Page 42 - The Hormel Institute 2024 Annual Report

42 | THE HORMEL INSTITUTE
// UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Over the past fiscal year, our lab has made significant strides in advancing cancer biol- ogy research, particularly focusing on glio-
mas and melanomas. Our most notable achieve- ment was the discovery of how gene mutation H3F3A K27M drives a repressive transcriptome by modulating chromatin accessibility, indepen- dent of H3K27me3 methylation in diffuse midline glioma. This breakthrough, now available as a preprint and soon to be published manuscript, has the potential to pave the way for new therapeutic approaches in treating these aggressive tumors.
We presented our findings at several prestigious conferences, including the 2024 AACR Annual Meeting, the Melanoma Research Alliance 2023 Scientific Retreat, and the Society for Neuro- Oncology meeting. These invitations underscore the recognition and esteem our work has garnered within the scientific community.
Our commitment to service and community en- gagement has remained steadfast. I actively par- ticipated in peer review activities for esteemed panels such as the NIH Clinical Oncology study section and the American Cancer Society, contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge and funding decisions. Furthermore, I have continued to serve on various committees at the University of Minnesota, advocating for research safety and compliance.
This year, we welcomed a new postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Suraj Bhattarai, and continued to mentor other members of our team, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment that values diverse perspectives and encourages growth.
Our lab has been honored with two significant grants this year that will profoundly impact our research and training programs. We received the prestigious Eagle’s Telethon Postdoctoral Grant for Training and Brain Tumor Research. This grant will support our efforts in training the next generation of scientists while advancing our understanding of brain tumors. With this fund- ing, our postdoctoral researchers will engage in cutting-edge research, acquire new skills, and contribute to groundbreaking discoveries in the field of neuro-oncology.
We were also awarded a generous grant from the Karl Potach Foundation dedicated to re- search on pediatric brain tumors. This funding will be instrumental in driving our efforts to uncover new therapeutic targets and improve treatment outcomes for children affected by these devastating conditions. The support from the Karl Potach Foundation underscores the im- portance of our work and provides the resources necessary to make significant strides in pediatric brain tumor research.
We are deeply grateful for the support from these grants and look forward to the transforma- tive advancements it will facilitate in our lab as we seek to improve patient outcomes.
Our commitment to advancing cancer research and fostering an inclusive research environment remains unwavering, and we look forward to continuing our work in the coming year.