For Immediate Release
 April 12, 2008 

BUFFALO, NY – Alex A. Adjei, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President of Clinical Research and the Katherine Anne Gioia Chair in Cancer Medicine at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) will lead the sessions and programs listed below at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), April 12 – 16 in San Diego, CA.

Targeting Akt in Cancer: Promise, Progress and Potential Pitfalls - Saturday, April 12 – 8 am, Room 6A, San Diego Convention Center.
Dr. Adjei will present “Clinical Trials and Future Directions” during the session which will provide an overview of Akt as a target in cancer and discuss preclinical and clinical development of Akt inhibitors. Activation of Akt confers resistance to many types of cancer therapy and is a poor prognostic factor for many types of cancer.

Careers in Clinical and Translational Cancer Research - Saturday, April 12 - 5:30 pm, Salon B/C, San Diego Ballroom, San Diego Marriott Marina Hotel.
Dr. Adjei and other senior researchers will offer guidance and insight to young investigators by describing professional experiences that helped them establish their career paths and providing personal perspectives to a successful career. The open forum will stress the importance of working in clinical and translational cancer research.

AACR Special Program for High School Students: The Conquest of Cancer and the Next Generation - Monday, April 14 – 9 am, Room 28A, San Diego Convention Center.
Dr. Adjei will offer insights to area high school students interested in pursuing a career in science and cancer research. The program features lectures, mentor-escorted tours and a networking lunch. 

Clinical Plenary Session: Breakthroughs in Clinical Research - Monday, April 14, 3:30 pm, Ballroom 20A-C, San Diego Convention Center.
Dr. Adjei will be a Discussant during a Clinical Research Special Session for Phase 1, 2 and 3 Clinical Trials.

AACR Scientist-Survivor Program
Dr. Adjei will serve as a mentor in this program, which brings patient advocates and cancer survivors from cancer organizations worldwide together with cancer researchers to help foster understanding of cancer research and treatment. Survivors will attend special lectures about cancer research that are tailored to a lay audience; discuss timely cancer topics during small group meetings; and communicate issues and concerns of the survivor and patient advocacy communities to scientists.

As a national leader of AACR, Dr. Adjei also is a member of the Scientific Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee. He serves on the editorial board of CR magazine – AACR’s magazine about people and progress in cancer, and as Senior Editor of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. He also has served as a Co-Chair of the Program Committee for the 2005 and 2007 AACR annual meeting and is past-chair of the AACR Minorities in Cancer Research Council.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. Roswell Park has affiliate sites and collaborative programs in New York, Pennsylvania, and in China. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

-30-