies fundamental processes relating to the regulation of gene expression. 

We take high-throughput approaches, analyzing hundreds of thousands to millions of experiments at once, using unique and 

complex libraries coupled to deep sequencing. Our systems span from cell culture to in vivo models, focusing on a broad 

array of disease relevant tissues. From cancer to diabetes, we develop novel technologies to help us better understand how 

genes are regulated and how they function in cells. We aim to uncover the dark matter of the genome, to help unravel the 

beautiful genomic complexity of pathways and how genes interact in development and disease. 

http://mcmanuslab.ucsf.edu 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Selective impairment of intratumoral regulatory T cells by targeting Ezh2 

enhances cancer immunity 

Authors*: David Q. Wang, Jason R. Quiros, Chien-Chun S. Pai, Lawrence H. Fong, Jeffrey A. Bluestone, Michel J. DuPage 





DuPage Research Interests: The DuPage lab is focused on examining the interface of the immune system and cancer. 

We aim to establish a new paradigm for augmenting immune responses against cancer by uncovering and subsequently 

targeting mechanisms that control T regulatory cell programming within the tumor microenvironment. We have identified 

key intracellular pathways, both signaling cascades and epigenetic enzymes, that when targeted, selectively reprogram 

intratumoral T regulatory cell function to enhance anti-cancer immunity. Our approach utilizes sophisticated genetic tools to 

modify T cells and tumor cells in a dynamic fashion during tumor progression and in the context of the most advanced preclinical 

cancer models of the human disease. 

http://profiles.ucsf.edu/michel.dupage 


Presentations 

Monday, April 3, 2017 

Targeting the HSP40/HSP70 chaperone axis as a novel strategy to treat 

castration-resistant prostate cancer 

Authors*: Michael A. Moses, Yeong Sang Kim, Genesis Rivera-Marquez, Matthew J. Watson, Sunmin Lee, Andrea Kravats, 

Sue Wickner, Jason Gestwicki, Jane Trepel, Len Neckers 


Presentation Date/Time: April 3, 2017, 8:00 am - 12:00 noon 



Gestwicki Research Interests: We are interested in how molecular chaperones, such as Hsp70 and Hsp90, work together to 

maintain protein homostasis, which is the balance of protein folding, trafficking and turnover. Understanding this delicate 

balance is important because protein homeostasis is dramatically disrupted in many diseases, especially neurodegeneration 

and cancer. Our approach is to create small molecules that disrupt (or promote) interactions between chaperones. Using these 

chemical probes, we perturb protein-protein interactions and learn how this chaperone network is “wired”. These studies have 

taken us into many exciting areas of biotechnology and chemical biology. 

http://gestwickilab.ucsf.edu 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

FGFR inhibition re-sensitizes BRAF/MEK dual resistant cells to the BRAF/MEK 

inhibitor combination 

Authors*: Victoria E. Wang, Jeffrey Settleman, Frank McCormick 






Presentations 

Pathway analysis of insulin-like growth factor candidate genes and risk of 

pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma 

Authors*: Libby Morimoto, XIaorong Shao, Anand Chokkalingam, Joseph Wiemels, Xiaomei Ma, Catherine Metayer 





Wiemels Research Interests: The causes of most human cancers are unclear, but appear to be related to miscues in normal 

tissue developmental pathways, mutations (genetic and epigenetic) in critical genes caused by errors, infection, and 

chemicals, and a failure of recognition and removal of tumors by the immune system. Dr. Wiemels studies these factors as 

potential causes of hematopoietic and brain tumors. Large population-based studies of human cancer in the San Francisco 

Bay Area and State of California form a basis for examining the origin of these cancers, with a focus on future prevention. 

This type of research is highly collaborative, and Dr. Wiemels works with several epidemiologists, geneticists, clinicians, 

biologists, and statisticians. 

http://profiles.ucsf.edu/joe.wiemels 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Genetic reclassification of prostate-specific antigen levels for personalized 

prostate cancer screening 

Authors*: Rebecca E. Graff, Thomas J. Hoffmann, Michael N. Passarelli, Nima C. Emami, Lori C. Sakoda, 

Eric Jorgenson, Laurel A. Habel3, Jun Shan, Dilrini K. Ranatunga, Charles P. Quesenberry, Jr., Chun R. Chao4, 

Nirupa R. Ghai, David Aaronson, Joseph Presti, Tobias Nordström, Zhaoming Wang, Sonja I. Berndt, Stephen J. Chanock, 

Jonathan D. Mosley, Robert J. Klein, Mridu Middha, Hans Lilja, Olle Melander, Mark N. Kvale, Pui-Yan Kwok, 

Catherine Schaefer, Neil Risch, Stephen K. Van Den Eeden, John S. Witte 





Witte Research Interests: Our research program encompasses a synthesis of methodological and applied genetic 

epidemiology, with the overall aim of deciphering the mechanisms underlying complex diseases and traits (Witte, Visscher & 

Wray, Nature Reviews Genetics 2014). Our methods work is focused on the design and statistical analysis of next-generation 

sequencing and genetic association studies. We are applying these methods to studies of cancer (e.g., of the prostate), birth 

defects, and pharmacogenomics. 

http://wittelab.ucsf.edu/pages/research 


Presentations 

Identification of pleiotropic cancer susceptibility variants from genome-wide 

association studies reveals functional characteristics 

Authors*: Yi-Hsuan Wu, Rebecca E. Graff, Michael N. Passarelli, Thomas J. Hoffmann, Elad Ziv, John S. Witte 











__________________________________________________________________________ 

Germline genetic signals across multiple aggressive prostate cancer phenotypes 

Authors*: Caroline G. Tai, Nima C. Emami, Thomas J. Hoffmann, Lori C. Sakoda, Eric Jorgenson, Laurel A. Habel, Jun Shan, 

Dilrini K. Ranatunga, Chun R. Chao, Nirupa R. Ghai, David Aaronson, Joseph Presti, Catherine Schaefer, Neil Risch, 

Stephen K. Van Den Eeden, John S. Witte 












Presentations 

Non-additive and interaction effects of HLA class 2 polymorphism contributing to 

risk of glioma 

Authors*: Chenan Zhang, Kyle Walsh 





Walsh Research Interests: Dr. Walsh’s research program is divided into two components: genetic epidemiology and functional 

genomics. The epidemiology component focuses on the use of genomic data from large population-based cohorts to 

identify the causes of cancer. This computational work stresses statistical methodologies for “gene hunting”, including 

GWAS, fine-mapping, admixture mapping, and whole-genome sequencing. This ongoing work has identified novel risk 

factors for glioma and childhood leukemia. The functional genomics component investigates the biological impact of genetic 

variants linked to cancer risk. Dr. Walsh’s laboratory utilizes numerous techniques, including: digital droplet PCR, ChIP, 

FISH, and luciferase reporter assays. Special focus is given to the interface of the inherited genome and the tumor genome. 

Deregulation of tumor suppression mechanisms, such as telomere-induced cell senescence, is of particular interest. 

http://neurosurgery.ucsf.edu/index.php/about_us_faculty_walsh 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Variable drug responses characterize the functional heterogeneity of Nf1 null tumors 

Authors*: Daniela Pucciarelli, Ganesh Krishnamurthi, Steve Braunstein, Jean L. Nakamura 





Nakamura Research Interests: The first area we study is Neurofibromatosis I (NF1), which is a genetic syndrome that can 

lead to tumors in children. Individuals with NF1 can develop brain tumors and tumors along their spines (as well as cancers 

in other organs). This is an incurable disease that can lead to many complications and even death. We have developed an 

experimental systems to study how mutations causing this disease actually lead to tumor formation, with the goal of using 

this information to develop better therapies. A second area of research is trying to understand why second cancers develop 

in some childhood cancer survivors. We analyze these second cancers from childhood cancer survivors (some of whom 

are now adults) for problems in the genetic code. By studying the abnormalities in the genetic code of second cancers, we 

expect to understand the biological processes leading to second cancers, and one day prevent these complications. 

https://radonc.ucsf.edu/jean-nakamura 


Presentations 

Structural basis of impaired GTP hydrolysis in oncogenic mutants of KRAS 

Authors*: Timothy Tran, Sathiya Dharmaiah, Oleg Chertov, Timothy Waybright, William Gillette, Dominic Esposito, 

Dwight Nissley, Frank McCormick, Andrew Stephen, Dhirendra Simanshu 





__________________________________________________________________________ 

EGFR-mediated Spred1 phosphorylation inhibits NF1 to sustain constitutive 

Ras/MAPK signaling 

Authors*: Evan Markegard, Ellen L. Mercado, Jillian M. Silva, Jacqueline Galeas, Marena I. Trinidad, Anatoly Urisman, 

Frank McCormick 






Presentations 

Systemic granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) 

treatment increases T cell receptor diversity in localized and metastatic 

prostate cancer patients 

Authors*: David Y. Oh, Li Zhang, Jason Cham, Alan Paciorek, Mark Klinger, Malek Faham, Susan F. Slovin, Lawrence Fong 













__________________________________________________________________________ 

Chronic NSAID use increases survival in PIK3CA-altered head and neck squamous 

cell carcinoma 

Authors*: Matthew Louis Hedberg, Noah Peyser, William Gooding, Hua Li, Toni Brand, Victor Olivas, Trever Bivona, 

Simion Choisea, Lin Wang, Jonas Johnson, Uma Duvvuri, Robert Ferris, Daniel Johnson, Patrick Ha, Julie Bauman, 

Jennifer Grandis 





Grandis Research Interests: The Grandis lab has played a major role in determining the mutational landscape of head 

and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and is focused on determining the role of frequently mutated genes in this 

malignancy. PIK3CA is the most commonly altered is the most commonly altered oncogene in HNSCC. Prior work in colon 

cancer has suggested an association between regular aspirin use and extended survival in patients with PIK3CA mutations. 

