Cancer Research Month Kicks Off ResearcHERS Women Fighting Cancer

MAY IS CANCER RESEARCH MONTH

American Cancer Society Kicks Off 2021 ResearcHERS – Women Fighting Cancer www.ACSResearcHERS.org/baltimo...

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is the largest non-profit funder of cancer research in the U.S. outside the federal government, having invested more than $5 billion in cancer research since 1946, all to find more – and better – treatments, uncover factors that may cause cancer, and improve cancer patients' quality of life.

ACS is also committed to supporting and celebrating women-led cancer research. More than 51% of ACS-funded cancer researchers are women. Yet according to the National Science Foundation, women make up only 28% of the workforce in science and engineering workforce. The Society’s 2021 ResearcHERS nationwide campaign empowers women to fundraise in support of women-led cancer research, but it's also a movement and a sisterhood determined to sustain women-led cancer research and recognize the female trailblazers in the field. While the American Cancer Society has funded 49 researchers who have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize, none of them has been a woman...yet.

ResearcHERS – Women Fighting Cancer in the Greater Washington, DC/Baltimore area is looking for interested women to become ResearcHERS ambassadors. To get involved, contact Christine.Schifkovitz@cancer.org or go to www.ACSResearcHERS.org/baltimoremd. See the ResearcHERS Coast-to-Coast kickoff: www.youtube.com/watch?v=emjP4yrLbA0.

Presently, the American Cancer Society has $14 million in cancer research funding at work in the Greater Washington, DC/Baltimore region, including 14 ACS-funded female cancer researchers. They are:

Maryland:

Avonne Connor, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

“Evaluation of Novel Approaches to Address Breast Cancer Disparities”

07/01/2019 - 06/30/2023 $583,000.00

Cher Dallal, PhD, MS, MPH, University of Maryland, College Park

“Biobehavioral Mechanisms of Breast Cancer Racial Disparities”

01/01/2017 - 12/31/2021 $724,000.00

Christina Fitzsimmons, PhD, NIH/National Cancer Institute

“Investigating Molecular and Cellular Roles of Metabolism in RNA Epigenetics”

01/01/2020 - 12/31/2021 $111,500.00

Corinne Joshu, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

“EMPOWER Men to Reduce Weight and Inhibit Prostate Cancer Progression”

01/01/2019 - 12/31/2022 $792,000.00

Cheryl L. Knott, PhD, University of Maryland, College Park

“Integration of Cancer Health Activities into African American Churches”

07/01/2016 - 06/30/2021 $1,667,000.00

Eleanor C. Ory, PhD, University of Maryland, Baltimore

“Microtentacle Mechanics in Reattachment of Metastatic Tumor Cells”

07/01/2019 - 06/30/2022 $163,500.00

Hawley Pruitt, PhD, Johns Hopkins University

“Collagen Fiber Alignment Mediated T cell Exclusion in Prostate Cancer”

01/01/2021 - 12/31/2023 $175,500.00

Jennifer Urban, PhD, Johns Hopkins University

“How is Asymmetric Histone Deposition coupled to DNA Replication?”

06/01/2020 - 06/01/2022 $111,500.00

Michele I. Vitolo, PhD, University of Maryland, Baltimore

Targeting Cytoskeletal Aberrations to Prevent Breast Cancer Metastasis

07/01/2018 - 06/30/2022 $779,000.00

Tonya Webb, PhD, University of Maryland, Baltimore

Institutional Research Grant

01/01/2019 - 12/31/2021 $360,000.00

Laura D. Wood, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University

“Investigation of the Role of TGFB Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer Invasion”

01/01/2019 - 12/31/2022 $792,000.00

Washington, DC Area:

Sonia de Assis, PhD, Georgetown University

“Obesity-Related miRNAs in Paternal Sperm and Daughters’ Breast Cancer Risk”

01/01/2017 - 12/31/2021 $792,000.00

Maureen E. Lyon, PhD, Children's Research Institute

“Health Equity: Advance Care Planning-Spanish Speaking Teens with Cancer”

01/01/2019 - 06/30/2021 $144,000.00

Rebecca B. , Riggins, PhD, Georgetown University

Institutional Research Grant

01/01/2018 - 12/31/2021 $180,000.00

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of nearly 1.5 million volunteers dedicated to saving lives, celebrating lives, and leading the fight for a world without cancer. From breakthrough research, to free lodging near treatment, a 24/7/365 live helpline, free rides to treatment, and convening powerful activists to create awareness and impact, the Society is the only organization attacking cancer from every angle. For more information go to www.cancer.org.

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