Katherine L. Nathanson, MD
Katherine L. Nathanson, MD, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, has received the 2015 Frohlich Visiting Professorship through the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
The professorship provides a unique opportunity for a physician-scientist, whose career is on an outstanding trajectory for future major national leadership appointments, to visit colleagues in the United Kingdom to promote an exchange of information and to foster international collaboration in medicine.
Dr. Nathanson, who is also Associate Director for Population Sciences, co-Leader of the Cancer Control Program, and Chief Oncogenomics Physician in the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, will embark on her professorship this summer.
Research Focus
Dr. Nathanson’s research focuses on inherited and somatic genetic/genomic changes in cancer and how discoveries in this area can be applied to improve patient care. Her studies have touched on various tumor types, including inherited breast/ovarian cancer, melanoma, testicular germ cell tumors, renal cancers, and pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas. In addition, some studies characterize the contribution of inherited susceptibility to development of these tumor types, and others elucidate the relationship of somatic genetics/genomics of tumors to therapeutic response.
“In order to further expand this area of research and develop additional projects integrating inherited and somatic genetics, I have designed my Frohlich Visiting Professorship so that I will meet with multiple investigators across these areas and discuss our research interests. During the maelstrom of my daily academic life, I have little opportunity to ‘take a breath’ to purely focus on science and develop ideas and collaborations,” Dr. Nathanson said. “This professorship offers me the ideal concentrated opportunity to do so through conversations with colleagues, presenting my work, and touring facilities. I expect that after this time, many ideas will result that can be further explored and developed into novel and interesting areas of research.”
The Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) Foundation selected the AACR to offer a visiting professorship to its membership for 2015. The professorship is underwritten by a donation from the trustees of the L.W. Frohlich Charitable Trust. ■