Using a large cohort of patients with HNSCC, the Grandis lab has determined that chronic NSAID use is associated with 

dramatically improved survival in patients with altered PIK3CA. They have characterized the mechanism of action of PIK3CA 

mutations and the impact of NSAIDs on these mechanistic pathways. Further, they plan a large prospective clinical trial that 

will directly assess the therapeutic benefit of NSAIDs in HNSCC patients with specific mutational profiles. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/grandis_jennifer.6048 


Presentations 

Tumor-specific copy number alterations uncover therapeutic opportunities 

in osteosarcoma 

Authors*: Leanne C. Sayles, Marcus Breese, Amanda L. Koehne, Stanley Leung, Aviv Spillinger, Alex Lee, Avanthi Shah, 

Krystal Straessler, Sheri Spunt, Neyssa Marina, Damon Jacobson, Raffi S. Avedian, David G. Mohler, Steven DuBois, 

Douglas S. Hawkins, E. Alejandro Sweet-Cordero 





Sweet-Cordero Research Interests: My lab works to identify novel therapeutic approaches for cancer that target the genetic 

mutations and altered signaling networks specific to cancer cells. We use functional genomics applied to mouse and 

human systems (genetically engineered models, patient derived xenografts) to understand the transcriptional networks that 

regulate the outcome of specific oncogenic mutations and to understand how cancers become resistant to chemotherapy. 

We have two primary disease interests: lung cancer and pediatric sarcomas. Our lab has identified novel regulators of 

chemoresistance in lung cancer. We have used functional genomics in mouse and human models to identify a novel role 

for Wt1 in mediating KRAS-driven oncogenesis. We have identified and characterized the role of tumor-propagating cells in 

NSCLC and identified a key role for Notch3 as a self-renewal pathway in mouse and human NSCLC. In our sarcoma work, 

we are interested in mechanisms driving osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma progression. 

https://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/sweetcordero_alejandro.8106 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

STARTRK-NG: A phase 1/1b study of entrectinib in children and adolescents with 

advanced solid tumors and primary CNS tumors, with or without TRK, ROS1, or 

ALK fusions 

Authors*: Ami V. Desai, Garrett M. Brodeur, Jennifer Foster, Suzanne Shusterman, Amit J. Sabnis, Magaret Macy, 

Cynthia Wetmore, Ellen Basu, Zachary Hornby, Vanessa Esquibel, Edna Chow Maneval, Pratik S. Multani, Elizabeth Fox 

Presentation #: CT030 




Sabnis Research Interests: Dr. Sabnis’s research uses patient-derived models to identify and pre-clinically validate new 

therapies for high-risk pediatric sarcomas. In work with his mentor, Dr. Trever Bivona, and other collaborators at UCSF, he has 

developed a nascent program focusing on targets within protein homeostasis networks. In addition, he sees patients within the 

Early Phase Clinical Trials group of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/sabnis_amit.7897 


Presentations 

A phase Ib trial to study the safety and tolerability of atezolizumab with 

radium-223 dichloride in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate 

cancer (mCRPC) 

Authors*: Lawrence Fong, Michael Morris, Andrew Armstrong, Daniel Petrylak, Ulka Vaishampayan, Ajjai Alva, 

Jean Hoffman-Censits, Indrani Sarkar, Susheela Carroll, Christina Schiff, Oliver Sartor 













__________________________________________________________________________ 

Copy number estimation from targeted amplicon-based next-generation 

sequencing of castration-resistant prostate cancer biopsies: analytic validation 

and clinical qualification for a iPARP clinical trial 

Authors*: George Seed, Wei Yuan, Joaquin Mateo, Suzanne Carreira, Maryou Lambros, Gunther Boysen, Roberta Ferraldeschi, 

Susana Miranda, Ines Figueiredo, Ruth Riisnaes, Mateus Crespo, Daniel Nava Rodrigues, Eric Talevich, Dan Robinson, 

Priya Kunju, Yi-mi Wu, Robert Lonigro, Shahneen Sandhu, Arul Chinnayan, Johann De Bono 





Talevich Research Interests: Dr. Talevich is a bioinformatician in the Clinical Cancer Genomics Laboratory (CCGL) at the 

UCSF Medical center, supporting clinical care and translational research efforts in precision medicine, including the UCSF 

500 cancer gene panel service. His area of focus is the design and construction of genomic analysis pipelines to support 

short-read (Illumina) DNA and RNA sequencing of cancer samples for patient care, and the development of software and 

databases for sample tracking, quality control, genome characterization and mutation calling, and functional annotation to 

facilitate clinical review. 

http://profiles.ucsf.edu/eric.talevich 


Presentations 

PARP-1 controls the DNA damage response by regulating E2F1 transcriptional activity 

Authors*: Matthew J. Schiewer, Amy C. Mandigo, Nicolas Gordon, Fangjin Huang, Sanchaika Gaur, Shuang Zhao, Joseph Evans, 

Sumin Han, Theodore Parsons, Ruth Birbe, Peter McCue, Tapio Visakorpi, Ganesh Raj, Mark Rubin, Johann de Bono, 

Costas Lallas, Edouard Trabulsi, Leonard G. Gomella, Adam P. Dicker, Kevin Kelly, Beatrice Knudsen, Felix Feng, 

Karen E. Knudsen 





Feng Research Interests: Dr. Felix Feng is a leader in translational research in prostate cancer. The primary aim of Dr. Feng’s 

research program is to individualize therapy for patients with aggressive disease, by identifying determinants of treatment 

resistance and developing strategies to overcome this resistance. To enhance current clinical approaches from a biological 

perspective, his laboratory and dedicated research team are pursuing three major goals: 1) to identify novel molecular 

biomarkers of aggressive prostate cancer, 2) to understand the mechanisms by which several of these biomarkers drive 

disease progression, and 3) to develop therapeutic approaches to target these disease drivers. 

https://radonc.ucsf.edu/felix-feng 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Forcing tumor progression and aggression 

Authors*: Valerie M Weaver 




Presentation: Major Symposium 










Presentations 

Landscape analysis of the initial data release from AACR Project GENIE 

Authors*: Ethan Cerami, Alexander S. Baras, Justin Guinney, Eva Lepisto, Trevor J. Pugh, Nikolaus Schultz, Thomas Stricker, 

Shawn M. Sweeney, Laura J. van’t Veer, Gerrit A. Meijer, Fabrice Andre, Victor E. Velculescu, Kenna R. Shaw, Mia A. Levy, 

Philippe L. Bedard, Barrett J. Rollins, Charles L. Sawyers 



Location: Ballroom A-B, Level 3, Washington Convention Center 


van’t Veer Research Interests: Dr. van ’t Veer’s research focuses on personalized medicine & advancing patient management 

based on knowledge of the genetic makeup of the tumor as well as the genetic makeup of the patient. Her laboratory 

investigates human kinases & how kinase inhibitors elicit response & resistance, which is also utilized to understand agent 

efficacy in the I-SPY 2 TRIAL. She is the PI of the Athena Breast Health Network, a 150,000 women cohort study evaluating 

new paradigms to enhance breast health. She leads the targeted genome testing of 100,000 women for 9 breast cancer 

susceptibility genes and a selection of ~100 known susceptibility SNPs. She is one of the PIs for the NIH Big Data to 

Knowledge Center Translational Genomics, facilitating worldwide standardization of sharing annotated genomics data. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/vantveer_laura.3358 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

MONARCH 1: Final overall survival analysis of a phase 2 study of abemaciclib, 

a CDK4 and CDK6 inhibitor, as monotherapy, in patients with HR+/HER2- breast 

cancer, after chemotherapy for advanced disease 

Authors*: Hope S. Rugo, Sara M. Tolaney, Javier Cortés, Véronique Diéras, Debra A. Patt, Hans Wildiers, Shivani Nanda, 

Andrew G. Koustenis, Maura N. Dickler, José Baselga 




Presentation: Clinical Trials Plenary Session 

Rugo Research Interests: Dr. Rugo, Director of Breast Oncology & Clinical Trials Education, is PI on multiple clinical trials 

focusing on combining novel targeted therapeutics to improve the treatment of both early & late stage breast cancer (BC). 

