• Postdoctoral Graduate Mentoring
• Institutional Breast Cancer Training Program (IBCTP)
• Workshop for the Breast Cancer Advocates
• BCRL as a Training Center
• Visiting Scholars
• College Student Mentoring
• High School Student Mentoring

Workshops

Workshop for the Breast Cancer Advocates - April 24, 2007

This workshop took place at FCCC in Philadelphia on April 24, 2007 and was Sponsored by the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Center with a Grant from the AVON Foundation.

General Information

Program Purpose:
• The Advocacy Training Program has been designed to provide breast cancer advocates a broad understanding of the research process. By allowing the advocates to participate in one aspect of research, we hoped to convey the importance of the financial, temporal, and personnel requirements of the research process.

Program Objectives:
• Participating Advocates were introduced to the research process through an explanation of how an experiment is initially designed. The advocates were then be broken into five groups – Tissue Collection, Histology, Cell Culture, RNA Isolation, and cDNA Microarray – to explore one aspect of the research process. The advocates then reconvened at the end of the day to present to the whole group what they learned in their individual groups, as well as to experience the process of drawing conclusions from the data in scientific research.

Group Objectives:
• Tissue Collection: The participants of this group learned how tissue is collected from an animal and how it must be preserved to facilitate later research.
• Histology: The participants learned how tissue is prepared for various types of research. Tissue processing, embedding, sectioning and staining were discussed.
• Cell Culture: The participants of this group had the opportunity to observe various techniques including Cell Treatment, Collagen Assay and Invasion Assay Techniques.
• RNA Isolation: This group learned how to isolate RNA from tissue. Technology used to quantify and qualify RNA levels were also discussed.
• cDNA Microarray/Analysis: The participants of this group learned how microarrays are used to study gene expression.

Program Agenda:

DAY 1:

• April 23, 2007 - Evening Arrival and Check-In at the Double Tree Hotel in Philadelphia.

DAY 2: April 24, 2007

• 8:00 AM Shuttle Transportation from Hotel to FCCC.
• 8:30 AM Registration and continental breakfast, Room R243.
• 9:00 AM Discussion of how to plan an experiment J. Russo, Director of the Program (R243).
• 9:30 AM Advocates will be divided into five groups to observe an aspect of the research process.
• 12:30 PM Working Lunch, room R243.
• 1:30 PM Tour of Cell Imaging Facility and DNA Microarray Facility to understand how the center is providing new technologies and services.
• 2:30 PM Advocates will regroup with their respective research teams.
• 3:30 PM Coffee Break.
• 4:00 PM Group Discussion: Group Presentations, followed by a question and answer session led by Jose Russo, M.D., room R243.
• 5:00 PM Adjournment.

Workshop for the Breast Cancer Advocates - April 7, 2008

This workshop took place at FCCC in Philadelphia on April 7, 2008 and it was sponsored by the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Center and a grant from the American Cancer Society.

A Day in the Life of the Breast Cancer Research Laboratory, April 7, 2008
Top row, from left to right: Patrick Delaney. Carolyn Casswell, Kim Hagerich, Mary Faustino, Susan Axler, Novella Lyons, Theresa McGrath, Mehmet Kocdor. Center row: Karen Oliver, Michelle Esser, Carol Murray, Mary Spotswood, Tracy Humbert, Patricia Russo, Sandra V. Fernandez, Kara Snider. Front row: Julia S. Pereira, Patricia Andrews, Mel Delapine, Donna Duncan, Jose Russo, Irma H. Russo, Johana Vanegas, Hilal Kocdor, Fathima Sheriff, Ricardo Lopez.