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Early Stage Investigators and Crowley Awardee Selected
The Hope Foundation is pleased to support the following researchers selected for the 2024 Early Stage Investigator Training Course:
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Pedro Barata, MD, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center
Dr. Barata is developing a phase III double-blinded trial (S2419, the BioFront Trial) that combines immune therapy with either a live biotherapeutic (CBM588) or a placebo as the first treatment for patients with advanced clear-cell kidney cancer.
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Iván Lyra, MD, Hospital de Clinicas Dr. Manuel Quintela, Uruguay
Dr. Lyra’s research will test if mFOLFOX6 can be as effective as modified FLOT4 in preventing cancer recurrence, but with fewer side effects, for frail and older patients with operable stomach cancer.
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Zin Myint, MD, University of Kentucky Markey Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Myint is designing a phase 2 study to see if using PD-1 blockers before surgery can be more effective and less toxic than current treatments for patients with a specific type of high-grade bladder cancer.
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Izumi Okado, PhD, University of Hawaii Cancer Center
Dr. Okado’s project will test whether using telehealth and education about clinical trials, supported by a regional hub, can improve access to trials and help refer rural patients with breast, lung, or gastrointestinal cancers.
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Ali Zahalka, MD, PhD, University of Texas Southwest Medical Center
Dr. Zahalka is designing a study in patients with high-risk prostate cancer to see if a long-lasting nerve block, given before surgery, can make the cancer less aggressive and slow down its progression or return.
We're also honored to announce the 2024 Crowley Program Awardee, Subodh Selukar, PhD. Dr. Selukar is an early-career Biostatistics faculty member at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His winning proposal is titled: “Toward cure models for clinical trials: applications to small-sample oncology trials with rare events."
Grant funding and professional development opportunities are critical to becoming an independent investigator and to sustaining one’s research career. These funding programs connect researchers who are in the beginning phases of their career to experienced mentors in the cooperative research space, fostering new leadership and ensuring the longevity and impact of SWOG's network.
For more information about these award recipients, check out the August 2 Front Line post.
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