She also works on studies to improve supportive care for early & late stage BC patients, including with UCSF’s Advanced 

Breast Cancer Program. Dr. Rugo has numerous collaborations with large academic medical centers & consortia in order 

to expand the novel therapies available to patients. She was the director of the 2016 ASCO Breast Cancer Education 

Committee meeting, is a member of the Alliance & is a founding member of the translational Breast Cancer Research 

Consortium where she co-leads the triple negative working group. She is on the novel agents committee and leads the 

safety committee for the neoadjuvant multi-center I SPY2 trial. At UCSF, Dr. Rugo runs the Breast Forum, a bimonthly 

educational session for breast cancer patients, families & friends from throughout the bay area. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/rugo_hope.3648 


Presentations 

Mechanisms of residual disease during targeted therapy 

Authors*: Trever G. Bivona 





Bivona Research Interests: Our team uses the tools of precision medicine to improve the molecular diagnosis and targeted 

therapy of patients with solid cancers, including lung cancer. Our program focuses on identifying and functionally characterizing 

the molecular drivers of tumor growth in individual patients. We study patient samples and clinical data to identify novel 

potential drivers of tumor initiation, progression, and therapy resistance. We functionally annotate the putative molecular drivers 

using an integrated approach of genetic and pharmacologic tools. This precision approach to understanding the molecular 

pathogenesis of lung cancer (and other cancers) has led to the discovery of new biomarkers and targets that provide rationale 

for novel clinical trials we are launching to improve patient survival. 

http://www.bivonalab.net/ 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Neonatal hormone levels and risk of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) 

Authors*: Libby Morimoto, David Zava, Katherine McGlynn, Frank Stanczyk, Joseph Wiemels, Xiaomei Ma, Catherine Metayer 





Wiemels Research Interests: The causes of most human cancers are unclear, but appear to be related to miscues in normal 

tissue developmental pathways, mutations (genetic and epigenetic) in critical genes caused by errors, infection, and 

chemicals, and a failure of recognition and removal of tumors by the immune system. Dr. Wiemels studies these factors as 

potential causes of hematopoietic and brain tumors. Large population-based studies of human cancer in the San Francisco 

Bay Area and State of California form a basis for examining the origin of these cancers, with a focus on future prevention. 

This type of research is highly collaborative, and Dr. Wiemels works with several epidemiologists, geneticists, clinicians, 

biologists, and statisticians. 

http://profiles.ucsf.edu/joe.wiemels 


Presentations 

Effects of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption on risks of CYP1B1 

polymorphisms for prostate cancer 

Authors*: Taku Kato, Yutaka Hashimoto, Shigekatsu Maekawa, Marisa Shiina, Mitsuho Imai-Sumida, Pritha Dasgupta, 

Priyanka Kulkarni, Soichiro Yamamura, Shahana Majid, Sharanjot Saini, Varahram Sharryari, Guoren Deng, Rajvir Dahiya, 

Yuichiro Tanaka 





Tanaka Research Interests: Dr. Tanaka’s research at the UC/VA Urology Research Center San Francisco over the years has 

involved a variety of areas that include methylation, polymorphism, non-coding RNA, aging, gene function and signaling 

pathways. Specifically, his research focuses on finding risk factors for urological cancers by utilizing human specimens, 

assessing the functional role of these biomarkers at the cellular and molecular levels and use of animal models, and 

determining its regulation in the cell; as he attempts to understand the mechanisms of the carcinogenesis process. The 

cancer types that he’s been studying involve prostate, kidney and bladder. By engaging in his research interest, results can 

lead to biomarkers as well as potential therapeutic implications for urological cancers. 

https://www.ncire.org/research/researchers_by_name/Yuichiro-Tanaka-PhD/ 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

The long noncoding RNA SChLAP1 inhibits the SWI/SNF complex, revealing a 

therapeutic opportunity in prostate cancer 

Authors*: Julia Dancourt, Anirban Sahu, John R. Prensner, Benjamin Chandler, Qi Cao, Nithin Edara, Udit Singhal, 

Matthew K. Lyer2, Rohit Malik, Xuhong Cao, Saravana M. Dhanasekaran, Yashar S. Niknafs, Shuang Zhao, Corey Speers, 

Arul M. Chinnaiyan, Felix Y. Feng 













Presentations 

Preclinical efficacy of daratumumab in acute lymphoblastic leukemia 

Authors*: Karen Lee Bride, Tiffaney Vincent, Soo-Yeon L. Im, Tori Fuller, Theresa Ryan, David M. Barrett, Shannon L. Maude, 

Mignon L. Loh, Michelle L. Hermiston, Stephan A. Grupp, Brent L. Wood, David T. Teachey 





Loh Research Interests: The Loh lab has focused on translating genomic and biochemical discoveries in juvenile myelomonocytic 

(JMML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) into assays and therapies that can be incorporated into clinical trials. Their 

work in JMML has largely focused on dissecting the genomic landscape of JMML, including descriptions of PTPN11 and CBL 

mutations and the discovery of CBL as a new familial tumor suppressor gene. From these discoveries, Dr. Loh established 

JMML CLIA molecular diagnostic testing, which is now utilized as standard testing for patients suspected of having JMML. 

Dr. Loh is currently Chair of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) ALL committee starting in April 2015 and responsible for 

supervising and implementing the next generation of national ALL trials for children, adolescents, and young adults. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/loh_mignon.3407 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

STARTRK-2: A global phase 2, open-label, basket study of entrectinib in patients 

with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors harboring TRK, ROS1, or ALK 

gene fusions 

Authors*: Alexander Drilon, Kamalesh Kumar Sankhala, Stephen V. Liu, Byoung Chul Cho, Collin Blakely, Cheng E. Chee, 

Marwan Fakih, Jonathan Polikoff, Zachary Hornby, Lisa Schechet, David Luo, Edna Chow Maneval, Pratik S. Multani, 

Robert C. Doebele 





Blakely Research Interests: The primary focus of my research is to translate laboratory-based findings into novel investigator 

sponsored trials that aim to assess the safety and efficacy of rationally designed targeted therapies for lung cancer patients. 

My goals are to: 1) define how TKI resistance pathways evolve at the tumor genome, transcriptome and molecular signaling 

levels within lung cancers and to translate these findings into novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers that may predict 

TKI resistance before it occurs; 2) develop investigator sponsored clinical trials to test rational companion therapies that 

can prevent, delay, or overcome TKI resistance, 3) develop investigator sponsored clinical trials to target recently identified 

oncogenic pathways, outside of EGFR and ALK, that drive NSCLC; and 4) establish a cohort of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) 

mice to foster research that aims to further understand the molecular mechanisms of response and resistance to TKI therapies 

in lung cancer 

http://top.ucsf.edu/meet-the-team/medical-oncologists/collin-blakely,-md,-phd.aspx 


Presentations 

COP1 E3 ligase modulates response to oncogenic MAPK pathway 

Authors*: Manasi K. Mayekar, Trever Bivona 





Bivona Research Interests: Our team uses the tools of precision medicine to improve the molecular diagnosis and targeted 

therapy of patients with solid cancers, including lung cancer. Our program focuses on identifying and functionally characterizing 

the molecular drivers of tumor growth in individual patients. We study patient samples and clinical data to identify novel 

potential drivers of tumor initiation, progression, and therapy resistance. We functionally annotate the putative molecular drivers 

using an integrated approach of genetic and pharmacologic tools. This precision approach to understanding the molecular 

pathogenesis of lung cancer (and other cancers) has led to the discovery of new biomarkers and targets that provide rationale 

for novel clinical trials we are launching to improve patient survival. 

http://www.bivonalab.net/ 


Presentations 

Tuesday, April 4, 2017 

Characterizing tumor-adjacent normal tissue: Is it really normal? 

