Survivorship Grant Awardees Spotlight

The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center Survivorship Pilot Project Award Program is generously supported by the Schiff Family Foundation Cancer Survivorship Research Fund. Two $50,000 awards are granted annually for a two-year period to support research related to cancer survivorship. The most recent cycle awarded Teresa M. Reyes, PhD and Mathieu Sertorio, PhD.

The goals of the Survivorship Pilot Project Award Program are to:

• Encourage interaction, collaboration, and facilitation of exploratory research to test interventions, develop research methodologies, and explore novel areas of research in cancer survivorship
• Promote the entry of young investigators into the field of cancer survivorship research
• Generate preliminary data for projects that will lead to external funding and ultimately have a positive impact on cancer survivorship care

Astrocyte Activation to Block the Development of Cognitive Deficits in an Animal Model of Leukemia Survival (Reyes)

Teresa M. Reyes, PhD Associate Professor Pharmacology and Systems Physiology

“Over the past year, we have generated new data that points our research in a new direction, beyond what our current funding supports,” said Dr. Reyes, Senior Associate Dean for Basic and Translational Research and Professor of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology at the University of Cincinnati. “This pilot funding will allow us to expand our research program and generate key preliminary data that would be necessary for the submission of additional applications to support this new research direction.”

Dr. Reyes will be using this award to support the Astrocyte Activation to Block the Development of Cognitive Deficits in an Animal Model of Leukemia Survival project she is leading. This project aims to determine whether astrocytes, a specialized cell in the brain, contribute to chemotherapy-associated cognitive deficits.  

“Our currently funded work is focused on different cell types within the brain (microglia and neurons), and this pilot project will allow us to expand on compelling results that indicate astrocytes may be an important cell type related to cognitive deficits following chemotherapy,” explained Dr. Reyes. “Specifically, we believe that astrocyte activation can serve a protective role in the context of chemotherapy-associated cognitive deficits. Therefore, we will use DREADD technology to activate astrocytes during chemotherapy treatment to determine whether this intervention can mitigate cognitive deficits.”

Dr. Reyes also shared that improving quality of life for cancer survivors is a critical component of cancer research.

“While cognitive deficits in survivors of childhood leukemia are well documented, there is little insight to the underlying neurobiology of these deficits,” she explained. “By better understanding how early life chemotherapy affects the developing brain, efforts can be directed toward protecting the brain during treatment to minimize long term cognitive deficits.”

Proton FLASH Radiotherapy: A Novel Approach for Improving Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Survivorship (Sertorio)

Mathieu Sertorio, PhD Associate Professor Radiation Oncology

“My research broadly focuses on mitigating toxic effects and maximizing quality of life after cancer treatment – the tenets of survivorship,” said Dr. Wang. “One important survivorship topic is cardio-oncology, and I am excited to assemble a multidisciplinary team of oncologists, cardiologists, and survivorship researchers for this project.”

Dr. Sertorio, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Cincinnati, will be using this award to support the Proton FLASH Radiotherapy: A Novel Approach for Improving Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Survivorship project he is leading. This project aims to determine if FLASH radiotherapy can provide lower toxicity to normal tissue exposed to off-target radiation during HNSCC treatment.

“Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with radiation often experience post-treatment complications due to radiation exposure of surrounding normal tissues,” he explained. “These side effects, including reduced salivation, oral infection, fibrosis, and pain, significantly impact the quality of life and mental well-being of HNSCC survivors. Previous findings indicate that FLASH radiotherapy may reduce radiation-induced skin fibrosis compared to conventional dose rate proton therapy. We are now investigating whether FLASH radiotherapy could also benefit other tissues/organs in the head and neck area to extend its potential to improve the quality of life of HNSCC survivors, which will involve testing a new fractionation protocol in a preclinical mouse model and comparing conventional proton therapy to FLASH radiotherapy, while assessing damage to oral epithelium and salivary gland functions.”

FLASH radiotherapy is an experimental treatment that could innovate the future of cancer treatment by delivering radiation therapy at ultra-high dose rates in typically less than one second. Compared to conventional radiotherapy, FLASH radiotherapy is over 100 times faster and preclinical studies have shown better tumor control, reduced normal tissue toxicity and immunological advantages.

“If successful, FLASH radiotherapy could offer a more effective and tolerable treatment option for HNSCC patients and enhance their post-treatment quality of life,” said Dr. Sertorio. “Furthermore, the research focuses on understanding the effects of FLASH radiotherapy on various tissues and organs in the head and neck region, alongside its impact on the oral microbiome, providing insights into the broader implications of this innovative approach. The outcomes of this project could pave the way for the development of new radiation therapy treatment protocols with enhanced tumor control and diminished side effects, benefiting both HNSCC patients and those undergoing radiation treatment for other cancer types.”

Dr. Sertorio expressed his gratitude for not only this award but also his Cancer Center membership. By sharing the significant impact both opportunities have had on this project, he hopes to inspire other researchers to join the Cancer Center as well.

“The survivorship pilot grant will help our research teams extend our first observation of the beneficial effect of ultrahigh dose rate proton therapy, also known as FLASH radiotherapy, to mitigate normal tissue radiation toxicity for cancer treatment,” he said. “The support provided by this grant will be extremely helpful in generating the first line of evidence that FLASH radiotherapy can be a game-changer for HNSCC long-term treatment outcomes and patient quality of life post-treatment. This Survivorship pilot support will also allow us to develop our capabilities to study radiation toxicity in the head and neck tissues and organs, and it will enhance our efficiency in researching new radiation approaches with better tumor control and lower side effects.”

“The collaborative atmosphere and access to advanced resources through the Cancer Center have been invaluable,” Dr. Sertorio shared. “Interacting with fellow researchers and clinicians has provided crucial insights and opportunities for collaboration, enhancing the depth of our investigations with a focus on clinical application of our research. The Cancer Center facilities and technologies have been essential for conducting experiments central to our effort on improving radiotherapy side effects. The support of the Cancer Center through pilot grant awards is essential for the development of cutting-edge approaches to not only cure cancer with higher success rates but also to improve survivorship experience and long-term wellbeing following cancer treatment.”