News Archive
CRC Screening Guidelines in US to Begin at Age 45
The US Preventive Services Task Force has lowered the age for routine colorectal cancer screening. The recommendation follows months of discussion and input from other societies including the American Cancer Society and many colorectal cancer advocacy organizations. ...
Thriving as a Patient Advocate: Balancing Unseen Burdens
Watch Dr. Laura Porter's presentation at the 2nd Annual Global Colon Cancer Association's 2021 Congress Thriving Patient Advocate | Global Colorectal Cancer Congress (gccacongress.org)
A microbiome signature for colorectal cancer
A collaboration of the Quirke and Huttenhower labs has led to the publication of two papers, in Clinical Cancer Research and Genome Medicine, that report a microbiome signature that is associated with colorectal cancer and is consistent between developed and...
Dr. Cindy Sears is named 2021 Women of ID Honoree
The Infectious Diseases Society of America Foundation has recognized OPTIMISTICC Co-Investigator Dr. Cindy Sears, as a 2021 Women of ID honoree for her impactful career in infectious disease research, compassionate care, and mentoring the next generation of ID...
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Inspires Team OPTIMISTICC
Team OPTIMISTICC kicked off Colon Cancer Awareness month at our March 5 team meeting, where we honored Dress in Blue Day by photographing ourselves in our many shades of blue. In the top row of the left photograph above you will see Anita Mitchell Isler, who started...
Allen-Vercoe group publishes book chapter on Fusobacteria.
Graduate students Avery Robinson and Jacob Wilde contributed to a book chapter with Emma Allen-Vercoe that covers many aspects of Fusobacteria biology. Entitled "Fusobacteria: Physiology, Form and Function" it is published in "Colorectal neoplasia and the...
Avery Robinson and Greg Higgins awarded Canada Graduate Scholarships
Pop some champagne and toast Avery Robinson and Greg Higgins of the Allen-Vercoe lab! Avery won a Canada Graduate Scholarship - 3-year Doctoral Award, and Greg won a Canada Graduate Scholarship 1 year Master's award, both from the Canadian Institutes of Health...
45 is the New 50
On October 27, 2020, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a recommendation that colorectal cancer screening of individuals at average risk for the disease start at age 45 rather than age 50. “This recommendation is hugely impactful,” said OPTIMISTICC...
Dr. Kimmie Ng on the death of “Black Panther” actor Chadwick Boseman and Young-Onset CRC
As a result of the tragic and untimely death of actor Chadwick Boseman from colorectal (CRC) cancer there has been increased awareness and attention to the alarming number of people being diagnosed with CRC under the age of...
IL-22 Pathway Identified as a New Target in Colon Cancers with Mutant KRAS
Work from Dr. Fiona Powrie’s group at University of Oxford has identified an interaction between the receptor for the immune molecule interleukin-22 (IL-22) and alterations of the KRAS gene, showing that they cooperate in promoting excessive proliferation of...
