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YIA Recipient Dr. Jennifer Woyach Presents Research on ASCO’s Main Stage

Aug 22, 2013

In 2011, Jennifer Woyach, MD, of The Ohio State University, received a Young Investigator Award (YIA) from the Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

 

  Jennifer Woyach, MD

The YIA, which provides funding to promising investigators in order to encourage and promote quality research in clinical oncology, supported her research on using carfilzomib (KyprolisTM, Onyx Pharmaceuticals), a tetrapeptide epoxyketone and a selective proteasome inhibitor, for leukemia treatment. She was mentored by John Byrd, MD, also of The Ohio State University (OSU).

Fast-forward two years, and Dr. Woyach was able to present the results of her YIA-funded study, “A Phase I Study of Carfilzomib in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma/Prolymphocytic Leukemia” during the 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting. Dr. Woyach is emerging as a promising leader in oncology. Since her YIA award, she has completed her fellowship at OSU and has accepted a position there as an assistant professor in the Division of Hematology. Dr. Woyach has also been appointed to the Leukemia Committee of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology and is currently developing a phase III clinical trial for initial therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), which has no known cure.

In the ASCO Connection interview below, Dr. Woyach discusses her Annual Meeting presentation, how the YIA has helped her career, and what she is working on now.

AC: What are the results of your study, “A Phase I Study of Carfilzomib in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma/Prolymphocytic Leukemia”?

Dr. Woyach: We found that carfilzomib is well tolerated in CLL, and we found no maximum tolerated dose in the doses examined. Efficacy at this schedule is modest, but appears to be improved with higher doses. Pharmacokinetics are consistent with what has been reported previously with this drug in multiple myeloma.

AC: What was it like presenting during the Annual Meeting?

Dr. Woyach: I enjoyed presenting at the Annual Meeting because it allowed the opportunity both to present my work and interact with other people in the field that I will likely work with in the future.

 
AC: What was it like working with Dr. Byrd? How did that mentorship further your career?

Dr. Woyach: Dr. Byrd has been an excellent mentor during my training and continues to be my mentor now that I am on the faculty at The Ohio State University. He has given me the opportunity to work on projects that will definitely help my career and hopefully also impact the field of CLL. He has also introduced me to others in the field and given me the opportunity to present my research to other leaders in the field of leukemia. He has been an outstanding role model of a laboratory and clinical researcher, clinician, and educator.

AC: Are you currently working on any other research projects?

Dr. Woyach: My research currently is focused on novel therapeutics for CLL, and my laboratory interest is Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibition and resistance to BTK inhibitors. I am working on phase I and II clinical trials with novel agents in CLL, and I am the intergroup chair of a phase III trial examining standard therapy versus ibrutinib or ibrutinib plus rituximab for untreated older patients with CLL, which is scheduled to open in the next few months.

To support the careers of bright young investigators like Dr. Woyach and help build the pipeline of cancer researchers for the future, please make a donation to the Conquer Cancer Foundation Grants and Awards Program.
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