The AACR Anna D. Barker Basic Cancer Research Fellowship represents an effort to encourage and support mentored young investigators to conduct basic cancer research and to establish successful career paths in this field. Eligibility is limited to postdoctoral and clinical research fellows who have completed their most recent doctoral degree within the past three years. The research proposed for funding may be in any area of basic cancer research.

2022 Grantee

Research

Cancer cells exhibit dramatic alterations in cellular metabolism to support cell growth, proliferation, and survival. However, the role of metabolism in late-stage tumor progression is less studied. Through organellar proteomics and metabolomics approaches, mitochondrial antioxidants have been identified as major contributors to cancer dissemination. Dr. Yeh aims to elucidate the roles of compartmental antioxidants in disease pathogenesis and tumor progression, and to identify potential therapeutic targets for cancer.

Biography

Dr. Yeh received his PhD at National Defense Medical Center in Taiwan, where he studied cancer metastasis and gene regulation. After completing his graduate training, he joined Rockefeller University as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Dr. Yeh’s research focuses on the role of oxidative metabolism in tumorigenesis.

Acknowledgement of Support

Receiving the AACR Anna D. Barker Basic Cancer Research Fellowship is a great honor. The fellowship represents an excellent opportunity to achieve my research goals of providing new insights in the field of cancer metabolism and identifying prognostic and therapeutic strategies to prevent cancer metastasis.

2020 Grantee

Research
On average, ~10% of cancer cases in men and ~20% in women are attributed to obesity. As ~70% adults in the United States are considered overweight or obese, understanding the fundamental effects of these conditions on immune response in the context of cancer is crucial. Dr. Yao is interested in studying how obesity reshapes the metabolic environment of tumors and its impact on CD8+ T cell mediated anti-tumor response. In this project, she is set to combine comprehensive metabolomic profiling with syngeneic mouse tumor models to interrogate the effects of obesity on anti-tumor immunity.

Biography
Dr. Yao received her PhD at Washington University in St. Louis, where she studied the cancer cell metabolome. After completing her graduate training, she joined Harvard Medical School as a postdoctoral research fellow. Dr. Yao’s research focuses on the metabolic interplay between tumor and immune system.

Acknowledgement of Support
I want to thank the review committee for granting me the 2020 AACR Anna D. Barker Basic Cancer Research Fellowship. I am thrilled and honored to have this opportunity to conduct my research in cancer immunology. With the support from this fellowship, I hope that my research will provide new insights in the field of cancer biology and contribute to the development of novel cancer therapies.