The Ohio State University at Marion
Café to host discussion on new cancer therapies
By Wayne Rowe
May 28, 2009, 18:26

The Ohio State University at Marion invites the community to the Infinity Restaurant in the historic Harding Hotel, 267 West Center Street, downtown Marion, Tuesday, June 2, 7 p.m., for a free monthly community dialogue on science entitled, Science Café.

June’s Science Café welcomes Donn Young, a senior research scientist and biostatistician at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. Young will lead a discussion entitled, The Development of New Cancer Therapies: The Long and Winding Road.

According to Young, The development of more effective treatments for patients with cancer has made great strides since President Nixon initiated the "War on Cancer" with the National Cancer Act in 1971.

“Our growing knowledge of the genetics of how cells function provides hope that cures lie in attacking molecular pathways to stop malignant cells from growing and metastasizing,” said Young.

Clinical trials designed to test new treatments in patients are becoming increasingly complex, he explained.

“The standard sequence of phase I, II, and III studies that has served us for almost 50 years is being replaced by trials based on targeting molecular and genetic mechanisms,” added Young.

During this Science Café, Young will explain how new treatments are tested from the standpoint of a researcher who has spent over 30 years designing and conducting clinical trials ­ and after a recent diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer, as a patient enrolled in a clinical trial himself.

The Infinity Restaurant will be open for dinner. The discussion begins at 7 p.m., but patrons are invited to arrive earlier if they want to get a bite to eat before the café begins.

Science Cafés feature a lively conversation with a scientist about current science topics. At a Science Café you can learn about the latest issues in science, chat with a scientist in plain language, meet new friends, speak your mind, and talk with your mouth full. The overriding goal of Ohio State Marion’s Science Café is to overcome reluctance to learning about science and to make science less mysterious. Science Café is free and open to the public.

Additional information can be found at: http://www.marion.ohio-state.edu/sciencecafe. For more information about Marion’s Science Café, contact Ohio State Marion professor of mathematics, Dr. Brian McEnnis at: mcennis.1@osu.edu.

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