A college member in St. John’s College’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Well being Sciences was honored with the distinguished Younger Investigator Award from the American Affiliation of Indian Scientists in Most cancers Analysis (AAISCR) for his work to discover a treatment for neuroblastoma, a devastating most cancers that targets very younger youngsters.
Saurabh Agarwal, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, was acknowledged throughout an award ceremony on the thirty first AAISCR Annual Assembly, which befell on April 8 in San Diego, CA. The occasion was held along with the 2024 American Affiliation for Most cancers Analysis (AACR) Annual Assembly. This assembly featured a sturdy, multidisciplinary, scientific program united by the theme “Inspiring Science, Fueling Progress, Revolutionizing Care,” reflecting the AACR’s mission of stopping and curing all cancers.
“I’m humbled to obtain this recognition for my analysis work,” mentioned Dr. Agarwal, who received the 2024 AAISCR Younger Investigator Award within the junior college class. “It will additional encourage me to pursue my neuroblastoma analysis and to shortly discover a treatment, particularly in gentle of the stress and struggling these youngsters and their households expertise.”
Neuroblastoma develops in nerve tissue exterior of the central nervous system. It’s most typical in youngsters below the age of 5. The median age of analysis of neuroblastoma is 2 years, and greater than 95 p.c of kids are recognized earlier than they’re 10 years outdated.
The tumor’s scientific conduct and response to remedy fluctuate broadly. Youngsters with low- and intermediate-risk illness have higher outcomes. Nonetheless, for kids with aggressive, high-risk neuroblastoma, survival stays poor.
Dr. Agarwal focuses his analysis on figuring out causes of relapse in neuroblastoma sufferers and growing focused therapies for therapy.
The AAISCR is a nonprofit group that was established to advertise communication amongst Indian scientists working in specialty areas of most cancers analysis. It helps and acknowledges essentially the most promising scientific and translational most cancers analysis. Dr. Agarwal’s profitable analysis subject, “Direct focusing on of the COMPASS advanced inhibits neuroblastoma progress by inhibiting most cancers stem cells,” was additionally introduced at AACR’s 2024 annual convention.
Dr. Agarwal can also be a St. Baldrick’s Scholar at St. John’s College and has acquired a number of recognitions for his excellent analysis, together with a St. Baldrick’s Knight Commander Award, Oliver Wells Hero Award, and David Warriors’ Hero Award.
The recipient of the St. John’s College School Recognition Award in 2019, 2020, and 2021, Dr. Agarwal established the Pediatric Most cancers Analysis Laboratory at St. John’s, and his analysis is funded by the Nationwide Most cancers Institute of the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, by the oncology trade, and by pediatric most cancers philanthropic foundations.
