Uma Borate, M.D., assistant professor in the UAB Division of Hematology and Oncology and associate scientist in the experimental therapeutics program of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer, has received a 2011 Young Investigator Award in the amount of $50,000 from the Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology for her research on acute myeloid leukemia.
Acute myeloid leukemia is a deadly form of blood cancer affecting the white blood cells. Borate’s research looks at a novel blood test that measures the amount of telomeres in the blood of leukemia patients before, while and after they receive chemotherapy. Telomeres are important structures in the chromosome of normal and cancer cells that are responsible for enabling a cell to continue dividing and replicating. The aim of the study is see if this blood test can provide an indication of the way leukemia cells die with chemotherapy, and can help predict which patients will relapse versus those who will stay in remission long term.
Established by ASCO, a non-profit organization representing more than 30,000 oncology professionals, the Conquer Cancer Foundation supports important clinical research, patient education and patient advocacy programs in the global campaign against cancer. The Young Investigator Award provides funding to promising investigators to encourage and promote quality research in clinical oncology.