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- Posted Monday September 24, 2012
TGen cancer researcher one of first recipients of ARM scholarships
Anne Rita Monahan (ARM) Foundation also names 2012 'Crusader'
PHOENIX, Ariz. - Sept. 24, 2012 - Pilar Ramos,
an ovarian cancer researcher at the Translational Genomics Research
Institute (TGen), is one of the three inaugural recipients of an
Anne Rita Monahan (ARM) Foundation Scholarship.
ARM named two other scholarship winners, and announced that
Scottsdale ovarian cancer research advocate, Annette Leal Mattern,
will receive this year's ARM Foundation Crusader Award.
All four awards will be presented during ARM's 4th annual Tea for
Teal, a traditional high English tea, from 2-5 p.m. Sept. 29 at
Scottsdale's DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, 5401 N. Scottsdale
Road.
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the ARM
Foundation for selecting me as a one of the recipients of the
inaugural ARM Foundation Scholarship. This award will help me
tremendously in continuing to pursue a career in ovarian cancer
research," said Ramos, a Research Associate II at TGen, working
under Dr. Heather Cunliffe, head of TGen's Breast and Ovarian
Cancer Research Unit.
"I had the pleasure of meeting Anne Rita Monahan on several
occasions," Ramos said. " I am humbled by the opportunity I have to
find better treatments for ovarian cancer patients like
Anne."
Ramos is a third year doctoral student in the Molecular and
Cellular Biology graduate program at Arizona State University
(ASU). Her research is focused on identifying the molecular basis
of small cell carcinoma of the ovary (SCCO), a very aggressive type
of ovarian cancer that affects adolescent girls and young women,
with the goal of developing effective treatment strategies for
these patients. There is an urgent need to investigate this type of
cancer, as currently there are few therapeutic options for these
patients, whose typical life expectancy is 1-2 years after
diagnosis.
Ramos joined TGen's Breast and Ovarian Cancer Research Unit, as a
Research Associate in May of 2007. She received her Associates
degree in Biotechnology from Glendale Community College in 2005.
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from ASU in 2007,
majoring in Molecular Biosciences and Biotechnology. While at ASU,
she trained as an intern at TGen with financial support through the
ASU School of Life Sciences Undergraduate Research (SOLUR)
program.
Other recipients of the inaugural ARM Foundation Scholarships
are:
* Liu Qi Chen, who is earning her doctorate in
Chemistry at the University of Arizona, where she is developing a
non-invasive imaging method that measures the acid content in
tumors of ovarian cancer patients. Because tumor acidosis causes
chemo-resistance, this diagnostic method can predict the
therapeutic effect before starting the chemotherapy treatment of
ovarian cancer.
* Cameron Cripe, who is pursuing an
undergraduate degree in both Biology and Biochemistry at ASU. His
research is primarily geared towards the creation of new products
based on natural molecules that he hopes to "evolve" into something
it was not intended to do. He developed her research interest
because of family members and others who have passed away from
cancer.
Mattern - President and Co-Founder (2008) of the Ovarian Cancer
Alliance of Arizona, and a member of the Board of Directors and
immediate past-President of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance -
is one of the leaders of the ovarian cancer movement and a national
voice for women's health.
Mattern in 2003 published her book, Outside the Lines of Love,
Life, and Cancer, and has shared her story nationwide at numerous
health events. Mattern has instituted the Survivors Teaching
Students program with the University of Arizona School of Medicine,
educating future doctors about implications of misdiagnosis, and
led efforts to educate Congress about the needs of ovarian cancer
survivors and fight for federal funding for ovarian cancer
research.
All proceeds from Tea for Teal will benefit research led by TGen's
Dr. Cunliffe, whose team of scientists seek to develop reliable
tests in 3 areas of clinical unmet need:
* Screening for earlier detection, when ovarian
cancer is most curable.
* Rapid identification of patients whose
disease is predicted to resist standard-of-care therapy at the time
of diagnosis so that alternative interventions are considered
early.
* Identifying new vulnerabilities in all
drug-resistant forms of ovarian cancer that can be exploited with
targeted therapy.
Tea for Teal includes a champagne reception, a silent auction, a
purse auction, raffle, and fashion marketplace. The full English
tea service includes an assortment of finger sandwiches, fresh
baked scones, and petite desserts.
Individual tickets for the tea are $60; a table for 10 is $500. To
register, please visit http://tea4teal.eventbrite.com.
# # #
About The Anne Rita Monahan (ARM)
Foundation
The ARM Foundation was established by its namesake, a heroic
ovarian cancer fighter, to pursue her vision of warning other women
against the disease. Because the disease is often difficult to
detect, The Anne Rita Monahan Foundation is dedicated to educating
and raising awareness of these signs and symptoms so that early
detection will increase and instances of misdiagnosis will
decrease. The Foundation also raises finances to help fund the
discovery of an effective, reliable screening tool that will help
detect this type of cancer early and give women the best
opportunity for full remission. The ARM Foundation marches towards
its mission to eradicate ovarian cancer through outreach and
educational programs to both the public and the medical community.
For more information, visit: http://AnneRitaMonahan.org.
About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a
Phoenix-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at
TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer,
neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of
translational research where investigators are able to unravel the
genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with
collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen
believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency
and effectiveness of the translational process. For more
information, visit: www.tgen.org.
Press Contacts:
Jennifer Graves, President
The ARM Foundation
480-444-8964
[email protected]
Rachel Brockway, Event Chair, Tea for Teal
The ARM Foundation
602-561-1707
[email protected]
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
