The 49th annual UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Trainee Research Day, held at the Friday Center on Oct. 1, provided graduate students and postdoctoral research associates with the opportunity to present their research to peers and cancer center faculty. It also offered valuable insights from former postdoctoral fellows about their career paths.
The daylong event attracted nearly 150 attendees and featured keynote talks by former UNC Lineberger postdoctoral fellows.
Sean Hanlon, PhD, acting deputy director of the National Cancer Institute’s Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives, discussed his journey from postdoc to a governmental agency administrator. Hanlon currently helps oversee initiatives focused on emerging areas of science with the potential to impact the cancer research continuum, such as the NCI’s Human Tumor Atlas Network.
Matthew LeBlanc, PhD, RN, assistant professor in the UNC School of Nursing and a UNC Lineberger member, spoke on what inspired him to pursue a doctorate in nursing and his research on health-related quality-of-life challenges faced by patients with multiple myeloma, as well as treatment access disparities.
There were also panel discussions on grant writing and services and resources available to postdoctoral fellows.
On his first official day as executive director of the cancer center, Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, shared a few words before the poster review session. “I just want to thank you for welcoming me on my very first day. I couldn’t have picked a better way to start than to come and see this amazing science. I am looking forward to learning from all of you.”
The UNC Lineberger Cancer Research Training Education Coordination (CRTEC) program sponsored the event with support from the UNC Lineberger director’s office. The postdoctoral committee, Colin Basham, PhD, Felicia Cao, MD, PhD, William Green, PhD, Travis Nelson, PhD, and Nathaniel Woodard, PhD, worked with the CRTEC team, including Becca Moss, Lisa Meadows, Julie Trollinger, Bernard E. (Buddy) Weissman, PhD, Jen Jen Yeh, MD, and Ashley Leak Bryant, PhD, RN, OCN, FAAN, on planning the meeting’s agenda and invite speakers.
The meeting concluded with a ceremony recognizing the oral and poster presentation award winners, each of whom received a $100 prize.
Oral Presentation Awards
Basic Science/Clinical & Translational Research
Daniel Peters, MD
Azacitidine and Venetoclax with or without Donor Lymphocyte Infusion in Relapsed AML Post Allo-HSCT: A Single-Institution Retrospective Study
Population Science (tie)
Lauren Bates-Fraser, PhD
A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding Context and Behavioral Determinants of Sedentary Behavior in Endometrial Cancer Survivors
Austin Waters, MSPH
Material, Psychological, and Behavioral Financial Hardship among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Cancer Survivors in the United States: An Analysis of the National Health Interview Survey
People’s Choice Poster Session Awards
Basic Science
Emily Kounlavong, BS
Deciphering the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblast-Mediated Bladder Cancer Progression
Clinical & Translational Research
Sandra Zarmer, PhD Candidate
Identifying Vulnerabilities in Basal-like Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma (PDAC)
Population Science (tie)
Saif Al Amin, MPH
Association between Residential Environment and Oral Cancer Stage at Diagnosis among the U.S. Population: Findings from the SEER Database
Meghan O’Leary, PhD
Exploring Tradeoffs in Approaches to Providing and Promoting Colorectal Cancer Screening in Low-Income, Medically Underserved Populations Using Causal Loop Diagramming