Authors*: Dvir Aran 




Presentation: NIH Sponsored Session 

Butte Research Interests: Dr. Butte’s group builds and applies tools that convert more than 400 trillion points of molecular, 

clinical, and epidemiological data into diagnostics, therapeutics, and new insights into disease. This research has led to 

truly novel insights into ways to treat diseases and the founding of three investor-backed data-driven companies. His lab 

uses the bioinformatics methods that they have developed in-house to integrate, leverage, and reason over genomic, genetic, 

phenotypic, and other sources of molecular data to yield tools for physicians and patients. Additionally, his lab has developed 

tools for indexing public genomic data sets, re-mapping microarray data and in cloud-computing, as well as novel methods to 

explore human physiology using electronic health record data and in the medical risk estimation from whole genomes. 

http://buttelab.ucsf.edu 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Cytoskeletal modulation results in increased tumor survival and drug resistance 

through attenuation of p53 dependent apoptosis 

Authors*: Victoria E. Wang, John Doench, David Root, Rene Bernards, Jeffrey Settleman, Frank McCormick 






Presentations 

Genistein inhibits renal cancer progression through long non-coding 

RNA HOTAIR suppression 

Authors*: Mitsuho Imai-Sumida, Shahana Majid, Pritha Dasgupta, Priyanka Kulkarni, Sharanjot Saini, Divya Bhagirath, 

Taku Kato, Shigekatsu Maekawa, Yutaka Hashimoto, Marisa Shiina, Guoren Deng, Varahram Shahryari, Yuichiro Tanaka, 

Rajvir Dahiya, Soichiro Yamamura 





__________________________________________________________________________ 

LncRNA as potential target in drug-resistant melanomas 

Authors*: Rosaura Esteve-Puig, Martina Sanlorenzo, Igor Vujic, Kevin Lai1,Marin Vujic, Dallas Mould, Kevin Lin, 

Juan Oses-Prieto, Shreya Chand, Christian Posch, Alma Burlingame, Susana Ortiz-Urda 





Ortiz-Urda Research Interests: The Ortiz lab is interested in the study of the functions of promoter and intronic sequences of 

melanoma related genes. Our lab studies the mechanisms of cancer progression and the resistance mechanisms to drugs. 

In addition, Ortiz’s lab uses novel nanotechnology approaches to detect mutations and to deliver specific drugs to the cells 

of interest. To study cancer progression, the Ortiz lab uses epithelial tissue and organotypic constructs as a model system. 

The latter encompass human skin regenerated on immune-deficient mice. Grafts can express different combination of genes 

allowing this the elucidation of factors that stimulate tumor progression. Furthermore, the Ortiz lab uses laser micro-dissection 

to study single cell genetics. In order to elucidate mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapeutics the Ortiz lab analyzes 

resistance melanoma cell lines at the level of genome and transcriptome. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/research/ortiz-lab 


Presentations 

Splice expression variation analysis (SEVA) for differential gene isoform usage 

in cancer 

Authors*: Bahman Afsari, Theresa Guo, Michael Considine, Dylan Kelley, Emily Flam, Liliana Florea, Patrick Ha, 

Donald Geman, Michael F. Ochs, Joseph A. Califano, Daria A. Gaykalova, Alexander V. Favorov, Elana J. Fertig 





Ha Research Interests: Dr. Ha’s lab interests align with his clinical practice of managing patients with complex head and neck 

cancers. He has had multiple NIH grants examining the molecular underpinnings of salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma 

in order to learn more about this rare but deadly disease. He serves on the editorial board of several journals including Head 

and Neck and Oral Oncology, and is now serving as the Chief of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology at the University of 

California San Francisco. 

http://ohns.ucsf.edu/patrick-ha 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Single cell RNA-Seq of primary lymphomas reveals the diverse transcriptional 

states of the cancer immunologic milieu 

Authors*: Noemi Andor, Erin Simonds, Jiamin Chen, Christina Wood, Susan Grimes, Debra Czerwinski, Grace Zheng, 

Ronald Levy, Hanlee P. Ji 





Simonds Research Interests: I apply single-cell analysis techniques to understand how phenotypic heterogeneity contributes 

to cancer growth and resistance to therapy. I helped develop single-cell assays to study signaling in the healthy immune 

system, and in childhood leukemias and I am applying these same approaches to investigate phenotypic plasticity and 

immune infiltration in glioblastoma, the most common and lethal brain tumor. Many of my experiments are enabled by a 

next-generation flow cytometry platform (CyTOF mass cytometry), which can measure up to 42 protein expression and 

intracellular signaling markers at the single-cell level in millions of cancer cells. This platform provides detailed biochemical 

profiles of rare and complex samples, uncovering subpopulations that would have been overlooked by classical bulk protein 

and genetic assays. 

http://profiles.ucsf.edu/erin.simonds#narrative 


Presentations 

Identification of a novel and a shared H3.3K27M mutation derived neoantigen 

epitope and H3.3K27M specific TCR engineered T cell therapy for glioma 

Authors*: Zinal Chheda, Gary Kohanbash, John Sidney, Kaori Okada, Naznin Jahan, Diego Carrera, Payal Watchmaker, 

Kira Downey, Shuming Liu, Shruti Shrivastav, Sabine Mueller, Ian F. Pollack, Angel M. Carcaboso, Alessandro Sette, 

Yafei Hou, Hideho Okada 





Okada Research Interests: As a translational physician scientist, Dr. Okada and his lab are focused on development of novel 

immunotherapeutic strategies for brain tumor patients. For example, Dr. Okada conducted one of the first immune gene therapy 

trials in patients with malignant glioma. His lab was also the first to identify and fully characterized cytotoxic T-lymphocyte 

epitopes for gliomas. Dr. Okada has also delineated the role of an integrin receptor very late activation antigen-4 and chemokine 

CXCL10 in efficient trafficking of T-cells to brain tumor sites. Dr. Okada has integrated these findings to develop a number of 

vaccine trials in both adult and pediatric glioma patients. More recently, his group developed a novel chimeric antigen receptor 

targeting glioblastoma cells, and are currently conducting a pilot trial. 


__________________________________________________________________________ 

A subset of poorly prognostic pediatric posterior fossa ependymomas exhibit 

lowered H3K27me3 and DNA hypomethylation and show epigenetic similarities 

with H3K27M mutant diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas 

Authors*: Sriram Venneti, Jill Bayliss, Piali Mukherjee, Chao Lu, Siddhant Jain, Chan Chung, Daniel Martinez, Benjamin Sabari, 

Ashley Margol, Pooja Panwalkar, Abhijit Paroloia, Melike Pekmezci, Richard Mc Eachin, Marcin Cieslik, Benita Tamrazi, 

Benjamin Garcia, Gaspare La Rocca, Mariarita Santi, Peter Lewis, Cynthia Hawkins, Ari Melnick, C. David Allis, Craig B. Thompson, 

Arul Chinnaiyan, Alexander R. Judkins 





Pekmezci Research Interests: Dr. Pekmezci is a clinical Neuropathologist and Ophthalmic Pathologist, who is involved in 

translational research with specific focus on diagnostic and prognostic markers of CNS neoplasms. She has been particularly 

interested in molecular classification and grading schemes of diffuse gliomas. In addition, her ongoing research includes 

diagnostic and prognostic markers of ocular surface neoplasms and uveal melanomas. 

https://www.pathology.ucsf.edu/about/faculty/pathology-mpekmezci.html 


Presentations 

A novel combination therapy targeting BCL6 and phospho-STAT3 defeats 

intratumor heterogeneity in a subset of non-small cell lung cancers 

Authors*: Dhruba Deb, Satwik Rajaram, Jill E. Larsen, Patrick P. Dospoy, Rossella Marullo, Longshan Li, Kimberley Avila, 

Leandro Cerchietti, John D. Minna1, Lani F. Wu, Steven J. Altschuler 





Altschuler and Wu Lab Research Interests: Over the past decade, our labs pioneered approaches for scalable, microscopybased 

drug discovery. We also pioneered experimental, computational and theoretical approaches for identifying functional 

roles in patterns of cellular heterogeneity. We showed that patterns of cell-cell differences can reveal hidden biological 

information about how cells make decisions and serve as an informative readout of disease progression and drug response. 

