The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has awarded $100,000 each to six “breakthrough scientists.”
The Damon Runyon–Dale F. Frey Award for Breakthrough Scientists provides additional funding to scientists completing a Damon Runyon Fellowship Award who “are most likely to make paradigm-shifting breakthroughs that transform the way we prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer,” according to the foundation announcement.
Dr. Lindsay B. Case
Lindsay B. Case, PhD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, received the award for her research investigating the molecular interactions that contribute to integrin signaling and focal adhesion function. This work could reveal new strategies for disrupting integrin signaling in cancer.
Dr. Ivana Gasic
Ivana Gasic, DrSc, of Harvard Medical School, Boston, was awarded for her research on tubulin autoregulation and the microtubule integrity response. Her research could provide insight into the workings of microtubule-targeting chemotherapeutic drugs and reveal new pathways to target cancer cells.
Dr. Natasha M. O'Brown
Natasha M. O’Brown, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, Boston, was awarded for her research using CRISPR technology and zebrafish to investigate the molecular mechanisms that regulate the blood-brain barrier. This work could reveal new approaches to drug delivery for patients with brain tumors.
Dr. Benjamin M. Stinson
Benjamin M. Stinson, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, Boston, was awarded for his work investigating the mechanisms of two main DNA double-strand break repair pathways. This research could shed light on the causes of cancers and have applications for cancer treatment.
Dr. Iva A. Tchasovnikarova
Iva A. Tchasovnikarova, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, was awarded for epigenetics research that may reveal targets for cancer therapy. She developed a method to identify cell-based reporters of any epigenetic process inside the nucleus and aims to use this method to better understand the biology underlying epigenetic mechanisms.
Dr. Yi Yin
Yi Yin, PhD, of the University of California, Los Angeles, was awarded for work that may help inform the treatment of many cancers. Dr. Yin developed single-cell assays that she will combine with statistical modeling to better understand homologous recombination.