2009 Research Retreat Our annual retreat contributes to the building of a vibrant research community 
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The Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center (the Beene Center) sponsored its second annual retreat on April 24 and 25, 2009, at the Skytop Lodge in northeastern Pennsylvania. The retreat was well attended by members of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program and the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program (HOPP), as well as by senior faculty from Memorial Hospital and the Sloan-Kettering Institute and members of the Beene Center Executive Committee. The representation of various programs and departments emphasized the Beene Center's major focus on translational research. G. Thompson Hutton, Trustee of the Geoffrey Beene Foundation, was recognized for his integral role in the creation and continued support of the Beene Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.
During the retreat, recipients of the 2007 and 2008 Beene Center grants were acknowledged. Seven of the 19 grant recipients presented the progress and findings of their projects, including Sean Carlin (representing Joseph O'Donoghue), Mark Frattini, Clifford Hudis, Alan Hall, Douglas Levine, Mary Ellen Moynahan, and Milind Rajadhyaksha. The three Beene Center Junior Chairs, Johanna Joyce, Ross Levine, and Andrea Ventura, also spoke about the initiatives they have undertaken with the funding they receive from the Beene Center. Adriana Heguy, manager of the Beene Center Translational Oncology Core Facility, reported on the increasing success of the facility since its inception in 2007. The retreat included moderated presentations and discussions by SKI and Memorial Hospital faculty members on the clinical applications of genomics, cell signaling and cell biology, animal models of basic cancer research, imaging in cancer, and genomics and gene discovery. In addition, there was a special presentation on "Deciphering the Functions of Various BRCA 1 Gene Products" given by Dr. David Livingston, Professor of Genetics and Medicine at Harvard Medical School/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Once again, a highlight of the retreat was the cocktail hour/poster session during which 36 postdoctoral researchers from the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program and HOPP presented their projects to faculty members and peers. During dinner, Dr. Harold Varmus led a discussion of the present and future state of the Beene Center. Due to the expressed interest of postdocs, the Beene Center will focus on facilitating more collaboration between postdoctoral researchers and clinicians.
The interaction among members of various basic science, translational, and clinical research programs within Memorial Sloan-Kettering contributed to the success of this year's retreat. The retreat provided the attendees with opportunities to learn more about the research being conducted both within and outside of their own department and fostered collaborations for future projects. The Beene Center will continue to offer resources that encourage informational exchange among the different departments at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.
