The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers Career Development Award, in partnership with Pelotonia and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), continues to champion innovative research in breast and gynecologic cancers. The award is designed to support early-career scientists whose work advances understanding, prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of these cancers. A central goal is to eliminate cancer health disparities and improve patient outcomes globally.
2025 Grantees
The 2025 Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers Career Development Award celebrates a diverse cohort of early-career researchers whose work spans molecular biology, immunotherapy, imaging, and behavioral interventions. These grantees are driving innovation in breast and gynecologic cancers, focusing on improving treatment, addressing disparities, and enhancing patient outcomes worldwide.
Project: Targeting RNA Splicing to Improve Therapies for Ovarian HGSC
Scientific Statement of Research
Ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) remains a challenging cancer to treat effectively. Dr. Nijhuis’s research focuses on disrupting RNA splicing to compromise DNA repair pathways while generating tumor-specific peptides with immunogenic potential. Utilizing long-read transcriptomics and immunopeptidomics, her team aims to uncover mechanisms linking splicing modulation to DNA repair deficiency and immune activation. This work seeks to identify therapeutic opportunities for combining RNA splicing inhibition with current treatments, with the ultimate goal of restoring drug sensitivity and enhancing immune recognition in ovarian cancer.
Biography
Dr. Nijhuis earned her undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences from the University of Amsterdam and completed her doctoral studies on non-coding RNA regulation in cancer at Queen Mary University of London. She then joined Imperial College London for postdoctoral training, where she established her translational cancer research group focused on RNA splicing inhibition.
Acknowledgement of Support
“I am delighted to receive the 2025 Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers Career Development Award. These funds will allow me to grow as an independent scientist and advance our research into new treatments for ovarian cancer.”
Project: The Aging Tumor Immune Microenvironment – Novel Immunotherapy Approaches for ER+ Breast Cancer
Scientific Statement of Research
As the global population ages, the burden of breast cancer continues to grow, yet age-related disparities in treatment remain inadequately addressed. Dr. Turrell seeks to develop therapies tailored to older patients, aiming to improve survival and quality of life. Using syngeneic mammary tumor models, her research focuses on the poor immune responses observed in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers in aging populations. This work aims to inform novel immunotherapy approaches and address critical treatment gaps for older women.
Biography
Dr. Turrell earned her doctorate at the MRC Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge, and completed postdoctoral training at the Institute of Cancer Research in London. Since 2024, she has led her own research group at the University of Manchester and Manchester Breast Centre, investigating the role of the tumor microenvironment in ER+ breast cancer.
Acknowledgement of Support
“I am incredibly grateful for this prestigious award, which will accelerate our research into the aging immune microenvironment in ER+ breast cancer and provide opportunities to engage with the international research community.”
Project: An AI-based Equitable ‘Virtual’ Biopsy Pipeline for Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis on Ultrasound
Scientific Statement of Research
Virtual biopsies, leveraging medical imaging for non-invasive diagnostics, present an opportunity to address health disparities while providing rapid assessments for gynecologic cancers. Dr. Whitney’s research focuses on developing AI-driven virtual biopsy pipelines for ovarian cancer, aiming to improve early detection and diagnosis while minimizing invasiveness. The approach also seeks to mitigate disparities arising from socioeconomic and geographic barriers.
Biography
Dr. Whitney completed her MSc in medical physics and PhD in physics at Vanderbilt University, where she conducted research at the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science and the Department of Radiation Oncology. She is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of Chicago.
Acknowledgement of Support
“This award provides crucial support for our team to advance image-based diagnostic tools for ovarian cancer, enabling research co-developed with patient advocates.”
Project: Extrachromosomal DNA as a Mechanism of Therapy Resistance in Breast Cancer
Scientific Statement of Research
Extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) enables cancer cells to amplify oncogenes, driving rapid tumor growth and resistance to therapy. Dr. Yi investigates the role of ecDNA in HER2-positive breast cancer, aiming to uncover mechanisms of ecDNA maintenance, assess its impact on therapy sensitivity, and identify drugs targeting ecDNA-bearing cells. Her research has the potential to offer novel insights into treatment resistance and inform new therapeutic strategies.
Biography
Dr. Yi earned her PhD in biomedical science from Seoul National University and completed postdoctoral training at Jackson Laboratory. She leads a research group at Michigan State University focused on the molecular mechanisms of ecDNA in cancer.
Acknowledgement of Support
“I am honored to receive this award, which will help establish the foundation for ecDNA research in breast cancer and advance our understanding of women’s cancers to inform better treatment strategies.”
Project: A Just-in-Time Adaptive Lifestyle Program for Rural Breast and Endometrial Cancer Survivors
Scientific Statement of Research
Dr. Zhang is developing a just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) to support rural breast and endometrial cancer survivors with obesity. Integrating mobile health technologies, ecological momentary assessment, and wearable sensors, the program delivers timely, personalized support focused on self-regulation, goal setting, and overcoming barriers. The study will evaluate feasibility, efficacy, and differences between early responders and non-responders, with the goal of informing scalable strategies to reduce cancer disparities in rural populations.
Biography
Dr. Zhang is an epidemiologist with a doctorate in public health from The Ohio State University and postdoctoral training at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. She is currently an assistant professor in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control at OSU, focusing on lifestyle interventions and health disparities among rural cancer survivors.
Acknowledgement of Support
“This award will advance our understanding of tailored lifestyle interventions for rural cancer survivors and strengthen my expertise in mHealth and behavioral intervention design, supporting scalable, equity-focused strategies to improve cancer outcomes.”
The 2025 Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers Career Development Award, in partnership with Pelotonia and AACR, highlights the remarkable potential of early-career researchers to transform breast and gynecologic cancer care. Through innovative research spanning molecular biology, immunotherapy, imaging, and behavioral interventions, these grantees exemplify a commitment to advancing science, addressing disparities, and improving outcomes for women worldwide.
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Written by Nare Hovhannisyan, MD