Tomorrow’s cancer breakthroughs depend on making sure that talented young researchers have the chance to succeed today.
Providing early funding for women in clinical oncology research is the singular goal of Women Who Conquer Cancer, a meaningful program of the ASCO-affiliated Conquer Cancer Foundation. Now in its second year, Women Who Conquer Cancer is uniquely designed to offer critical support to young women in cancer research to help them build their careers and stay in the field.
“Women have incredible intellectual gifts and capabilities to share but are vastly underrepresented in our field,” said Sandra M. Swain, MD, FACP, Chair of Women Who Conquer Cancer. “This kind of financial and moral support is pivotal to the futures of emerging women researchers. We all want to capture the creativity of the brightest young minds in oncology research.”
How You Can Get Involved
Women Who Conquer Cancer invites women oncologists to get involved in this groundbreaking program to help outstanding young women launch careers in cancer research. This special fund also welcomes contributions from men wishing to honor the important women in their lives in this exceptional way. For easy ways to give, visit www.conquercancerfoundation.org/
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“We want to make sure that great ideas don’t get swept away because of a lack of start-up funding,” said Eileen Melnick, Director, Grants & Awards, Conquer Cancer Foundation. “This is particularly important for young women, who face many competing demands, often at the same time in their lives when they are working to get their research off the ground.”
Last year, Women Who Conquer Cancer supported its first Young Investigator Award, given to Yanyan Lou, MD, PhD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The grant supported Dr. Lou’s work in investigating tumor microenvironment immune phenotypes in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor–resistant non–small cell lung cancer, with implications for immunotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer.
“Women Who Conquer Cancer is a unique opportunity to advance the careers of women in oncology and show our commitment to their success,” said Dr. Swain. ■
© 2015. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.
