The March 18 symposium is just one of several BCCC-CURE spring events focused on research, community service and education. The Brooklyn College Cancer Center-CommUnity Outreach, Research and Education (BCCC-CURE) will be busy this spring as it will host a series of events geared toward research, community service and engagement, as well as furthering students’ knowledge so they can become the next generation of cancer fighters. One upcoming event that is free and open to the public is the second Brooklyn Colorectal Cancer Symposium, which will be held via Zoom on March 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hosted by BCCC-CURE, Maimonides Medical Center, and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, this daylong symposium will feature lectures on basic and applied research, as well as clinical approaches for the treatment of colorectal cancer. The on-campus center was established last year to enhance the lives of patients affected by cancer, with a special focus on underserved Brooklyn residents. BCCC-CURE is focused on three main areas: research, education, and community service. This event is another example of expanding outreach by informing the community about access to clinical trials and creating partnerships with hospitals that are looking for diversity in their populations for those trials. A series of seminars, lectures, and outreach events have also been held online for the community, students, and the extended Brooklyn College family. The center’s leadership group includes the following faculty members at Brooklyn College: Maria Contel, director, research area leader, and professor of chemistry; Jennifer Basil, associate director of community outreach and professor of biology; and Brian Gibney, associate director of education and professor of chemistry. Contel hopes this event builds off the momentum of last year’s colorectal cancer symposium. “Thanks to our partners in the medical community, including Maimonides Medical Center, and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, we will be able to engage the community and offer something special for other healthcare professionals, community members, and current and potential students who want to enter the field of cancer research,” Contel said. Register to attend here. Also on March 11, Brooklyn College will welcome back Dr. Eugene Shenderov ’05 for a BCCC-CURE scientific and career hybrid seminar, “Cancer Immunotherapy: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times.” This event, hosted by Professor Brain Gibney and will run from 12:30 to1:30 p.m. in 411 Brooklyn College Library. Register for the in-person event via e-mail. Visit the BCCC-CURE calendar for more events.
