Career Enhancement Program
Directors:
James C Yao, M.D.
Randy L Johnson, Ph.D.
The Career Enhancement Program (CEP) is to use the resources at the MD Anderson Cancer Center to train exceptional young investigators in the early detection, prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with the hope that their research will reduce the mortality from this disease. The intent of each CEP award is to prepare the selected scientists to become international leaders in academic research relevant to HCC. The most promising young investigators will be identified, mentored through an individualized clinical and laboratory development plan and trained in grant and manuscript writing and in developing leadership skills. Awardees will be required to attend all SPORE meetings and one national meeting, where they can interact with liver cancer scholars and HCC SPORE leaders. Awardees will also be required to present their research at the annual SPORE conference and, if possible, to submit the results of their project for publication. Past awardees will be invited to all SPORE events and encouraged to apply for funding in the area of research developed under the CEP and to keep seeking advice from the SPORE leaders to further develop their careers.
Awardees
2023–2024
Jin S. Im, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Hematopoietic Biology & Malignancy, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Developing a novel cell therapy with iNK T cells engineered to target hepatocellular carcinoma
Sachet A. Shukla, Ph.D.
Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Comprehensive discovery of canonical and non-canonical antigens in hepatocellular carcinoma
2022–2023
Shabnam Shalapour, Ph.D.
Department of Cancer Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Study the role of obesity and alcohol consumption in regulation of adaptive immune cells in the context of hepatocellular carcinoma and its response to immunotherapy (Renewal)
Suet Ying Kwan, Ph.D.
Department of Molecular & Cellular Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
TLR4 inhibition-induced liver cell type composition changes and their role in NASH treatment and HCC
Yun Seong Jeong, Ph.D.
Department of System Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Novel Approach targeting YAP1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
2021–2022
Hiroshi Katayama, Ph.D.
Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Role of eEF1A2/PTEN/METTL13 mediated Aurora-A degradation pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma: Implication in the development of novel therapeutic strategies
Shabnam Shalapour, Ph.D.
Department of Cancer Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Study the role of obesity and alcohol consumption in regulation of adaptive immune cells in the context of hepatocellular carcinoma and its response to immunotherapy
Denada Dibra, Ph.D.
Department of Genetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Uncovering how p53 suppresses liver tumorigenesis under metabolic challenges
Suet Ying Kwan, Ph.D.
Department of Molecular & Cellular Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Targeting TLR4 for NASH treatment and HCC prevention
2020–2021
Sunyoung Lee, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of GI Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Deep learning-assisted molecular subtyping of hepatocellular carcinoma and prediction of systemic treatment response via the analysis of histopathology images and genomic sequencing
Hop S. Tran Cao, M.D., FACS
Department of Surgical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Use of a Handheld Mass Spectrometry System for Rapid Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
2019–2020
Chunru Lin, Ph.D. and Liuqing Yang, Ph.D.
Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Targeting Long non-coding RNA in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Heather Stevenson, M.D.
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch
Intrahepatic macrophages as prediction markers for cirrhosis and HCC development in patients with chronic hepatitis C