Methodologies developed in our labs have been widely adapted in academics and industry. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/altschuler_steven.5588 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

NCoR2 regulates glioblastoma progression and treatment resistance 

Authors*: Shelly Kaushik, Joanna J. Phillips, Valerie M. Weaver 














Presentations 

Ribociclib + endocrine therapy (ET) doublet combinations in hormone 

receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative 

(HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC): Phase I clinical activity and impact of 

molecular alterations 

Authors*: Dejan Juric, Mario Campone, Pamela Munster, Roohi Ismail-Khan, Laura Garcia Estévez, Mariana Chavez-MacGregor, 

Antonio Frassoldati, Rina Hui, Ingrid A. Mayer, Javier Cortés, Anthony Gonçalves, Richard H. De Boer, Luc Dirix, Sara M. Tolaney, 

Soo Chin Lee, Michela Maur, Yingbo Wang, Faye Su, Jason R. Dobson, Caroline Germa, Becker Hewes, Aditya Bardia 





Munster Research Interests: Our lab is interested in developing novel strategies to overcome hormone therapy resistance in 

breast cancer. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/munster_pamela.3449 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Safety and pharmacodynamic activity of MEDI9197, a TLR 7/8 agonist, 

administered intratumorally in subjects with solid tumors 

Authors*: Shilpa Gupta, Juneko Grilley-Olson, David Hong, Aurélien Marabelle, Pamela Munster, Rahul Aggarwal, 

Sandrine Aspeslagh, Robert G. Dixon, Manish Patel, Vivek Subbiah, Chris Morehouse, Yuling Wu, Jiping Zha, Leo Tseng, 

Zachary A. Cooper, Shannon Morris, Joshua Brody 






Presentations 

Precision medicine lessons from window-of-opportunity trials 

Authors*: Jennifer Rubin Grandis 



Location: Hall D-E, Level 2, Washington Convention Center 

Presentation: Plenary Session 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Post-radiation mutational signatures 

Authors*: Jean L. Nakamura 



Location: East Salon C, Level 1, Washington Convention Center 


Nakamura Research Interests: The first area we study is Neurofibromatosis I (NF1), which is a genetic syndrome that can 

lead to tumors in children. Individuals with NF1 can develop brain tumors and tumors along their spines (as well as cancers 

in other organs). This is an incurable disease that can lead to many complications and even death. We have developed an 

experimental systems to study how mutations causing this disease actually lead to tumor formation, with the goal of using 

this information to develop better therapies. A second area of research is trying to understand why second cancers develop 

in some childhood cancer survivors. We analyze these second cancers from childhood cancer survivors (some of whom 

are now adults) for problems in the genetic code. By studying the abnormalities in the genetic code of second cancers, we 

expect to understand the biological processes leading to second cancers, and one day prevent these complications. 

https://radonc.ucsf.edu/jean-nakamura 


Presentations 

Polygenic risk score for breast cancer risk prediction in Latinas: does one size fit all? 

Authors*: Elad Ziv 





Ziv Research Interests: Dr. Ziv joined the faculty at UCSF in 2001. His group focuses on identifying genetic variations that 

underlie risk for malignancies by using insights from epidemiology and population genetics. A major interest has been 

genetic susceptibility to breast cancer among Latinas. Using a combination of admixture mapping and genome wide 

association, they have identified genetic variants that are unique among Latinas and are associated with strong protection 

against breast cancer susceptibility. They are currently using a whole exome sequencing approach to identify breast cancer risk 

variants among Latinas. Dr. Ziv’s group has successfully mapped the genes for ethnic neutropenia in African Americans. They 

are also currently studying the genetic variation underlying multiple myeloma susceptibility and progression. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/ziv_elad.3779 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

“Weak links” in cancer proteostasis networks as new therapeutic targets 

Authors*: Martin Kampmann 





Kampmann Research Interests: In our research, we ask how cells maintain their proteins in a functional and balanced state. 

In human cells, this is accomplished by a network of over 1,000 different factors called the proteostasis network. Our goal is 

to understand how this network functions, and how it is challenged and rewired in disease states, in particular cancer and 

neurodegenerative diseases. Our functional genomics technology, which integrates CRISPR/Cas9-based control of gene 

function and large-scale genetic interaction maps, enables us to elucidate dynamic networks and to pinpoint nodes that are 

potential therapeutic targets. We use biochemistry, biophysics and cell biology to “zoom in” on individual nodes of the network 

and to reveal their mechanism of action. 

http://kampmannlab.ucsf.edu 


Presentations 

Minorities in Cancer Research Scientific Symposium: The Role of Diverse 

Populations in Precision Medicine 

Authors*: Laura Fejerman 




Presentation Type: Major Symposium 

Fejerman Research Interests: Dr. Fejerman focuses on the discovery of genetic and non-genetic factors that contribute 

to breast cancer risk and prognosis in Latinas. Her past work established a relationship between genetic ancestry and 

breast cancer risk, where higher European ancestry in U.S. and Mexican Latinas was associated with an increased risk. Her 

subsequent research has built upon this observation, exploring genetic variants, through admixture mapping and genome-wide 

association approaches, as well as the possible environmental and lifestyle related factors, and ancestry-gene interactions. 

Recent work explores disparities in breast cancer prognosis by genetic ancestry in Latinas and its potential causes. 

http://fejerman.ucsf.edu 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

CPI-444, an oral adenosine A2a receptor (A2aR) antagonist, demonstrates clinical 

activity in patients with advanced solid tumors 

Authors*: Leisha Emens, John Powderly, I2, Lawrence Fong, Joshua Brody, Patrick Forde, Matthew Hellmann, Brett Hughes, 

Shivaani Kummar, Sherene Loi, Jason Luke, Daruka Mahadevan, Benjamin Markman, Ian McCaffery, Richard Miller, Ginna Laport 




Presentation: Clinical Trials Plenary Session 










Presentations 

Vaccination in patients with low-grade glioma aiming at prevention of 

high-grade transformation 

Authors*: Hideho Okada 




Presentation: Rapid Advances in Prevention Research 

Okada Research Interests: As a translational physician scientist, Dr. Okada and his lab are focused on development of novel 

immunotherapeutic strategies for brain tumor patients. For example, Dr. Okada conducted one of the first immune gene therapy 

trials in patients with malignant glioma. His lab was also the first to identify and fully characterized cytotoxic T-lymphocyte 

epitopes for gliomas. Dr. Okada has also delineated the role of an integrin receptor very late activation antigen-4 and chemokine 

CXCL10 in efficient trafficking of T-cells to brain tumor sites. Dr. Okada has integrated these findings to develop a number of 

vaccine trials in both adult and pediatric glioma patients. More recently, his group developed a novel chimeric antigen receptor 

targeting glioblastoma cells, and are currently conducting a pilot trial. 


__________________________________________________________________________ 

Overcoming kinase inhibitor resistance and dealing with biologic redundancy: 

mTOR and K-Ras 

Authors*: Kevan Michael Shokat 






Presentations 

Identifying allosteric modulators of KRas using second harmonic generation 

Authors*: Elizabeth Donohue Vo, Gabriel Besserer Mercado, Patrick Alexander, Ben Moree, Que Van, Andrew G. Stephen, 

Joshua Salafsky, Frank McCormick 





__________________________________________________________________________ 

Targeting the EGFR/STAT3 axis in NSCLC with resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase 

inhibitors using an oligonucleotide-based decoy 

Authors*: Christian Njatcha, Mariya Farooqui, Jennifer R. Grandis, Jill M. Siegfried 






Presentations 

Targeting IL-6 signaling overcomes cetuximab resistance in head and neck 

squamous cell carcinoma 

Authors*: Rachel A. O’Keefe, Neil Bhola, Toni M. Brand, Yan Zeng, Daniel E. Johnson, Jennifer R. Grandis 





Grandis Research Interests: Cetuximab is an EGFR monoclonal antibody that is FDA-approved for the treatment of head and 

neck cancer. Despite ubiquitous over expression of EGFR in head and neck cancers, only a subset of patients respond to this 

drug and resistance mechanisms are incompletely understood. The Grandis lab has accumulated evidence that secretion of 

interleukin 6 (IL6), with subsequent oncogenic signaling represents a potential pathway of cetuximab resistance where 

co-targeting IL6/ILR-receptor may represent a plausible therapeutic strategy. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/grandis_jennifer.6048 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Application of convolutional neural networks to breast biopsies to uncover tissue 

correlates of mammographic breast density 

Authors*: Maeve Mullooly, Babak Ehteshami Bejnordi, Maya Palakal, Pamela M. Vacek, Donald L. Weaver, John A. Shepherd, 

Bo Fan, Amir Pasha Mahmoudzadeh, Jeff Wang, Jason M. Johnson, Sally D. Herschorn, Brian L. Sprague, Ruth M. Pfeiffer, 

Louise A. Brinton, Mark E. Sherman, Andrew Beck, Gretchen L. Gierach 





Shepherd Research Interests: Dr. Shepherd’s research interests involve quantitative imaging methods for tissue 

composition using x-rays. His mammographic methods are used extensively for research around the world and in the 

San Francisco Mammography Registry Program. Dr. Shepherd’s efforts are focused on the technical imaging aspects of 

the measurements of the body composition and the translation of these measurements into different fields of study. He has 

present and future research projects in the following areas: breast cancer risk and detection using breast density and tissue 

texture measures; dual-energy x-ray diagnostic mammography for characterizing compositional signatures of cancer lesions; 

total body protein measures, body shape analysis and metabolic diseases; statistics of quality assurance and quality 

control for quantitative measurements. 

https://radiology.ucsf.edu/people/john-shepherd 


Presentations 

Exosomal miR-3622a as prognostic marker in prostate cancer 

Authors*: Thao Yang, Divya Bhagirath, Kirandeep Sekhon, Nathan Bucay, Shahana Majid, Varahram Shahryari, 

Marisa Shiina, Yutaka Hashimoto, Priyanka Kulkarni, Pritha Dasgupta, Mitsuho Imai-Sumida, Soichiro Yamamura, 

Z Laura Tabatabai, Kirsten Greene, Yuichiro Tanaka, Rajvir Dahiya, Guoren Deng, Sharanjot Saini 





Saini Research Interests: A major clinical challenge in prostate cancer is the elucidation of pathways of tumor progression, 

recurrence and metastasis, which could lead to the design of better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against the disease. 

