ARCS Scholar Alum Julia Maxson Discovers New Cancer Treatment

ARCS alumna Julia Mason, PhD, a post-doctoral reseacher in the Brian Druker Lab, had been on both sides of cancer: as a scientist and as someone who has witnessed loved ones battle the disease.

She has seen firsthand the improvements of treatment made by new, targeted cancer therapies.  Among them are cancer-fighting drugs for leukemia and lymphoma.  "It's an exciting time to be in cancer research," said Dr. Maxson.  "The tools available to interrogate cancer genomics have become much faster and cheaper in the last few years, giving us an unprecedented opportunity to understand the genes that cause cancer."

Her recent transition from student to post-doc has been a smooth one.  Dr. Maxson's current project is centered on personalized therapy for patients with leukemia. Specifically, she is working on finding genetic markers that will help predict which targeted therapies individual leukemia patients best respond to.

"The type of support provided directly to students by ARCS Foundation is invaluable, not only for financial reasons but also as a sign that society values her dedication and commitment to finding new cures.  The end of cancer is within our reach," said Brian Druker, MD, Director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, " and it is young investigators like Julia, who is emblematic of the next generation of scientists, who will play an essential role in getting us to the finish line in curing cancer."  Read more.