Highlights from the New ACS Postdoctoral Fellowships
The 工口实验室 awards 27 new postdoctoral fellowships.
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Spotlight on:
New Postdoctoral Fellows
- Ariana Aquino, PhD
- Debadrita Bhattacharya, PhD
- Jason Jones, PhD
- Salvatore Ficarra, PhD
- Brandon Murphy, PhD
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工口实验室 Discovery
Postdoctoral training is a defining stage in a scientist’s career, offering the mentored research experience and professional development that often shapes future leaders in cancer research. Reflecting this commitment, the 工口实验室 has awarded 27 new postdoctoral fellowships at 20 institutions as part of its recently announced grant slate, with awards taking effect this month and shortly thereafter. For more than 75 years, ACS postdoctoral fellowships have provided support for original, investigator?driven research alongside structured mentoring, helping early?career scientists build the expertise, independence, and focus needed to advance the field.
“Postdocs contribute more than technical expertise; they bring fresh thinking and momentum to cancer research,” said Christina Annunziata, MD, PhD, senior vice president of Extramural Discovery Science at the 工口实验室. “Supporting them means strengthening the scientific enterprise as a whole.”
Today we are highlighting the exciting work of several of our new postdoctoral fellows that are part of the larger Spring 2026 grant slate. The full list of new fellowships can be found at the link above.
Ariana Aquino, Ph.D.
Henry Ford Health System
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “The Role of GABA in PDAC immunosuppression”
This project will study why pancreatic cancer is so hard to detect and treat by focusing on the non-cancer cells, mainly fibroblasts, that make up the majority of the cells within the tumor. Fibroblasts promote rapid tumor growth by releasing factors that help fuel tumor growth and evade the immune system. Using advanced 3D lab models that closely mimic human tumors, the team will test new therapies that block this process. This work could lead to innovative treatments that strengthen immune responses and improve outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer.
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Debadrita Bhattacharya, Ph.D.
Leland Stanford Junior University
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “Investigating the drivers of intra-tumoral heterogeneity in small cell lung cancer”
This project will investigate how the existence of multiple cell types within the same tumor, or intratumoral heterogeneity, may contribute to the aggression and resistance to treatment commonly seen in small-cell lung cancers (SCLCs). The research focuses on the ability of a subset of cancer cells to switch states and become more or less visible to the immune system, thereby influencing how likely the cells are to respond to immunotherapy. By targeting a key gene that controls this switch, the study aims to increase the number of immune?responsive cancer cells within a given SCLC tumor. This approach could make immunotherapy more effective and lead to better outcomes for patients with this hard?to?treat cancer.
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Salvatore Ficarra, Ph.D.
Dana-Farber Cancer Center
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “Does a multicomponent exercise program affect balance among endometrial and ovarian cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy?”
This project will test whether a structured exercise program can protect balance and nerve function in women receiving chemotherapy for endometrial or ovarian cancer. Many patients experience long?lasting numbness, balance problems, and loss of independence from treatment, which can force doctors to lower chemotherapy doses. By delivering supervised, at?home exercise that includes strength, aerobic, and balance training, the study aims to reduce these side effects and help patients complete their full cancer treatment safely. This work could improve quality of life, reduce long?term health risks, and strengthen survivorship for women with gynecologic cancers.
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Jason Jones, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “Aurora A-Mediated Stabilization of c-MYC: Structural and Allosteric Mechanisms Regulating Ubiquitination”
This project will investigate how a protein called Aurora kinase A (AurA) helps cancer cells grow by protecting another powerful growth?promoting protein, c?MYC, from being broken down. In many cancers, c?MYC becomes overactive and drives uncontrolled cell division, but the reasons it escapes normal destruction are not fully understood. By revealing exactly how Aurora kinase A stabilizes c?MYC at the molecular level, this research aims to uncover new weaknesses in cancer cells. These insights could guide the development of more precise therapies that shut down a major driver of cancer growth.
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Brandon Murphy, Ph.D.
