From left to right: Diego Adrianzen-Herrera, MD, Vitor Mori, PhD, and Elizabeth Scharnetzki, MA, PhD
The American Cancer Society (ACS) Institutional Research Grant provides seed money to support the initiation of cancer research projects by early-career faculty. In addition to financial support, the program incorporates mentoring and career development for the junior faculty member by senior faculty.
This year’s awardees are:
Diego Adrianzen-Herrera, MD mentored by Neil Zakai, MD – Inflammatory Biomarkers in Myelodysplastic Neoplasms: A Pilot Study
Dr. Adrianzen-Herrera’s project focuses on myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS), a group of blood cancers that mostly affect elderly adults for whom there are few treatment options. Previous studies on MDS have shown that these patients have increased inflammation in their blood vessels leading to a high risk of cardiovascular disease, accounting for 1 in 4 deaths in MDS. However, little work has been done to describe the inflammation markers associated with blood vessel inflammation in MDS patients. This work will use world-class technology to measure dozens of proteins linked to inflammation in blood samples from patients with MDS in order to identify the specific proteins associated with the disease. The results of this study will be the first to describe specific inflammation proteins in patients with MDS and may help uncover new pathways to guide therapy and improve outcomes for patients.
Vitor Mori, PhD, mentored by Matt Kinsey, MD, MPH – A Network Percolation Model for Fracture Propagation During Intratumoral Drug Delivery
UVM Is a pioneer in intratumoral drug delivery for lung cancer. Intratumoral drug delivery is a minimally invasive intervention that aims to increase the concentration of an anti-cancer agent delivered directly to a tumor while reducing systemic exposure and associated side effects. However, little is known about the key mechanisms that govern drug transport in the tumor following injection. Dr. Mori’s project aims to develop a computational model to predict the retention and distribution of tumor injections. Having the ability to predict how an agent will be transported within a tumor during injections will increase the controllability of the procedure and maximize the chance of successful delivery, ultimately improving patient outcomes. Dr. Mori plans to use the results of this project to support an application for an NIH grant.
Elizabeth Scharnetzki, MA, PhD, mentored by Kevin Stein, PhD – Bridging the Gap: Understanding Lung Cancer Survivors’ Needs and Care Access Challenges
The proportion of lung cancer survivors in the US is projected to increase by 33% over the next 10 years, making lung cancer survivors the fastest growing segment of all cancer survivors. Dr. Scharnetzki’s project aims to support this growing population by developing a comprehensive understanding of lung caner survivors’ needs. To accomplish this, research teams from Maine and Vermont will develop and field an exploratory assessment of lung cancer survivors’ behavioral and medical healthcare needs and identify care access challenges. Results of the survey will inform the development of future interventions designed to address the identified unmet needs of lung cancer survivors and to promote equitable access to services.