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The UNC Global Oncology Program held its third annual retreat on December 14 at the Friday Center. Led by Dr. Blossom Damania, Director of the UNC Lineberger Global Oncology Program, and Dr. Dirk Dittmer, Program Resource Director for the program, close to 80 program members from the UNC Center for AIDS Research and UNC Lineberger shared their research.

Dr. Ted Trimble, Director of the Center for Global Health at the National Cancer Institute, gave the keynote talk.

Other speakers included:

Dr. Shelley Earp, UNC Lineberger director, welcomed the participants.

Dr. Blossom Damania provided a program overview. Dr. Satish Gopal, clinical assistant professor of medicine, shared “Notes from the field: a newly arrived oncologist in Malawi.”

Dr. Dirk Dittmer, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Resource Director for the Global Oncology Program, spoke on “Investigating Kaposi’s Sarcoma globally through AMC clinical trials.”

Dr. Groesbeck Parham, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, discussed “ Strengthening global cancer research for global cancer control.” Aadra Bhatt, a graduate student in Dr. Damania’s lab, spoke on ”Metabolic targeting of viral and non-viral non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”

Following lunch, Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque, Associate Professor of Dental Ecology, described her work on ”Deciphering HPV pathogenesis in the oral cavity.”

Dr. Carol Shores, professor of surgery, spoke on ”HPV related squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.” Dr. Aron Marquitz, a research associate in the laboratory of Dr. Nancy Raab-Traub, described “The role of viral microRNAs in Epstein-Barr Virus mediated transformation.” Dr. Jennifer Smith, Research Associate Professor of Epidemiology, talked on ”Cervical cancer and HPV prevention among HIV seropositive women.”