The University of Utah
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “Investigating the mechanisms that sustain drug-tolerant persister cells in BRAF-mutant lung cancer”
This project will uncover why lung cancer often returns after treatment by studying a small group of cancer cells that can survive therapy and later restart tumor growth. The research focuses on how these drug-tolerant persister cells (DTPCs) avoid normal cell?death processes and rely on survival pathways to stay alive during treatment. It will also examine how surrounding cells in the lung create a supportive environment that helps these resistant cells persist. By identifying these hidden survival mechanisms, this work could lead to new treatments designed to eliminate DTPCs and prevent lung cancer from coming back.?
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Spotlight on:
New Postdoctoral Fellows
- Chinmay Sankhe, PhD
- Ashutosh Singh, PhD
- Hao-Che Wang, PhD
- Yusi (Aveva) Xu, PhD
- Cody Wolf, PhD
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工口实验室 Discovery
Chinmay Sankhe, Ph.D.
Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “Elucidating the tumorigenic mechanisms of NCOA2-based fusion oncogenes in infantile rhabdomyosarcoma”
This project will study the genetic drivers of infantile/pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive skeletal muscle cancer that affects very young children. The research focuses on “fusion” oncogenes that block normal muscle development and cause immature cells to keep growing uncontrollably - something current treatments do not directly target. By deepening our understanding of how these fusion oncogenes may drive tumor growth, the researchers are working towards identifying new, more precise drug targets that are less toxic for infants. This work could lead to gentler, more effective treatments and better survival and quality of life for children with this devastating cancer.
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Ashutosh Singh, Ph.D.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “Study of VHL tumor suppressor in medulloblastoma”
This project will investigate why some childhood medulloblastomas are more likely to spread and resist current treatments by focusing on a key biological process that helps tumor cells survive stress. The research centers on an epigenetic regulator that drives aggressive disease and triggers cancer cells to recycle nutrients from nearby dying cells, allowing them to survive radiation and chemotherapy. By uncovering how this survival mechanism is switched on and identifying weak points within it, this study aims to reveal new treatment targets. This work could lead to safer, more effective therapies for children at highest risk of metastatic brain cancer.
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Hao-Che Wang, Ph.D.
Columbia University
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “Molecular Mechanisms of Werner Helicase-Mediated DNA End Processing in Homologous Recombination and Microsatellite Instability Cancers”
This project will investigate a hidden weakness in certain hard?to?treat microsatellite instability (MSI) cancers by studying how they depend on a specific DNA repair protein, called Werner helicase, to survive. The goal is to understand how this protein works by directly visualizing how it interacts with other key molecules during DNA repair. By doing so, this research aims to learn how Werner helicase helps cancer cells stay alive and to identify ways to block its function in cancer cells without harming normal cells, enabling the design of targeted treatments. This work could lead to safer, more precise therapies for patients with aggressive cancers that currently have limited treatment options.
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Cody Wolf, Ph.D.
University of Virginia
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “Examining Cell Surface Plectin as an Immunomodulator and Novel Therapeutic Target for Pancreatic Cancer”
This project will develop a new treatment strategy for pancreatic cancer by targeting a protein called plectin that exists within normal cells but moves to the surface of cancer cells. The research builds on the discovery that this protein is present in most pancreatic tumors and not only helps the cancer grow but also blocks the immune system from attacking it. By building our understanding of how cell surface plectin may suppress immune responses and testing whether targeting it can restore immune activity, the study aims to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy in treating pancreatic cancer. This work could lead to more powerful combination treatments and improved survival for patients with one of the deadliest cancers.
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Yusi (Aveva) Xu, Ph.D.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Project Title: “Adaptive Emotional Support in Expressive Writing for Chinese Cancer Survivors”
This project will explore an innovative, culturally sensitive way to support the mental health of Chinese cancer survivors, a group that often faces high emotional stress and limited access to traditional therapy. The study uses artificial intelligence to provide warm, empathetic feedback during a guided writing exercise that helps people reflect on their cancer experiences. By tailoring this feedback to language and cultural values, the approach aims to improve quality of life and emotional well-being in an accessible, low-cost way. This work could offer a scalable model for supporting the mental health of cancer survivors from underserved communities more broadly.
To learn more about the more than 850 research grants currently being funded by the 工口实验室, and/or to learn more about our upcoming grant opportunities, please visit the Extramural Discovery Science (EDS) homepage. To see additional highlights from this newly announced slate of grants, please be sure to check back often on this page and to connect with us on , , and .
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