11/5/07

MEDIA CONTACT:
Michele Hyndman at (650) 723-7831 or (650) 799-9885, or .

BLOOD CENTER'S MEDICAL DIRECTOR TO DISCUSS CANCER VACCINE AT LAUNCH OF CAFÉ SCIENTIFIQUE AT STANFORD

STANFORD, Calif. - Edgar Engleman, MD, medical director of the Stanford Blood Center, will discuss his research involving the use of a special type of white blood cell as a treatment for cancer at the launch of Café Scientifique at Stanford on Nov. 13.

Engleman, who is also a professor of pathology at the Stanford School of Medicine, and his team of researchers have been interested in dendritic cells, or DCs, which can provoke an immune response in the body. The immune system is unique in its ability to recognize and eliminate substances, including infectious organisms, that invade the body. For many years, scientists have tried to harness this system for the treatment of cancer. Engleman's group was the first to evaluate DC-based vaccination for the treatment of cancer.

During the lecture, Engleman will discuss how dendritic cells function, how DCs are used to target various forms of cancer, the results of recent clinical trials and what the future holds for this cutting-edge cancer treatment.

Admission is free and open to the community. "We hope that debate about the latest scientific research happening in our area will help foster increased awareness about Stanford Blood Center's mission and its dedication to serving local patients," said John Williams, the center's field recruitment manager. Complimentary refreshments will be served.

Café Scientifique is an international network of informal groups that brings scientific debate into local communities. For more information about Café Scientifique, visit http://cafescientifique.org/.

WHAT: Edgar Engleman, MD, will discuss his promising research on a cancer vaccine

WHO: Admission is free and open to the community

WHEN: Nov. 13 from 7-9 p.m.

WHERE: Stanford Blood Center, 3373 Hillview Ave., Palo Alto

Maps and directions to Stanford Blood Center's Hillview location can be found online at http://bloodcenter.stanford.edu. For more information, contact John Williams at (650) 723-7265 or john.williams@stanford.edu.

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Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions – Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical center's Office of Communication & Public Affairs at http://mednews.stanford.edu.