David Vasir PhD, Senior Research Analyst, PHEN, earned his Bachelor of Science degree at University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, U.K IN 1981 and his Master of Science Degree at University of Wales College of medicine Wales, UK in 1985. He then went on to earn his Doctor of Philosophy at Jesus College & Oxford University Medical School, U.K in 1991. Dr. Vasir has been an investigator on several cancer vaccine programs where he designed and implemented number of immunological based assays to monitor the pre- and post-vaccination immunological status of patients with breast, renal ovarian carcinomas, and patients with multiple myeloma in cancer vaccine clinical trials. Majority of these analysis pertained to a detailed pre- and post-vaccination analysis of the immune status as determined by Th1 and Th2 immune responses, levels and functions of regulatory T cells as determined by surface markers, and FOXP3 expression and specific and non-specific immunological analysis. In addition, Dr. Vasir has extensively studied ex-vivo the immunobiology of antigen induced regulatory T cells from their phenotypic characteristics using six color flow cytometry analysis, to their invitro functional properties, their interaction with antigen presenting cells, detailed Th1 and Th2 cytokine profiles of segregated populations of regulatory T cells using multiplex arrays, use of various strategies to reverse the suppressive properties of these cells. Dr. Vasir also investigated the identification of specific microRNAs and kinases in six color sorted regulatory T cells isolated from the ascites of patients with advanced ovarian cancer, identification and targeting of cancer stem cells using small molecules, isolation, and characterization of stem cells for regenerative medicine.

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United States Representative Bobby L. Rush is a transcendent and influential American leader who keeps his legislative and policy interests focused on the needs of his constituents in the 1st Congressional District of Illinois, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable and the communities that have been left behind.  He believes deeply in the redemptive power of the human spirit and in human ingenuity and tenacity.  In office since 1993, Rush stands on the shoulders of a long line of patriots and public servants who have gone before him and who are ardent believers in our Constitution.  His life is an example of our nation’s fundamental promise and his work reflects a deep determination to bend the arc of government resources and innovation towards the needs of every American — whether they live on our nation’s main streets or its side streets.  Rush fights every day for his constituents; to improve their lives, grow the economy, bring jobs to the district, and build a stronger middle class.

Important Policy Initiatives Towards Eliminating the Racial Disparity    Watch Video

Kathryn “Kate” Audette currently serves as the Director of Government Affairs at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In this role she develops patient, family, caregiver and provider driven advocacy campaigns in order to create positive impact in the areas of cancer prevention, access to care, health equity and survivorship quality of life.

Prior to this role Kate served for seven years as the Director of State Government Relations at Boston Children’s Hospital where she provided strategic oversight and leadership of the hospital’s state policy advocacy agenda on child health priorities.