Fred Hutch researchers to host cancer prevention symposium May 31

What will it take to reduce the burden of cancer in Washington state? Add your thoughts to the discussion at "Preventing Cancer in Washington State: Proven and Novel Initiatives" Friday, May 31, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in Pelton Auditorium.

Hosted by the Hutchinson Center's Drs. Christopher Li and Jonathan Bricker, the purpose of the half-day symposium is to build consensus regarding effective cancer-prevention strategies for implementation.

Program overview

• Li, who co-heads the Public Health Sciences Division's Translational Research Program, will open the symposium and present "Proven Strategies to Reduce Cancer Incidence/Mortality."
• PHS epidemiologist Dr. Steve Schwartz will address "Current Approaches to Cancer Control in Washington State."
  
• Dr. Jonathan Bricker, a psychologist in PHS working to help people adopt healthier habits, will discuss tobacco control strategies to reduce cancer risk and mortality.
  
• Dr. Beti Thompson, whose research in PHS focuses on reducing health disparities, will present recent work on the elimination of colorectal cancer disparities in the state of Delaware through implementation of a comprehensive colorectal cancer control program.
  
• The symposium's guest speaker Dr. Lee Hood, president of Institute for Systems Biology, will discuss potential new or alternative strategies in his talk "Systems Approaches to Cancer Prevention." A pioneer in the systems approach to biology and medicine, Hood's research has focused on the study of molecular immunology, biotechnology and genomics. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the 2011 National Medal of Science.
  
• Following Hood, Dr. Shirley Beresford, a nutritional epidemiologist in PHS, will discuss "Workplace Strategies."