Four early career University of Iowa scientists have each received a $30,000 American Cancer Society seed grant to investigate new ideas related to the cause, prevention, and treatment of cancer. The one-year grants are awarded through Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa and are designed to support junior faculty members and independent research scientists beginning their careers in cancer research.

The new grant recipients are:

• Melissa Bates, assistant professor of health and human physiology
  • Project: the role of chronic intermittent hypoxia in multiple myeloma progression
• Rebecca Dodd, assistant professor of internal medicine
  • Project: CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mouse models of tumor suppressor function
• Jun Zhang, assistant professor of internal medicine
  • Project: the role of centrosome kinase NEK2 in EMT and stemness of lung adenocarcinoma
• Steven Sperry, clinical assistant professor of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery
  • Project: new prognostic models incorporating biomarkers for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma