MD Anderson Cancer Center plans free educational seminar in Indian Wells

Experts to focus on fight against cancer, efforts to treat neurodegenerative diseases

MD Anderson News Release March 01, 2016

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center brings its Making Cancer History® seminar to Indian Wells, Calif. on Tuesday, March 8, at the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa, 44400 Indian Wells Lane.

Renowned experts from the nation’s No. 1 hospital for cancer care will share novel research findings and advances driven by MD Anderson’s unprecedented assault on cancer, the Moon Shots Program. Guests also will learn about the Neurodegeneration Consortium (NDC), a unique collaboration of MD Anderson, Baylor College of Medicine, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Whitehead Institute.

The Moon Shots Program is an unprecedented, comprehensive initiative that aims to significantly reduce cancer deaths and transform cancer care, currently with 12 disease sites of focus and 10 specialized platforms providing infrastructure, systems and strategy.

The NDC team works to identify molecular targets for new drugs that will provide desperately needed hope for patients and families affected by neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Uniting leading scientists with the seasoned drug development team at MD Anderson’s Institute for Applied Cancer Science, the NDC is a multidisciplinary, inter-institutional and revolutionary approach to the sixth leading cause of death and most expensive disease to manage in the U.S. health care system.

Doors open at 3 p.m., and light refreshments will be served. Presentations begin at 3:30 p.m., featuring:

A question-and-answer session will follow the presentations.

“We’re honored to bring our Making Cancer History Seminar to Palm Springs,” said DePinho.  “We look forward to updating our friends in southern California on our efforts to reduce the pain and suffering caused by cancer as well as neurodegenerative diseases like neuropathy, which often is the result of receiving chemotherapy.”

Since opening in March 1944, more than 1 million people have sought treatment at MD Anderson, including more than 11,600 Californians. In Fiscal Year 2015, more than 760 new California patients came for diagnostic, treatment or prevention services. More than 300 California physicians refer their patients to MD Anderson.

Seating is limited and registration is requested. To register, please email events@mdanderson.org or call 866-262-9029 and press 1 to leave a message.