Amanda Loke and Santina Snow have been selected as the 2022 recipients of the the Dr. J. Abiodun Elegbede Cancer Research Award.
This award, administered by the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, was established through the generosity of the Elegbede family in honor of the late Dr. J. Abiodum Elegbede, who conducted postdoctoral research in the late Dr. Michael Gould’s laboratory. He then served as a professor of biochemistry at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas until his death due to cancer in 2006. The award provides up to $1,500 to attend and present cutting-edge cancer research at a national or international scientific conference.
Amanda Loke, a 4th year student in the Lambert lab, studies Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCPyV) and the only polyomavirus known to cause human cancers, specifically Merkel Cell Carcinoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. She will use this award to attend the DNA Tumor Virus Meeting 2022 in Cambridge, UK. Amanda’s project focuses on the MCPyV virus protein and their interactions within the host cells. These interactions may provide insight into how this virus contributes to the development of this malignancy.
Santina Snow, a 4thyear graduate student in Rich Halberg’s laboratory, studies colorectal cancer. She will use this award to attend the 2022 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Special Conference on Colorectal Cancer in Portland, Oregon. Santina is interested in shifting colorectal cancer treatment decisions toward a more personalized approach based on molecular features of the individual tumor to achieve the best outcomes for patients. Her research is focused on better defining molecular subtypes of human colon cancer and developing preclinical models that more fully recapitulate these subtypes to test novel therapies targeting specific cellular and molecular features.
Congratulations to these outstanding McArdle trainees!