Mariaelena Nabors’s path to cancer research began with curiosity and a love for discovery. As a current doctoral candidate at UNC-Chapel Hill, Nabors is a member of the Yeh Lab at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center where she studies advances in the treatment and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
Her interest in the field was sparked by her father’s inspirational story of surviving cancer thanks to clinical trial participation and her grandmother’s own diagnosis of the very disease Nabors now studies.
For Nabors, her work as a cancer researcher is not just about solving a scientific puzzle; it’s about helping people extend and improve their quality of life after a diagnosis.
Here are a few minutes with Mariaelena Nabors.
Tell us about your journey to this point in your career
I completed my B.A. in Biochemistry at the University of Kansas (KU) in 2020. The summer after my sophomore year I joined the lab of Rob Unckless, PhD, as an undergraduate. In the Unckless lab, I led an independent project studying the evolution of immune defense in Drosophila and I was also awarded a K-INBRE Star Trainee award, which meant I was paid to do my research.
Then in the summer of 2019, I became an Amgen Scholar at the University of California San Francisco where I worked in the lab of Michael Evans, PhD, for eight weeks. In the Evans lab, I got my first taste of translational research and was immediately hooked. There, I worked on a project identifying potential drug targets for h-TERT driven glioblastomas.
When I began applying to PhD programs, I applied to programs associated with Comprehensive Cancer Centers, which eventually led to me committing to UNC. Since then, I’ve been in the lab of Jen Jen Yeh, MD, studying all-things-PDAC.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in cancer, in particular, your role studying pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)?
Like many scientists, I was drawn to cancer research primarily because I have had several family members who have experienced cancer.
Almost a decade before I was born, my father was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and was told he probably had six months to live. Fortunately, he was placed in one of the first clinical trials for monoclonal antibodies and was one of the few patients who responded, and he is still alive today.
Growing up hearing about how research had saved his life sparked my interest in cancer research. I then became interested in studying pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) when my grandmother was diagnosed with it while I was an undergraduate. The plethora of labs studying various aspects of PDAC biology is part of what drew me to UNC.
Why is serving this patient population important to you?
Aside from the personal connection with my grandmother’s diagnosis, I’m drawn to the complexity of PDAC. It is aggressive, chemo-resistant and, until the recent development of KRAS inhibitors, targeted therapies have had limited effect.
Additionally, until recent technological developments, there were aspects of PDAC biology that we couldn’t fully study. This means that we are now discovering something new about PDAC all the time — and that’s incredibly exciting.
What does your day-to-day look like as a cancer researcher?
Every day is a little bit different! Most experiments in cancer research are multi-day or even multi-week endeavors, so on any given day I am working on several experiments that are in various stages of progress. This means I frequently plan out new experiments, start others and maintain ongoing experiments all on the same day.
I also analyze data I’ve collected and read papers to stay up to date on other scientists’ work.
Has there been a most memorable moment for you thus far at UNC Lineberger?
Having cancer patients come and talk to us about their experience undergoing cancer treatments has stuck with me as one of the most memorable moments thus far.
Hearing their experiences really hammered home who we are doing this work for. It also reminded me that improving a patient’s quality of life is just as important as extending it. I came away from that experience humbled and with renewed vigor for my research.
What was your very first job?
I was an undergraduate teaching assistant at the University of Kansas. I taught gen-chem labs to fellow undergraduate students and graded exams.
What advice do you have for someone entering this line of work?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Asking questions frequently is one of the best ways to deepen your understanding of what others are working on and to continue expanding your own knowledge base. It’s also an incredibly useful skill that can only be honed through practice.
What is your favorite hobby outside of work and school?
I am an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy.