AACR Grantees Share their Findings
We are extremely proud of our past and present grantees who presented and published their findings throughout 2024. Their accomplishments have been made possible, thanks to the support of the AACR and its funding partners.
JANUARY
Tumor development in individuals with high breast density
- Mechanosensitive hormone signaling promotes mammary progenitor expansion and breast cancer risk, Jason Northey, PhD, recipient of the 2015 AACR Basic Cancer Research Fellowship and 2017 AACR-Janssen Fellowship in Cancer Interception Research
Simultaneous lymphovascular and immune infiltrate analysis in melanoma
- Quantitative multiplex immunohistochemistry reveals inter-patient lymphovascular and immune heterogeneity in primary cutaneous melanoma, Amanda Lund, PhD, recipient of the 2022 AACR-Bristol Myers Squibb Midcareer Female Investigator Grant
FEBRUARY
3D Models to test the impact of tumor-treating fields
- Development and Optimisation of Tumour Treating Fields (TTFields) Delivery within 3D Primary Glioma Stem Cell-like Models of Spatial Heterogeneity, Spencer Collis, PhD, recipient of the 2021 AACR-Novocure Tumor Treating Fields Research Grant
Neutrophils’ role in chronic stress-induced cancer metastasis
- Chronic stress increases metastasis via neutrophil-mediated changes to the microenvironment, Xue-Yan He, PhD, recipient of the 2021 AACR-AstraZeneca Breast Cancer Research Fellowship
Baseline attitudes toward nicotine replacement therapy versus smoking cessation adherence
- Predictors of Nicotine Replacement Therapy Adherence: Mixed-Methods Research With a Convergent Parallel Design, Mary E. Cooley, PhD, recipient of the 2019 AACR-Johnson & Johnson Lung Cancer Innovation Science Grant
MARCH
Racial disparities in endocrine therapy adherence
- Barriers to endocrine therapy adherence: perspectives of Black breast cancer survivors and their providers, Kimberley Lee, MD, MHS, recipient of the 2021 Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Career Development Award to Promote Diversity and Inclusion
Tumor-treating fields: a potential treatment for spinal metastases
- Tumor treating fields suppress tumor cell growth and neurologic decline in models of spinal metastases, Christopher A. Alvarez-Breckenridge, MD, PhD, recipient of the 2023 AACR-Novocure Career Development Award for Cancer Research, and Claudio E. Tatsui, MD, recipient of the 2021 AACR-Novocure Tumor Treating Fields Research Grant
APRIL: AACR Annual Meeting
Addressing racial disparities in lung cancer
- Actívatexto: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile Intervention That Promotes Smoking Cessation and Physical Activity among Latinos, Francisco Cartujano Barrera, PhD, recipient of the 2021 AACR-Genentech Cancer Disparities Research Fellowship
New modulator of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia in pancreatic cancer
- Cytokine CCL9 Mediates Oncogenic KRAS-Induced Pancreatic Acinar-to-Ductal Metaplasia by Promoting Reactive Oxygen Species and Metalloproteinases, Geou-Yarh Liou, PhD, recipient of the 2017 AACR-Bayer Innovation and Discovery Grant
Novel treatment combination with tumor-treating fields in glioma
- Aurora kinase A inhibition plus Tumor Treating Fields suppress glioma cell proliferation in a cilium-independent manner, Matthew R. Sarkisian, PhD, recipient of the 2022 AACR-Novocure Tumor Treating Fields Research Grant
MAY-JUNE
Radiosensitizing rhabdomyosarcoma by targeting metabolic vulnerabilities
- Targeting glutamine metabolism improves sarcoma response to radiation therapy in vivo, Rutulkumar Patel, MS, PhD, recipient of the 2021 AACR-QuadW Foundation Fellowship for Clinical/Translational Sarcoma Research
Lymphatic vessels: enabling defense on two fronts
- Lymphatic vessel transit seeds cytotoxic resident memory T cells in skin draining lymph nodes, Amanda Lund, PhD, recipient of the 2022 AACR-Bristol Myers Squibb Midcareer Female Investigator Grant
JULY
Revolutionizing uveal melanoma treatment: SCANDIUM-II trial
- A phase Ib randomized multicenter trial of isolated hepatic perfusion in combination with ipilimumab and nivolumab for uveal melanoma metastases (SCANDIUM II trial), Roger Oloffson Bagge, MD, recipient of the 2021 AACR-Ocular Melanoma Foundation Career Development Award, in Honor of Robert C. Allen, MD
A closer look at global MGUS disparity
- Prevalence of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance in Eswatini: a population-based study in Africa, Kara Cicero, MD, MPH, recipient of the 2019 AACR-Takeda Oncology Myeloma Research Fellowship
A one up in the battle against multiple myeloma
- NSD2 drives t(4;14) myeloma cell dependence on adenylate kinase 2 by diverting one-carbon metabolism to the epigenome, Amin Sobh, PhD, recipient of the 2022 AACR-Bristol Myers Squibb Cancer Disparities Research Fellowship
Predicting uveal melanoma metastasis
- Detection of neoplastic-immune hybrid cells with metastatic properties in uveal melanoma, Alison H. Skalet, MD, PhD, recipient of the 2018 AACR-Ocular Melanoma Foundation Career Development Award
AUGUST-DECEMBER
Exploring a link between periodontal disease and lung cancer
- Blood Leukocyte DNA Methylation Markers of Periodontal Disease and Risk of Lung Cancer in a Case-Control Study Nested in the CLUE II Cohort, Dominique Michaud, ScD, recipient of the 2018 AACR-Johnson & Johnson Lung Cancer Innovation Science Grant
Therapeutic potential of targeting bromodomain-independent functions of BET proteins
- Resistance of estrogen receptor function to BET bromodomain inhibition is mediated by transcriptional coactivator cooperativity, Sicong Zhang, PhD, recipient of the 2018 AACR-John and Elizabeth Leonard Family Foundation Basic Cancer Research Fellowship
Enhancing cellular therapy in ovarian cancer
- Transgelin 2 guards T cell lipid metabolism and antitumour function, Sung-Min Hwang, PhD, recipient of the 2022 AACR-Bristol Myers Squibb Immuno-oncology Research Fellowship
Adjuvant Topical Therapy for Cervical Precancer Treatment
- Safety and adherence to self‐administered intravaginal 5‐fluorouracil cream following cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3 treatment among HIV‐positive women in Kenya: A phase 1 clinical trial, Chemtai Mungo, MD, MPH, FACOG, recipient of the 2021 Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers Career Development Award, in Partnership with Pelotonia & AACR