The AACR-Genentech Research Fellowships represent a joint effort to encourage and support postdoctoral or clinical research fellows to conduct cancer research and to establish a successful career path in this field. Funded research can be in basic, translational, clinical, or population sciences.

2024 Grantees

Research

Significant racial disparities exist in multiple myeloma (MM) and its precursor stages, where a 2-3 fold higher incidence is observed among Black individuals compared to non-Hispanic White individuals. Dr. Kim aims to discover germline risk alleles or genes that are strongly associated with MM precursor stages (as detected by mass spectrometry) in 8,000 individuals (including 2,500 Black individuals) from the Mass General Brigham Biobank cohort. Firstly, associations between MM precursors, inferred genetic ancestry, and polygenic risk score from all mass spectrometry-screened participants based on genotype data will be evaluated. Secondly, candidate risk alleles, genes, or HLA that are significantly associated with phenotypes will be identified. Lastly, these findings will be validated in other available data and cohorts of African individuals.

Biography

Dr. Kim received an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science from the Imperial College London in 2014 and a doctorate in Biomedical Science from Seoul National University, College of Medicine in 2022. During his doctoral studies, he contributed to multiple research efforts in precision medicine, utilizing various types of sequencing data. He joined the Broad Institute as a postdoctoral associate in 2023, where he focuses on the biological understanding of potential precursor stages of MM and the underlying germline risks that contribute to its development.

Acknowledgment of Support

“I am honored and grateful to receive the AACR-Genentech Cancer Disparities Research Fellowship. I hope that this study will enhance the understanding of racial disparities in multiple myeloma and its precursor stages. This opportunity will advance my research career and enable me to become an independent researcher.”

Research

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often fails to respond to conventional T-cell based immunotherapies. Dendritic cells (DCs) can induce anti-tumor T cell responses, making them an attractive immunotherapeutic target. The addition of the oxidized phospholipid PGPC can stimulate a “hyperactive” DC (hDC) state, resulting in more robust and durable T cell responses. Dr. Cao has demonstrated that hDCs are recruited to the tumor proper and are associated with an enrichment of intra-tumoral antigen-specific CD8+ T cells and durable T cell-mediated IFNy production. She seeks to leverage the innate immune system to develop a novel treatment strategy against HCC.

Biography

Dr. Cao obtained her undergraduate degree in molecular biology from Cornell University. As part of her pursuit of her medical and doctoral degrees at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, she studied the role of the atypical cadherin Fat1 in regulating vascular smooth muscle cell growth after vascular injury. She is currently an advanced fellow in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), where she is studying the role of innate immunity in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Acknowledgment of support

“This fellowship supports my career goal of becoming a physician-scientist. I am interested in studying the complex interaction between immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, and to elucidate molecular pathways that can be leveraged for novel immunotherapies against cancers that are typically resistant to conventional treatments, such as hepatocellular carcinoma.”

2021 Grantee

Research
Of the 55 million Latinos that reside in the United States, six million are current smokers. Latinos experience multiple barriers to healthcare access that result in tobacco-related disparities. Overcoming these disparities demands innovative, accessible, effective, and culturally appropriate solutions. Dr. Cartujano aims to develop and assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of Deja de fumar, ¡ejercitándote! (Quit Smoking by Exercising!), a mobile intervention to promote smoking cessation and physical activity among Latinos. Deja de fumar, ¡ejercitándote! will integrate four components: 1) a 12-week text messaging coaching program with interactive capabilities, 2) wearable devices to monitor physical activity, 3) an online dashboard that manages participants’ incoming and outgoing data from both the text messaging program and wearable devices, and 4) nicotine replacement therapy.

Biography
Dr. Cartujano received his medical degree from Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos and completed his research fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He has been trained in participatory research to address tobacco-related disparities. Specifically, he has worked in the development and implementation of culturally and linguistically appropriate mobile interventions for smoking cessation among Latinos in the United States and Latin America. Currently, he is a research assistant professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and the Assistant Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at Wilmot Cancer Institute, part of URMC.

Acknowledgment of Support
As a Mexican immigrant and a medical doctor, I have an unwavering commitment to address tobacco-related disparities among Latinos. I am extremely honored to be awarded the 2021 AACR-Genentech Cancer Disparities Research Fellowship. This grant will advance smoking cessation and physical activity among Latinos. ¡Muchas gracias!