The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has announced the 2026 recipients of its Physician-Scientist Training Award, committing nearly $1.4 million to support three young clinicians pursuing translational and clinical cancer research.
The award is designed for physicians who have completed clinical specialty fellowship training and are preparing to become leaders in cancer research. The 2026 awardees were selected through a highly competitive review process by a committee of leading cancer researchers, all of whom are physician-scientists.
Strengthening the Physician-Scientist Pipeline
Physician-scientists play a central role in bringing laboratory discoveries into clinical care. Their work helps move promising ideas from the research setting toward therapies that may improve and prolong the lives of patients with cancer.
Despite this importance, the physician-scientist workforce remains under pressure. Financial disincentives often make it difficult for physicians to choose research careers after years of clinical training. Through this award, Damon Runyon aims to support this career path with funding that is higher than many traditional research fellowships.
Each recipient receives $100,000 in the first year, with the amount increasing by $10,000 per year over the next three years. The total support reaches $460,000 over four years. The Foundation may also retire up to $100,000 of remaining medical school debt for each award recipient.
Since the program began in 2015, it has supported 49 new physician-scientists across multiple disciplines. Their work has contributed to a better understanding of how cancer develops and spreads, and has also supported the development of new therapies, including several now being studied in clinical trials.
The Physician-Scientist Training Award was established through the generosity of Damon Runyon Board members Leon Cooperman and Michael Gordon.
Reprogramming Immune Cells Against Ovarian Cancer
Lindsey M. Draper, MD, a Leon and Toby Cooperman Physician-Scientist at the University of California, San Francisco, will work with mentor Kole T. Roybal, PhD, on a project focused on advanced ovarian cancer.
More effective immunotherapies are needed for patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Most ovarian cancers do not respond well to immunotherapy, yet the presence of immune cells within ovarian tumors has been associated with longer patient survival.
Dr. Draper’s research focuses on tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, or TILs, a subset of immune cells that can specifically recognize tumor cells. In ovarian cancer, however, these cells often fail to eliminate cancer because of tumor immune evasion and TIL exhaustion.
Her project proposes genetically reprogramming ovarian TILs to improve their ability to recognize and kill tumor cells. This approach involves introducing gene fusions that may help the immune cells persist in the difficult tumor environment.
The genetic enhancements will be delivered by a virus engineered to infect only tumor-targeting TILs, while avoiding bystander TILs that may recognize viruses, healthy tissues, or other non-cancer targets. The work aims to support the development of a safer and more effective immunotherapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer and other malignancies that have been resistant to immunotherapy.
Exploring Diet, Microbiome, and Metabolism in Immunotherapy Toxicity
Michelle N. Ferreira, MD, at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, will work with mentors Chi V. Dang, MD, PhD, and Cynthia L. Sears, MD, to study immune-related colitis, one of the most common autoimmune toxicities caused by immunotherapy.
Immune-related colitis occurs when the immune system becomes overstimulated after immunotherapy and attacks the colon. This can lead to diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, sometimes requiring patients to stop potentially life-saving cancer treatment.
Current treatment often involves steroids or other immunosuppressive agents. However, it remains unclear whether this immune suppression may affect cancer treatment outcomes.
Dr. Ferreira’s project will explore whether targeting the gut microbiome through dietary intervention can help treat immune-related colitis without interfering with immunotherapy. She plans to use a mouse model to study whether intermittent fasting can reduce colitis while also improving tumor control.
Her research will examine the metabolic and gut microbial changes responsible for the effects of fasting. The goal is to expand non-immunosuppressive and accessible treatment options for patients experiencing this common immunotherapy-related toxicity.
Understanding NPM1-Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Vivian M. Liu, MD, a Leon and Toby Cooperman Physician-Scientist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, will work with mentors Stanley C. Lee, PhD, and Soheil Meshinchi, MD, PhD, on research focused on acute myeloid leukemia.
Acute myeloid leukemia is a blood cancer that affects white blood cells. The most common form of AML in adults involves a mutation in the NPM1 gene. This mutation occurs in a consistent way and contributes to the growth of leukemia cells.
Dr. Liu’s project aims to better understand how the NPM1 mutation changes leukemia cell behavior and influences response to drug treatment. By studying these mechanisms, the research seeks to support the development of new and more effective treatment strategies for patients with this disease.
Supporting the Next Generation of Cancer Researchers
Through the 2026 Physician-Scientist Training Award, Damon Runyon is supporting three early-career clinicians whose research addresses major challenges in oncology: immunotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer, immune-related toxicity from cancer treatment, and the biology of NPM1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia.
The Foundation’s investment reflects the continuing need to protect and strengthen the physician-scientist pathway, particularly at a time when cancer research depends on clinicians who can connect patient care with laboratory discovery.
Written by Nare Hovhannisyan, MD
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