Towards this, our current research is primarily focused on delineating the molecular mechanisms driving prostate cancer 

progression, recurrence and metastasis. We are particularly interested in understanding key microRNA-mediated molecular 

pathways in prostate cancer with a long term objective of development of microRNAs as alternative biomarkers for the disease. 

We have identified important microRNA regulators of prostate cancer metastasis and also elucidated the regulatory role of key 

microRNAs in prostate cancer stem cells. 

https://www.ncire.org/research/researchers_by_name/Sharanjot-Saini-PhD/ 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

KRAS regulates eIF4E Binding Proteins (4EBPs) via MAPK-Interacting Kinases 

(MNKs) in a PI3K-dependent, AKT-independent manner 

Authors*: Jillian M. Silva, Rachel K. Bagni, Davide Ruggero, Frank McCormick 






Presentations 

Preclinical investigation of SGN-CD70A antibody-drug conjugate in 

T cell lymphomas 

Authors*: Chen-Yen Yang, Linlin Wang, Laura Pincus, Frank McCormick, Ryan Gill, Wei Ai 





__________________________________________________________________________ 

Omx a hypoxia modulator reverses the immunosuppressive glioblastoma 

microenvironment by stimulating T cell infiltration and activation that results in 

increased number of long-term survivors 

Authors*: Natacha Le Moan, Philberta Leung, Sarah Ng, Tina Davis, Carol Liang, Jonathan W. Winger, Stephen P. L. Cary, 

Nicolas Butowski, Ana Krtolica 





Butowski Research Interests: My research includes translational research and a wide range of clinical trials, including those 

with convection-enhanced delivery (CED) with real-time MRI imaging, targeted agents, immunotherapy, and combination 

strategies. I am the Director of Translational Research in Neuro-Oncology and lead the translational effort on behalf of the 

UCSF Brain Tumor Research Center and Preclinical Core. My work has helped to create the groundwork for allied research 

in neuro-oncology and an extensive UCSF clinical trial portfolio for patients with primary brain and spine tumors, including 

an assortment of immunotherapy trials and surgically based trials. I have also designed investigator initiated trials, including 

a clinical trial employing intratumoral delivery with real-time MRI imaging as well as those with a range of novel targets, 

molecular markers and imaging biomarkers. I have also authored a number of peer-reviewed papers and presented work at 

national and international meetings. 

https://www.ucsfhealth.org/nicholas.butowski 


Presentations 

Metronomic chemotherapy prevents therapy-induced stromal activation and 

induction of cancer stem cells 

Authors*: Kelvin K. Tsai, Tze-Sian Chan, Chung-Chi Hsu, Vincent C. Pai, Shenq-Shyang Huang, Valerie M. Weaver 













__________________________________________________________________________ 

A pan-cancer analysis framework for incorporating gene expression information 

into clinical interpretation of pediatric cancer genomic data 

Authors*: Olena Morozova, Yulia Newton, Avanthi Tayi Shah, Holly Beale, Du Linh Lam, John Vivian, Isabel Bjork, 

Theodore Goldstein, Josh Stuart, Sofie Salama, E. Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, David Haussler 
















Presentations 

Preclinical evaluation of DNA-PK as a therapeutic target in prostate cancer 

Authors*: Emanuela Dylgjeri, Jonathan F. Goodwin, Christopher M. McNair, Ayesha A. Shafi, Vishal Kothari, Felix Feng, 

Dana Rathkop, Karen Knudsen 












__________________________________________________________________________ 

Technologies for Defining the Cancer Interactome 

Authors*: Nevan J. Krogan 




Presentation: NIH Sponsored Session 

Krogan Research Interests: Research in the Krogan lab focuses on high-throughput network biology to derive mechanistic 

insights into cellular processes and disease conditions, with a particular emphasis on cancer, pathogenesis, psychiatric 

disorders and heart disease. Cancer research and treatment is increasingly dependent on knowledge of biological networks 

of multiple types, including physical interactions among proteins and synthetic-lethal and epistatic interactions among 

genes. Dr. Krogan is Co-Director of the Cancer Cell Map Initiative (CCMI), which aims to comprehensively detail these 

complex interactions among cancer genes and proteins using a combination of physical interaction, genetic interaction, and 

computational approaches. This work will enable the analysis of cancer molecular networks with a view towards pathway 

and network-based personalized therapy. 

http://kroganlab.ucsf.edu 


Presentations 

Computational detection of oncogene‐centric pathway members 

Authors*: Joshua Broyde, David Simpson, Diana Murray, Alexander Lachmann, Federico M. Giorgi, Barry Honig, 

Alejandro E. Sweet-Cordero, Andrea Califano 


Presentation Date/Time: April 4, 2017, 4:05 – 4:20 













__________________________________________________________________________ 

Precision Medicine: Will It Be of Benefit in Pediatric Cancer Patients 

Authors*: Sabine Mueller, Charles G. Mullighan - Invited Speakers 




Presentation: Forum 

Mueller Research Interests: The laboratory of Dr. Sabine Mueller focuses on translational research in pediatric neuro-oncology. 

A key focus is the development and characterization of patient derived xenograft (PDX) models for diffuse intrinsic pontine 

gliomas (DIPG) and other pediatric high grade gliomas (pHGGs). In particular, the Mueller lab investigates the genomic 

heterogeneity of DIPGs and other pHGGs. Additionally, they are exploring the utility of liquid biopsies by assessing circulating 

tumor DNA and correlating this with disease response. Further, the laboratory is exploring central nervous system (CNS) 

directed delivery strategies, such as convection enhanced delivery (CED) in combination with nanotechnology, in these PDX 

models. The laboratory has several industry partnerships to test new agents as single agents and in combination therapy 

strategies with other agents as well as radiation therapy. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/mueller_sabine.4800 


Presentations 

Early Detection of Lethal Cancers: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff 

Authors*: Avrum E. Spira, Laura J. Esserman - Invited Speakers 



Location: East Salon A-B, Level 1, Washington Convention Center 

Presentation: Forum 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Genomics and the Environment: Moving toward Precision Medicine in the Context 

of Health Disparities 

Authors*: Laura Fejerman 




Presentation Type: Forum 









Presentations 

Spatial-mechanical regulation of tumor dormancy and metastases 

Authors*: Valerie M Weaver 




Presentation: Town Meeting 










Presentations 

Wednesday, April 5, 2017 

Breast cancer characteristics among Indigenous American women from Peru 

Authors*: Lizeth I. Tamayo, Tatiana Vidaurr2, Jeannie N. Vásquez, Sandro Casavilca, Jessica I. A. Palomino, Monica Calderon, 

Garth H. Rauscher, Laura Fejerman 












__________________________________________________________________________ 

Association of physical activity with risk of prostate cancer defined by 

TMPRSS2:ERG 

Authors*: Claire H. Pernar, Ericka M. Ebot, Andreas Pettersson, Rebecca E. Graff, Thomas U. Ahearn, Amparo G. Gonzalez-Feliciano, 

Sarah C. Markt, Kathryn M. Wilson, Stephen Finn, Michelangelo Fiorentino, Edward L. Giovannucci, Lorelei A. Mucci 












Presentations 

An exosomal biomarker for prostate cancer 

Authors*: Divya Bhagirath, Thao Yang, Kirandeep Sekhon, Nathan Bucay, Shahana Majid, Yutaka Hashimoto, 

Priyanka Kulkarni, Pritha Dasgupta, Marisa Shiina, Varahram Shahryari, Mitsuho Imai-Sumida, Soichiro Yamamura, 

Z Laura Tabatabai, Yuichiro Tanaka, Rajvir Dahiya, Guoren Deng, Sharanjot Saini. 





