The AACR Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award is open to tenure-track scientists at the level of Assistant Professor, who completed postdoctoral studies or clinical fellowships no later than July 1 of the application year and ordinarily not more than five years prior to the Award year. It provides a one-year grant of $50,000 for salary and benefits, laboratory supplies, and limited domestic travel to support research in cancer etiology, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention (basic, translational, or clinical cancer research).
2009 Recipient
Hang Yin, Ph.D.
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Project: Multidisciplinary Analyses of the Activation of EBV LMP-1
Dr. Yin's research interests lie at the interface of chemistry and biology with particular focuses on biotechnology development to engineer agents that target protein transmembrane domains. Transmembrane domains regulate many pivotal biological processes, including cell signal transduction, cancer development, ion transmission, and membrane protein folding. However, the molecular recognition in membranes is little understood due to the lack of available probes with high affinity and specificity. Conventional tools such as antibodies are unable to bind to the transmembrane regions of membrane proteins. Our goal is to develop exogenous peptide and small-molecule agents that target transmembrane helices with high selectivity and specificity. Using these agents, we can study these important membrane protein-protein interactions, thereby further our understanding of molecular recognition in membranes. As a proof-of-principle, we plan to develop novel peptide/peptidomimetic reagents to target the first transmembrane domain (TMD-1) of latent membrane proteins 1 (LMP-1) found on the human herpesvirus. These designed peptides will be used to study TMD-1-mediated LMP-1 activation. The findings from these studies will lay the groundwork for the discovery of new pharmaceutical agents with which we can prevent, diagnose, and treat herpesvirus-dependent cancers.
"I am tremendously grateful for the AACR 2009 Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award. This award would allow our project to gain its initial momentum, which may lead to novel computer-guided screening techniques that can provide much-desired agents targeting protein transmembrane domains."
- View the list of previous AACR Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award recipients.