Researchers meet at symposium to discuss cancer cluster data

Technical information to be shared; no final results expected

Submitted by the University of Nevada

RENO, Nev. — Researchers from the University of Nevada, Reno; the University of California, San Francisco; and the University of Arizona will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today at the William J. Raggio College of Education Building, Room 1003, at UNR to discuss various aspects of their research surrounding the 1997–2004 Fallon leukemia cluster involving 17 children.

The research projects are supported through almost $700,000 in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency secured by U.S. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada for the Fallon families whose loved ones were affected by the cluster.

“The terms of the grant specify that annual public meetings be held to review research progress,” says William Murphy, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology in the University of Nevada School of Medicine and the project’s principal investigator. “However, the data presented at this second symposium will consist of preliminary results on the funded research. We will hold another meeting next year, at which time we anticipate the final results will be discussed.”

The symposium will focus on scientific presentations by the researchers as a means to update one another of the nature, scope and progress of various aspects of the project. Although research-oriented, the symposia is open to the public. All information presented will be considered preliminary until the conclusion of the project next year.

In addition to Murphy, other presenters will include Chris A. Pritsos, Ph.D., professor of nutrition, University of Nevada, Reno; Joseph L. Wiemels, Ph.D., associate professor of cancer epidemiology, University of California, San Francisco; and Mark Witten, Ph.D., research professor, University of Arizona. Jeff Braccini, representing the Fallon families, will also speak.