Saini Research Interests: A major clinical challenge in prostate cancer is the elucidation of pathways of tumor progression, 

recurrence and metastasis, which could lead to the design of better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against the 

disease. Towards this, our current research is primarily focused on delineating the molecular mechanisms driving prostate 

cancer progression, recurrence and metastasis. We are particularly interested in understanding key microRNA-mediated 

molecular pathways in prostate cancer with a long term objective of development of microRNAs as alternative biomarkers 

for the disease. We have identified important microRNA regulators of prostate cancer metastasis and also elucidated the 

regulatory role of key microRNAs in prostate cancer stem cells. 

https://www.ncire.org/research/researchers_by_name/Sharanjot-Saini-PhD/ 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

VCAN promotes clear cell renal cell carcinoma tumor progression and metastasis, 

and predicts poor prognosis 

Authors*: Yozo Mitsui, Taku Kato, Shigekatsu Maekawa, Yutaka Hashimoto, Marisa Shiina, Mitsuho Imai Sumida, 

Ryan Kenji Wong, Soichiro Yamamura, Varahram Shahryari, Shahana Majid, Sharanjot Saini, Guoren Deng, 

Rajvir Dahiya, Koichi Nakajima, Yuichiro Tanaka 





Tanaka Research Interests: Dr. Tanaka’s research at the UC/VA Urology Research Center San Francisco over the years has 

involved a variety of areas that include methylation, polymorphism, non-coding RNA, aging, gene function and signaling 

pathways. Specifically, his research focuses on finding risk factors for urological cancers by utilizing human specimens, 

assessing the functional role of these biomarkers at the cellular and molecular levels and use of animal models, and 

determining its regulation in the cell; as he attempts to understand the mechanisms of the carcinogenesis process. The 

cancer types that he’s been studying involve prostate, kidney and bladder. By engaging in his research interest, results can 

lead to biomarkers as well as potential therapeutic implications for urological cancers. 

https://www.ncire.org/research/researchers_by_name/Yuichiro-Tanaka-PhD/ 


Presentations 

Disrupting the Aurora kinase A interactome in pediatric cancer 

Authors*: Sucheta Mukherjee, Carolyn Tu, Clay Gustafson 





Gustafon Research Interests: The Gustafson lab focuses on new basic biological discoveries in cancer and leveraging 

these to develop novel therapies. One focus has been the discovery and development of novel targeted therapies to treat 

MYC driven cancers, particularly neuroblastoma. Pathways which regulate MYC proteins are central to neuroblastoma, as 

well as a wide array of other pediatric and adult cancers. MYCN is prominently amplified in high-risk neuroblastoma and 

neuroblastoma is widely considered a model MYC-protein driven disease. Most recently we have discovered a new class 

of conformation-disrupting Aurora A inhibitors (CD-AURKi) with CD532 as our lead compound. These CD-AURKi potently 

inhibit Aurora Kinase A and downregulates MYCN protein in neuroblastoma cells. Using co-crystal structures, cell culture 

models, and structure-activity relationships, we have shown that CD532 acts via a novel allosteric mechanism whereby a 

kinase inhibitor is used to drug an undruggable transcription factor. 

http://gustafsonlab.ucsf.edu 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Androgen receptor (AR): A novel target for radiosensitization in triple-negative 

breast cancers (TNBC) 

Authors*: Benjamin C. Chandler, Corey W. Speers, Shuang G. Zhao, Meilan Liu, Kari Wilder-Romans, Eric Olsen, Shyam Nyati, 

Daniel Spratt, Daniel Wahl, Daniel Hayes, Felix Y. Feng, Lori J. Pierce 













Presentations 

Cdk4/6 kinase inhibitor resistance in prostate cancer 

Authors*: Renee de Leeuw, Matthew J. Schiewer, Christopher McNair, Michael A. Augello, Akihiro Yoshida, Edward S. Hazard, 

Sean Courtney, Gerard T. Hardiman, Justin Drake, Felix Y. Feng, Scott Tomlins, Maha H. Hussain, J. Alan Diehl, William K. Kelly, 

Karen E. Knudsen 












__________________________________________________________________________ 

Tumor microenvironment modulates RTK signaling 

Authors*: Dhruv Thakar, Shalini T. Low-Nam, Jay T. Groves, Valerie M. Weaver 














Presentations 

A novel oncomiR negatively regulates PTEN pathway in prostate cancer 

Authors*: Nadeem S. Bhat, Melissa Colden, Prerna Arora, Altaf A. Dar, Sharanjot Saini, Varahram Shahryari, 

Soichiro Yamamura, Yuichiro Tanaka, Taku Katu, Yutaka Hashimoto, Marisa Shiina, Priyanka Kulkarni, 

Pritha Dasgupta, Mitsuho Imai-sumida, Shigekatsu Maekawa, Guoren Deng, Rajvir Dahiya, Shahana Majid 





Majid Research Interests: The Majid lab, located Urology Research Center at the VAMC/UCSF, focuses in the area of urological 

cancers to understand the etiology and to develop novel molecular biomarkers for initiation, progression and metastasis with 

special emphasis on prostate cancer. We have been working in the field of microRNAs, genetics and epigenetics of urologic 

cancers. Cancer progression markers are identified by employing genome-wide approaches, and utilizing cells culture and 

mouse models as well as tissues from patients. The objective of the lab is to identify novel therapeutic targets or valuable 

biomarkers to establish rational therapeutic strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. 

http://profiles.ucsf.edu/shahana.majid 

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Glioblastoma: Where we are, where we have been, and what is next 

Authors*: Michael Prados 




Presentation: Recent Advances in Organ Site Research 

Prados Research Interests: Dr. Prados is a world-recognized Neuro-oncology expert. He led the Adult Brain Tumor Consortium 

for over 15 years and founded the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC), a multi-institutional consortium 

of now 15 major academic centers across the United States. Currently Dr. Prados is Professor Emeritus at UCSF devoting 

his efforts towards pediatric Neuro-Oncology clinical and translational research. He is the co-Project Leader of a pediatric 

brain tumor SPORE project at UCSF and is co-Project Leader of the PNOC. His major interests are early phase clinical trials 

research and the translational studies that precede and inform those trials in both adults and children. He is part of the Editorial 

board of Neuro-Oncology, Journal of Neuro-Oncology and Journal of Clinical Oncology, and a member of the NCI/CTEP Brain 

Malignancies Steering Committee. In 2014 he was awarded the Victor Levin Award for lifetime clinical research excellence from 

the Society of Neuro-Oncology. 

http://cancer.ucsf.edu/people/profiles/prados_michael.3603 


Summary of Abstracts 


by Faculty Member 

Rahul Aggarwal, MD 

CT091 

Wei Ai, MD 

Safety and pharmacodynamic activity of MEDI9197, a TLR 7/8 agonist, administered intratumorally in 

subjects with solid tumors 

4589 Preclinical investigation of SGN-CD70A antibody-drug conjugate in T cell lymphomas 

Mary Helen Barcellos-Hoff, PhD 

831 TGFβ controls the DNA damage response via miR-182 regulation of BRCA1 and ATM 

Neil Bhola, PhD 

95 Targeting BRD4 overcomes cetuximab resistance in HNSCC 

Trever Bivona, MD, PhD 

— Mechanisms of residual disease during targeted therapy 

LB-124 

COP1 E3 ligase modulates response to oncogenic MAPK pathway 

Collin Blakely, MD 

CT060 

STARTRK-2: A global phase 2, open-label, basket study of entrectinib in patients with locally advanced or 

metastatic solid tumors harboring TRK, ROS1, or ALK gene fusions 

Jeffrey Bluestone, PhD 

683A 

Mechanism of liver metastasis induced systemic suppression of checkpoint inhibitor response 

Nicolas Butowski, MD 

4686 Omx a hypoxia modulator reverses the immunosuppressive glioblastoma microenvironment by stimulating 

T cell infiltration and activation that results in increased number of long-term survivors 

Atul Butte, MD, PhD 

— Characterizing tumor-adjacent normal tissue: Is it really normal? 

