UC forum spotlights future research opportunities for prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of tobacco-related diseases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Kamlesh Asotra, Ph.D. (510) 287-3366
kamlesh.asotra@ucop.edu

UC forum spotlights future research opportunities for prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of tobacco-related diseases

The Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, administered on behalf of the state by the University of California, will hold its biennial conference, “Future Research Opportunities,” on Oct. 8-9, 2007, for tobacco control and tobacco-related disease researchers, public health advocates and the public at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento. Attendees will discuss the latest results and ground-breaking topics in tobacco-use prevention, cessation and policy and tobacco-related diseases.

Dr. David Kessler, Dean of the UCSF School of Medicine and former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will deliver the keynote lecture on “Tobacco Wars,” on the opening day. State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, former Attorney General of California, will give a plenary lecture on “Laying Down the Law: California’s Tobacco Enforcement Efforts Post-MSA” to conclude the conference. A plenary session, “Future Research Challenges and Opportunities,” moderated by Dr. Troy Duster of New York University, will feature presentations on “Health Disparities” by Dr. Pebbles Fagan of the National Cancer Institute, NIH; “Nicotine Vaccines” by Dr. Paul Kessler of Nabi Pharmaceuticals; and “Pharmacogenomics” by Dr. Neal Benowitz of UCSF.

The biennial conference will showcase more than 40 oral presentations from experts in nine scientific sessions: “Stem Cells in Tobacco-Related Disease;” “Using California Department of Public Health Data in Your Research;” “Community-Based Participatory Research;” “ETS, Lung Injury and Remodeling;” “Young Investigators in Biomedical Sciences;” “Community-Based Participatory Research: A Roundtable Discussion;” “Nicotine Vaccine;” “Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Breast Cancer;” and “Public Policy for Tobacco Control.” Discussions are designed to be friendly to a lay audience to increase participation. In addition, the California scientists will discuss the findings of their TRDRP-funded research at 90 poster presentations. Cornelius Hopper awardees and mentors will be recognized at a special ceremony. Stakeholders will discuss and provide input for the program’s strategic planning during a luncheon event, “TRDRP Listens.”

Program updates and registration information is on the program’s Web site at www.trdrp.org.

About the TRDRP

The mission of TRDRP is to support research on the prevention, causes and treatment of tobacco-related disease and the reduction of the human and economic costs of tobacco use in California. Since its inception in 1989 through 2006, TRDRP awarded $373 million in 1,164 grants to approximately 800 scientists at 80 California institutions.

TRDRP’s goals are to fund excellent research addressing all aspects of tobacco use; to widely disseminate the research findings through a variety of media; to encourage and support new scientific infrastructures and networks critical for a comprehensive approach to tobacco control; and to serve as an information resource for those interested in issues of tobacco control.

In November 1988, California voters approved Proposition 99, “The Tobacco Tax and Health Protection Act of 1988,” which instituted a 25 cent-per-pack cigarette surtax. This initiative specified that 5 percent of the revenue be deposited into a Research Account, to be appropriated for research on tobacco-related disease. The Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) was established by passage of SB1613 (Chapter 1330 of the Statutes of 1989) in October 1989, and reauthorized by passage of AB816 in 1994 and AB3487 in 1996: “The Legislature hereby requests the University of California to establish a comprehensive grant program to support the research efforts related to the prevention, causes, and treatment of tobacco-related diseases” California Health and Safety Code, Section 104500-104545 .

Proposition 99 specified that the Research Account should be used to fund research on tobacco-related diseases in California. The Legislature asked the University of California to establish and administer a research program to facilitate the elimination of smoking in California. Research supported by TRDRP funds have been targeted towards studies that enhance the understanding of the causes of tobacco-related diseases, and that lead to the development of more effective interventions for their prevention and treatment.

For more information, call (510) 987-9870, write to trdrp@ucop.edu or visit www.trdrp.org.

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