Cure / Research Activities

The Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation is committed to funding research activities to help find a cure for melanoma. The Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Research Scholar Award, started in 2006 is provided to graduate students focused on advancing melanoma research.

2011 Award Recipients & Research Summaries
The JMNMF was very pleased to award the following students and their institutions:

• Katelyn Byrne – RSA Summary – Dartmouth College, Norris Cotton Cancer Center
• Karin Holmberg – RSA Summary – University of Virginia Cancer Center
• John Kwon – RSA Summary – University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Katie Matatall – RSA Summary – Washington Univ. in St. Louis, School of Medicine, Siteman Cancer Center
• Amanda McIntyre – RSA Summary – University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
• Yvonne Gruber Mica – RSA Summary – Gerstner Sloan-Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
• Eric Van Otterloo – RSA Summary – Univ. of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Holden comprehensive Cancer Center

The 2011 RSA ceremony at the University of Virginia Cancer Center included (left to right) Kevin Janes, Ph.D. and Ass’t. Professor of the Dept. of Biomedical Engineering (BME); Esther Hoffberg, JMNMF Board & RSA Committee member; Karin Holmberg, RSA recipient and BME graduate student; Greg Safko, JMNMF President; and, Kathryn Thornton, Professor of Engineering and Applied Science and Associate Dean for Graduate Programs.

2010 Award Recipients & Research Summaries
The JMNMF was very pleased to award the following students and their institutions:

• Ethan Abel – RSA Summary – Thomas Jefferson University, Kimmel Cancer Center
• William Damsky – RSA Summary – Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Cancer Center
• Erick Scott – RSA Summary – University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Hillman Cancer Center
• Gai Yan – RSA Summary – Johns Hopkins University, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
• Maya Ziglar – RSA Summary – University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Below: Ethan Abel, a graduate student working in the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (2nd from l), receives the $10,000 Research Scholar Award from JMNMF President Greg Safko (2nd from r).  Abel is accompanied by Andrew Aplin, PhD, his immediate melanoma lab director (l) and Richard Pestell, MD, PhD, Director of the entire KCC (r).

2009 Award Recipients
The JMNMF was very pleased to award the following students and their institutions:

• Hsiang Ho - Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Irvine
• Whei F. Moriarity - Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Johns Hopkins University
• Janet Barry - H. Lee Moffett Cancer Center & Research Institute at the University of South Florida
• Gao Zhang - The Wistar Institute.

Below: JMNMF President, Greg Safko (L) with the Dr. Meenhard Herlyn (R) The Wistar Institute’s Deputy Director and 2009 Research Scholar Award recipient Gao Zhang (C).

2008 Award Recipients
Mr. Jason D. Howard and Mr. D. Landon Grills

2007 Award Recipients
Ms. Megan Keefe and Ms. Courtney Silverthorn

Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Research Scholar Award Recipients
2006 Award Recipient
Ms. Staci Cummings

Other Research Grant
In 2004, The Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation funded a $50,000 research grant in cooperation with the Melanoma Research Foundation.

The grant was awarded to Dr. Suzie Chen of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The grant is entitled the Characterization of Melanocyte Transformation by Grm1.