19TH US-JAPAN JOINT STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING

NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
March 27, 1997

MINUTES

The 19th Joint US-Japan Steering Committee on Cancer Research met on March 27, 1997, in the Natcher Center on the NIH Campus. In attendance were: Drs. T. Hamaoka, T. Kitagawa, S. Miwa, M. Ogawa, and M. Terada, Messrs. S. Endo, K. Okada, and K. Sato, and Ms. K. Shimizu for Japan; and Drs. M. Christian, C. Harris, R. Hodes, J. Harford, T. Kakefuda. J. McKearney, R. Miller, A. Rabson, S. Thorgeirsson, and F. Welsch for the U.S. The meeting was called to order at 8:30 a.m. by Drs. Welsch and Miwa, who also congratulated those members present for the success of the joint workshop and scientist exchange programs. Those members present wished Drs. T. Sugimura and H. Sugano a rapid recovery from illness.
Drs. Thorgeirsson and Terada discussed the planned US-Japan workshop on preneoplastic lesions to be held mid-February 1998 in Hawaii. Dr. Hamaoka discussed a workshop on the genetic diagnosis of cancer to be held in late February 1998, in the Washington, D.C., area. Drs. Christian and Ogawa discussed a workshop on high-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell support. Drs. Kitagawa and Harris proposed a workshop about the molecular epidemiology of cancer.
Drs. Thorgeirsson and Terada then proposed that Drs. T. Shirali of Nagoya University, M. Seiki of Tokyo University, and H. Tsuda of the NCI-Tokyo visit the U.S. as JSPS exchangees. Dr. Hamaoka indicated that the Biology and Diagnosis Program Area would also like to send three Japanese scientists as JSPS short-term exchangees. Details had not yet been worked out. Drs. Ogawa and Christian suggested that the Treatment Program Area send Drs. C. Shimazaki, Kyoto Prefecture University; T. Takahashi, Aichi Cancer Center; and H. Tsujii, Institute of Radiological Science, as short-term exchangees to the U.S. Drs. Kitagawa and Harris proposed Drs. K. Nakachi, Saitama Cancer Center, and G.H. Lee, Asahikawa Medical School, as JSPS short-term exchangees. All these proposals, which are funded by the JSPS, were approved.
Speaking for Dr. Richard Klausner-who had to attend a news conference dealing with breast cancer screening-Dr. Alan Rabson suggested that from now on the Joint US-Japan Steering Committee meet only every other year (with communications in the intervening years being by telephone or E-mail); that the number of workshops be increased from four to six per year (the two additional) workshops being reserved for basic scientists 45 or younger or clinical scientists 50 or younger); that the JSPS continue to send short-term exchange scientists as they have in the past and consider increasing the number of visiting exchangees; that the US-Japan program continues as outlined above until the expiration of the current five-year NCI-JSPS agreement in March 1999, at which time a thorough review of the future of the program will be undertaken; Dr. Rabson said that Dr. Klausner had appointed Drs. Harris and Christian to the U.S. membership of the Steering Committee. He also mentioned that the agreement between the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research (JFCR) had been reactivated, with guidelines similar to those of our European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) exchange program. A productive discussion ensued. In preparation for the fall of 1998/spring of 1999 review of the program, Drs. Thorgeirsson (plus one other American) and Terada (plus one other Japanese) will prepare an internal evaluation document highlighting the achievements of the US-Japan program and making suggestions on how to improve it.
The 19th Joint Steering Committee meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m. Dr. Ogawa invited the Steering Committee to meet at the Aichi Cancer Center in Nagoya. The first day of the meeting would be of a scientific nature and the second day of an administrative nature.

PARTICIPANTS
NCI Program Coordinators
Dr. Snorri Thorgeirrsson
Chief, Laboratory of Experimental Carcinogenesis, Division of Basic Science

Dr. Richard Hodes
Director, National Institute of Aging

Dr. Michael Christian
Acting Associate Director, Cancer Therapy and Evaluation Program

Dr. Curtis Harris
Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis

NCI Representatives

Dr. Alan Rabson
Deputy Director

Dr. Joe Harford
Special Advisor to Director

Dr. Robert Miller
Scientist Emeritus Dr. Federico Welsch Associate Director for International Affairs

Dr. James McKearney
International Programs Officer

Dr. Tsuyoshi Kakefuda
Executive Secretary for US-Japan Cooperative Cancer Research Program

JSPS Program Coordinators

Dr. Masaaki Terada
Director. National Cancer Center Research Institute

Dr. Toshiyuki Hamaoka
Dean, Osaka University School of Medicine

Dr. Makoto Ogawa
President, Aichi Cancer Center

Dr. Tomoyuki Kitagawa
Director. Japanese Foundation of Cancer Research

JSPS Representatives

Dr. Shiro Miwa
Director

Mr. Kunio Sato
Director

Mr. Kazuhiko Okada
Head, Research Cooperation Division

Mr. Satoru Endo
Officer, JSPS Washington Liason Office

Ms. Kazuko Shimizu
JSPS Officer



FUTURE PLANS
1996- 1997

Planned Seminar and Exchange Scientists in the Etiology Program Area:
1. PLANNED SEMINARS

2. EXCHANGE OF SCIENTISTS

Planned Seminar and Exchange Scientists in the Biology and Diagnosis Program Area:
1. SEMINARS

2. EXCHANGE OF SCIENTISTS

Planned Seminar and Exchange Scientists in the Treatment Program Area:

1. SEMINARS

2. EXCHANGE Of SCIENTISTS

Planned Seminar and Exchange Scientists in the Interdisciplinary Program Area:
1. SEMINARS

2. EXCHANGE OF SCIENTISTS