IICD Newsletter October 2019

^{_{Dear Colleague, 
The Herbert and Florence Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics (IICD) has reached a key milestone -- we just celebrated our one-year anniversary! It has been quite an inaugural year, and I want to take a few moments to update you on some of our progress and current initiatives. See also https://cancerdynamics.columbia.edu}}

^{_{Our mission, as an interdisciplinary institute located on the Morningside Heights campus of Columbia University, is focused on the interplay between mathematical sciences and cancer research, collaborating across disciplines to develop aspects of science, engineering, and the humanities that can improve our understanding of cancer biology, its origins, treatment, and prevention.}}

<sup><sub>This past year, IICD has supported its mission through several endeavors.

We are thrilled to announce our first two Herbert and Florence Irving Professors in Cancer Data Research, Dr Elham Azizi and Professor Andrew Blumberg, who will join the Institute in January. 

Elham Azizi, currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, is interested in characterizing complex populations of interacting cell types in the tumor microenvironment and their underlying circuitry by leveraging cutting-edge single-cell genomic technologies. 

Andrew Blumberg, currently a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin, has broad interests in mathematics and computer science. His research includes work in algebraic topology, topological data analysis, and computer security and privacy. He is particularly interested in the applications of geometry and topology to the analysis of genomic data.

To support our educational goals, IICD has partnered with the Data Science Institute to fund postdoctoral scientists working on probabilistic and computational aspects of cancer research. More information may be obtained here.
 
We’ve established several pilot and seed grant programs to support new interdisciplinary collaborations geared towards improving the understanding of cancer.

For instance, with the Data Science Institute, IICD will support seed grants geared towards improving the understanding of cancer through data-driven methods and processes. More information may be obtained here.

In partnership with the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, the Columbia University Clinical Trials Office, and the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, IICD is also supporting the Irving Multi-PI Planning Grant. More information may be obtained here. 

On Thursday November 21 we are hosting our inaugural symposium as part of our IICD Seminar Series. Please join us from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Butler Library for scheduled talks by Elham Azizi, Sohrab Shah (MSKCC) and Andrew Blumberg. Please register here.

The fall semester and the new academic year are off to a busy start and we look forward to engaging with the scientific community on and off campus. Learn more about our growing team here and by early November you will find us in our new space on the sixth floor of Schermerhorn Hall.

Please send news items to [email protected]</sub></sup>

<sup><sub>With best wishes from the IICD,

Simon Tavaré
Herbert and Florence Irving Director,
Herbert and Florence Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics</sub></sup>