Kate Ashcraft, PhD, is a research science liaison in the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office.
Ashcraft brings her passion for scientific exploration into every facet of her role. As an avid runner, she knows the dedication and perseverance it takes to cross the finish line and she applies that mentality to tackling the complexities of clinical trials, ensuring that groundbreaking therapies reach the patients who need them most.
Here’s a few minutes with Kate Ashcraft.
Tell me about your journey to this point in your career
My PhD is in microbiology and immunology, and I graduated right around the time that cancer immunotherapies were becoming the next big thing. I did my postdoctoral research at Duke in the areas of radiation oncology, exercise oncology and immune responses to cancer, and then pivoted to regulatory affairs.
One of my favorite parts of that job was listening to providers debate the merits of potential new trials and how successful they might be. In the research science liaison role, I get to do that every day.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in cancer research?
In my postdoc era, I did pre-clinical studies using mouse models of radiation-induced xerostomia and mucositis. The small company that was sponsoring that work used our data to secure funding for a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for head and neck cancer patients.
I got to sit in on the protocol development meetings and had a front row seat to all the discussions that go into developing a Phase 1 trial, which piqued my interest more than mouse work ever could (no offense to the mice).
What does your day-to-day look like?
My primary focus is interacting with medical science liaisons and clinical development teams at pharmaceutical companies to learn about their pipelines and the types of clinical trials they are developing. I get to meet with pharma representatives from all over the world and hear about their groundbreaking ideas. I try to find trials that are a good fit for UNC Lineberger providers and our patient population.
A lot of networking over Zoom! If a provider is interested in learning more about a drug or trial, I help with the paperwork side of feasibility and site selection – submitting confidential disclosure agreements and completing feasibility questionnaires. It generally takes two to three months for a study to go from gauging initial interest to getting a site selection letter.
I also dabble in protocol development for investigator-initiated trials and sometimes get to organize bigger events for providers to meet with medical science liaisons for in-person information exchanges.
Why is serving this patient population important to you?
I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who hasn’t been affected by a cancer diagnosis in some way. The people who choose to work in cancer research all have big brains and are passionate about their jobs.
What is your most memorable moment in your career?
Earlier this year, I found a trial that was being opened by a pretty small company. The clinical leader agreed that it would be good study for UNC Lineberger patients, so I sent an introductory email to the sponsor asking to learn more.
After that, everything happened at the speed of light! We scheduled a few meetings, expedited the confidential disclosure agreement and completed the feasibility in record time. It took just 20 days to go from initial outreach to the sponsor to receiving our site selection letter.
It was just really inspiring to have everyone on both sides of the collaboration work so quickly to secure this trial for a patient population that might not have many other options.
What advice do you have for someone entering this line of work?
Get comfortable networking! It’s incredibly scary to email a stranger and ask them to meet with you, but I promise most people just love to make new connections and talk about their jobs.
I’ve probably sent hundreds of emails asking people to meet with me and there have only been a handful of times when someone was like, “Nah, I’m not interested in working with you.” And, yeah, rejection burns, but only for maybe 30 seconds, and then you move on to the next opportunity.
What was your very first job?
My first job was a party hostess for kids’ birthday parties at a local amusement park. My first “real” job was a lab tech in a lab that studied complement-mediated injury following ischemia/reperfusion.
What helps keep you motivated?
I work with every solid tumor group at UNC Lineberger, which gives me a front row seat to drug breakthroughs and approvals for many types of cancers.
Hearing about a clinical trial you were involved in that resulted in a change in standard of care or improved patient outcomes is super satisfying, even if individually you only played a tiny part in making that happen.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I have a 13-year-old and 10-year-old twins, so most of my free time is spent managing their schedules and being a chauffeur. In the mornings, I like to go running on the American Tobacco Trail. I’ve raced in five full marathons and about 20 half-marathons.