LB-006 

Oncology model fidelity scores 

Rajvir Dahiya, PhD 

462 The role of miR-24 as a race-related genetic factor in prostate cancer 

483 Differential expression of miR-34b and androgen receptor pathway regulate prostate cancer aggressiveness 

between African Americans and Caucasians 

56


Adil Daud, MD 

— Response to checkpoint therapy and exhausted CTL in the tumor microenvironment 

Michel DuPage, PhD 

1014 Selective impairment of intratumoral regulatory T cells by targeting Ezh2 enhances cancer immunity 

Laura Esserman, MD, MBA 

— Early Detection of Lethal Cancers: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff 

Laura Fejerman, PhD 

— Genomics and the Environment: Moving toward Precision Medicine in the Context of Health Disparities 

— Minorities in Cancer Research Scientific Symposium: The Role of Diverse Populations in Precision Medicine 

5275 Breast cancer characteristics among Indigenous American women from Peru 

Felix Feng, MD 

2546 The long noncoding RNA SChLAP1 inhibits the SWI/SNF complex, revealing a therapeutic opportunity in 

prostate cancer 

5839 Androgen receptor (AR): A novel target for radiosensitization in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) 

5874 Cdk4/6 kinase inhibitor resistance in prostate cancer 

LB-086 

LB-264 

PARP-1 controls the DNA damage response by regulating E2F1 transcriptional activity 

Preclinical evaluation of DNA-PK as a therapeutic target in prostate cancer 

Lawrence Fong, MD 

549 Clustering analysis of next-generation sequencing T cell repertoire data in sipuleucel-T treated prostate 

cancer patients 

1694 Systemic granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) treatment increases T cell receptor 

diversity in localized and metastatic prostate cancer patients 

CT031 

CT119 

A phase Ib trial to study the safety and tolerability of atezolizumab with radium-223 dichloride in patients 

with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) 

CPI-444, an oral adenosine A2a receptor (A2aR) antagonist, demonstrates clinical activity in patients with 

advanced solid tumors 

Jason Gestwicki, PhD 

1180 Targeting the HSP40/HSP70 chaperone axis as a novel strategy to treat castration-resistant prostate cancer 

Jennifer Grandis, MD 

— Precision medicine lessons from window-of-opportunity trials 

1779 Chronic NSAID use increases survival in PIK3CA-altered head and neck squamous cell carcinoma 

4101 Targeting the EGFR/STAT3 axis in NSCLC with resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors using an 

oligonucleotide-based decoy 

4108 Targeting IL-6 signaling overcomes cetuximab resistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma 

57


Clay Gustafson, MD, PhD 

5818 Disrupting the Aurora kinase A interactome in pediatric cancer 

Patrick Ha, MD 

3577 Splice expression variation analysis (SEVA) for differential gene isoform usage in cancer 

Tonya Kaltenbach, MD 

281 Site specific risk factors for colorectal cancer 

Martin Kampmann, PhD 

— “Weak links” in cancer proteostasis networks as new therapeutic targets 

Nevan Krogan, PhD 

— Technologies for Defining the Cancer Interactome 

Mignon Loh, MD 

2642 Preclinical efficacy of daratumumab in acute lymphoblastic leukemia 

Shahana Majid, PhD 

LB-326 

A novel oncomiR negatively regulates PTEN pathway in prostate cancer 

Frank McCormick, PhD 

435 Regulation of macropinocytosis-dependent cell survival in pancreatic cancer cells 

— The NCI RAS Initiative at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research 

1209 FGFR inhibition re-sensitizes BRAF/MEK dual resistant cells to the BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination 

1366 Structural basis of impaired GTP hydrolysis in oncogenic mutants of KRAS 

1370 EGFR-mediated Spred1 phosphorylation inhibits NF1 to sustain constitutive Ras/MAPK signaling 

3182 Cytoskeletal modulation results in increased tumor survival and drug resistance through attenuation of 

p53 dependent apoptosis 

4018 Identifying allosteric modulators of KRas using second harmonic generation 

4484 KRAS regulates eIF4E Binding Proteins (4EBPs) via MAPK-Interacting Kinases (MNKs) in a PI3K-dependent, 

AKT-independent manner 

Michael McManus, PhD 

1006 Drug-tolerant persister cancer cells are vulnerable to GPX4 inhibition 

Sabine Mueller, MD 

— Precision Medicine: Will It Be of Benefit in Pediatric Cancer Patients 

58


Pamela Munster, MD 

CT087 

Ribociclib + endocrine therapy (ET) doublet combinations in hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal 

growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC): Phase I clinical activity and impact of 

molecular alterations 

Jean Nakamura, MD 

1356 Variable drug responses characterize the functional heterogeneity of Nf1 null tumors 

— Post-radiation mutational signatures 

Hideho Okada, MD, PhD 

— Brain cancer immunotherapy 

3767 Identification of a novel and a shared H3.3K27M mutation derived neoantigen epitope and H3.3K27M specific TCR 

engineered T cell therapy for glioma 

— Vaccination in patients with low-grade glioma aiming at prevention of high-grade transformation 

Susana Ortiz-Urda, MD 

3493 LncRNA as potential target in drug-resistant melanomas 

Melike Pekmezci, MD 

3863 A subset of poorly prognostic pediatric posterior fossa ependymomas exhibit lowered H3K27me3 and DNA 

hypomethylation and show epigenetic similarities with H3K27M mutant diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas 

Claudia Petritsch, PhD 

916 Asymmetric cell division regulator prevents hyperproliferation in glioma cell-of-origin 

Michael Prados, MD 

LB-008 

The Pediatric Brain Tumor Atlas: building an integrated, multi-platform data-rich ecosystem for collaborative 

discovery in the cloud 

— Glioblastoma: Where we are, where we have been, and what is next 

Davide Ruggero, PhD 

— Translating the cancer genome one codon at a time and its therapeutic implications 

Hope Rugo, MD 

— Transforming breast cancer treatment with CDK4/6 inhibitors 

CT044 

MONARCH 1: Final overall survival analysis of a phase 2 study of abemaciclib, a CDK4 and CDK6 inhibitor, 

as monotherapy, in patients with HR+/HER2- breast cancer, after chemotherapy for advanced disease 

Amit Sabnis, MD 

CT030 

STARTRK-NG: A phase 1/1b study of entrectinib in children and adolescents with advanced solid tumors and 

primary CNS tumors, with or without TRK, ROS1, or ALK fusions 

59


Sharanjot Saini, PhD 

4435 Exosomal miR-3622a as prognostic marker in prostate cancer 

5448 An exosomal biomarker for prostate cancer 

John Shepherd, PhD 

4235 Application of convolutional neural networks to breast biopsies to uncover tissue correlates of 

mammographic breast density 

Kevan Shokat, PhD 

— Overcoming kinase inhibitor resistance and dealing with biologic redundancy: mTOR and K-Ras 

Erin Simonds, PhD 

3693 Single cell RNA-Seq of primary lymphomas reveals the diverse transcriptional states of the cancer 

immunologic milieu 

Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, MD 

1948 Tumor-specific copy number alterations uncover therapeutic opportunities in osteosarcoma 

4890 A pan-cancer analysis framework for incorporating gene expression information into clinical interpretation of 

pediatric cancer genomic data 

— Computational detection of oncogene‐centric pathway members 

Eric Talevich, PhD 

LB-044 

Copy number estimation from targeted amplicon-based next-generation sequencing of castration-resistant 

prostate cancer biopsies: analytic validation and clinical qualification for a iPARP clinical trial 

Yuichiro Tanaka, PhD 

2288 Effects of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption on risks of CYP1B1 polymorphisms for prostate cancer 

5749 VCAN promotes clear cell renal cell carcinoma tumor progression and metastasis, and predicts poor prognosis 

Margaret Tempero, MD 

— A beginner’s guide to perplexing clinical issues in pancreatic adenocarcinoma 

Laura van’t Veer, PhD 

LB-102 

Landscape analysis of the initial data release from AACR Project GENIE 

Kyle Walsh, PhD 

1320 Non-additive and interaction effects of HLA class 2 polymorphism contributing to risk of glioma 

60


Valerie Weaver, PhD 

— Tissue Tension: The extracellular martrix and PDAC phenotype 

— Forcing tumor progression and aggression 

3985 NCoR2 regulates glioblastoma progression and treatment resistance 

4763 Metronomic chemotherapy prevents therapy-induced stromal activation and induction of cancer stem cells 

— Spatial-mechanical regulation of tumor dormancy and metastases 

5912 Tumor microenvironment modulates RTK signaling 

Jonathan Weissman, PhD 

— Retooling CRISPR to turn genes on and off 

Joseph Wiemels, PhD 

1273 Pathway analysis of insulin-like growth factor candidate genes and risk of pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma 

2263 Neonatal hormone levels and risk of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) 

John Witte, PhD 

1297 Genetic reclassification of prostate-specific antigen levels for personalized prostate cancer screening 

1310 Identification of pleiotropic cancer susceptibility variants from genome-wide association studies reveals 

functional characteristics 

1316 Germline genetic signals across multiple aggressive prostate cancer phenotypes 

5317 Association of physical activity with risk of prostate cancer defined by TMPRSS2:ERG 

Soichiro Yamamura, PhD 

199 Silibinin suppresses bladder cancer through down-regulation of actin cytoskeleton and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways 

3449 Genistein inhibits renal cancer progression through long non-coding RNA HOTAIR suppression 

Elad Ziv, MD 

— Polygenic risk score for breast cancer risk prediction in Latinas: does one size fit all? 

Lani Wu, PhD/Steven Altschuler, PhD 

3950 A novel combination therapy targeting BCL6 and phospho-STAT3 defeats intratumor heterogeneity in a subset 

of non-small cell lung cancers 

61

UCSF HELEN DILLER FAMILY COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER

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