PhD Student Dr Charlotte Pawlyn has won an award for her research presented at the prestigious international American Association of Cancer Research conference in Philadelphia.
Dr Pawlyn, a clinical research fellow at the ICR and an honorary haematology registrar at The Royal Marsden Hospital, won a Women in Cancer Research Scholar Award for scientists-in-training for her work investigating the role of a protein called EZH2 in the bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma.
Prizes are given annually to 30 young female researchers presenting work at the AACR conference, and this year Dr Pawlyn’s was the only award given to a UK-based researcher.
The prize recognises the exciting nature of her work, which could help in the development of new targeted treatments for multiple myeloma.
The Women in Cancer Research Scholar Awards support the participation of young scientists at the AACR Annual Meeting. They are awarded to members of Women in Cancer Research, a group committed to recognising women's scientific achievements and fostering their career development and advancement in cancer research.
Prizes are awarded to members who are scientists in training with commendable pieces of research submitted to the AACR conference, one of the biggest cancer conferences in the world.
Dr Pawlyn’s study was chosen for the illustrious prize from hundreds of submissions, and was just one of five given to research originating from outside the United States.
Her research presented at the AACR conference linked increased activity of EZH2 to more aggressive forms of myeloma.
Dr Pawlyn said: “It’s an honour to receive a Women in Cancer Research Scholar Award. It has been a great opportunity to network with the other award winners from all over the world, and with other prominent women in cancer research."
“My PhD at the ICR looks at how epigenetic changes that switch genes on and off in our cells can lead to the development of myeloma and if these changes can be targeted with new treatments. The research I presented at the AACR conference builds on this work and shows that the gene EZH2 could be one such target for new myeloma treatments. I hope this award will help me pursue my research to identify new treatment strategies for myeloma patients.”