September 10, 2018
DR. BETH KERR AND DR. ELLEN QUILLEN RECEIVE ELSA U. PARDEE FOUNDATION GRANT
Dr. Bethany Kerr, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Cancer Biology and Orthopedic Surgery, and Dr. Ellen Quillen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Molecular Medicine, and Member of the Center for Precision Medicine, received a one-year grant from the Elsa U. Pardee Foundation. The grant, entitled “Profiling Cell Composition and Methylation in the Bone Pre-Metastatic Niche”, focuses on epigenetic changes to bone cell profiles to predict risk of metastasis, the leading cause of cancer-related death. Drs. Kerr and Quillen hypothesize that primary tumor growth will alter the composition and methylation profile of cells within the bone microenvironment. The grant will further investigate the role of aging and co-morbidities in altering the bone microenvironment to increase risk of metastasis. Congratulations, Drs. Kerr and Quillen!