[Accelerated Cure Project Status] Status for July 2007

[Art Mellor]

Accelerated Cure Project informal status for the month of July 2007:

Information on our other mailing lists is at the bottom of this message.

>>> Joining/Leaving Us This Month

o Summer intern Vivi Vasudevan wrapped her up work updating our
  genetics Phase 2 spreadsheet.

o High school intern Nima Azimi started a project documenting the
  relative sizes of various biological entities for our web site

>>> Research

Repository:

o Our repository now has 548 subjects enrolled at six actively
  enrolling centers, including University of Texas Southwestern at
  Dallas which enrolled its first subject on July 23.

o The analysis of pathogen DNA and RNA being performed at NASA using
  our samples has cleared the validation phase and is now ready to
  begin.

o We approved the distribution of samples to Dr. David Simon of Beth
  Israel Deaconess in Boston for the analysis of mitochondrial DNA.

o Art and Hollie had a phone call with representatives of MSBase, a
  collaborative effort by neurologists to build a repository of
  prospective clinical information on people with MS.

Other scientific projects:

o Hollie and Art had lunch meetings with pharmaceutical advisors Al
  Sandrock from Biogen and Maria Lopez-Bresnahan from Serono.

o Art flew down to Johns Hopkins to talk about working with them on a
  big SPMS project. More details as we get them.

o Hollie did a good write up of the recent MS gene discovery:
  http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org/node/2783

>>> Fundraising

o Less than $114K left to meet Water Cove Charitable Foundation's $1
  million matching challenge and you can help!  Make a gift of $1,000
  or more and the foundation will match it one to one.  Pledge that
  same gift for 3 years and they'll double match it.  If you can't
  pledge $1,000, gifts of any size always help.  For more details
  contact Melissa O'Shea 781/487-0011 or melissa at acceleratedcure.org.

o If you would like to see more things happening in your community to
  support Accelerated Cure Project, check out our Expansion Team
  program.  We are looking for individuals willing to do
  letter-writing campaigns, run events, and set up a named funds:
  http://expansion.acceleratedcure.org/bcpanemone/supporters.asp

>>> Education

o Poll - Would you be willing to donate your brain (upon death) for MS
  Research? (Answer even if you don't have MS)
  http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org/node/2772

o Our latest press mentions:

  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/news/bcp/20070703-metrowest.php

o We continue our daily MS News updates

  http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org

>>> Community Building

o We had a number of meetings with various people:
  - Melissa had lunch with Julie Totten, President of Families for 
    Depression Awareness
  - Sarah met with Amelia Davis, President of MS Friends, to discuss 
    collaborating with them
  - Art had a concall with personal genomics company 23andme.com
  - Art met with Biogen to explain repository to them
  - Art continued advising Biogen on a Harris poll they are conducting
  - Art had additional meetings with patientslikeme.com re: tracking MS

o Sarah Nels continues to make progress in getting our new office
  established in San Francisco and has been connecting with supporters
  in the bay area offering to help.  If you can help with this effort,
  please email her at sarah-sf at acceleratedcure.com

o As always, a few more T-shirt pictures are available:
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/tshirt.php

>>> Events

Detailed information about all of our upcoming events can be found on
our web site: http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/calendar.php

o September 9: Join the Greater Cincinnati Cure Project for the Second
  Annual Canine Happy Hour featuring a cash bar, concession stand,
  live music, 3.5-acres off-leash area for dogs, silent auction, goody
  bags and a raffle/giveaways for all.
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/eventpages/20070908_canine.php

o September 23: Come enjoy refreshments, win door prizes, or
  participate in our raffle and silent auction while listening to
  local Ithaca, NY-area and Ithaca College musicians.
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/eventpages/20070916_ithaca.php

o October 28: Members of Boston Lyric Opera, Longwood Symphony
  Orchestra, and other classical musicians are performing in a concert
  of opera scenes, art songs and chamber music in Arlington, MA to
  raise funds for the Accelerated Cure Project.
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/eventpages/20071028_sing.php

o November 17: Save the date for the 2007 Accelerated Cure Project
  Annual Event at the MIT Faculty Club in Cambridge, MA.
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/eventpages/20071117_acp_party.php

o January 13: Come kick off your New Year's resolution and enjoy yoga,
  pilates, henna tattoos, massage therapy, make-up advice,
  aromatherapy, self-defense, and more at our Health and Beauty Fair
  in Allston, MA.
  http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/eventpages/20080113_beauty.php

Previous Events:

o A big thank you to our friend Holly Perreault and the staff of
  Orleans Restaurant in Somerville, MA who organized the Second Annual
  Benefit to Cure MS on July 25th raising almost $10,000 in support of
  Accelerated Cure Project's efforts.  Also, thank you to the many
  volunteers, vendors, and participants who made the drawing and
  silent auction both successful and fun.

>>> Operations

o Smooth sailing

>>> Volunteer Efforts Reported Last Month

-- Contributed Goods and Services

Matrix Media, Inc.
Clockwork Design Group, Inc
Clock Tower Law Group

-- Greater Cincinnati Cure Project Canine Happy Hour 2007
Kemp Jaycox
Debbie Mann
Jodi Supinski
Peggy Shannon
Christina Urbanowicz
Mary Owensby
Amy Grof
Cindy Fink

-- Benefit to Cure MS 2007
Patricia Phelps
Sue Hooks
Sandi Lowe
Ryan Salisbury

-- Sing to Cure MS 2007
Marion Leeds Carroll

-- Health & Beauty Fair
Cher Kore

-- Barbara Ann Cohen Katz Memorial Fund Event
Nancy Katz Eder
Debra Lynne


-- Art Auction & Letter Campaign
Nicolena Nina Palumbo

-- Relative Sizes of Biological Entities
Nima Azimi

-- Letter Writing Campaigns
Tricia Miller
Noreen Simon
Gena White

-- Admin
Kelly Novak

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