Saswati Gupta Cancer Research Scholarship

I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of science and human impact; how the work done in labs can ripple outward to improve lives. My path into cancer research began with a fascination for chemistry and how small molecules can have large-scale effects on the body. This curiosity led me to the NSF REU program at the University of Puerto Rico, where I worked in Dr. Arthur Tinoco’s laboratory studying novel bimetallic compounds with potential chemotherapeutic effects. We investigated how iron chelators like triapine, when combined with metals such as titanium(IV) and platinum(II), could inhibit Ribonucleotide Reductase, an enzyme essential for DNA synthesis in cancer cells. Using various techniques, we studied metal-ligand interactions and evaluated their cytotoxicity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Our research revealed that titanium(IV) disrupts DNA synthesis by binding to the enzyme’s iron site, while platinum(II) exhibited potent cytotoxic effects. I saw firsthand how metal chemistry could be leveraged to create more effective therapies for hard-to-treat cancers like TNBC. This experience sparked my passion for translational oncology. I want to pursue an MD/PhD in medicinal chemistry to accelerate bench-to-bedside translation and expand access to innovative treatments. I believe that without addressing systemic barriers such as diagnosis delays and limited screening we can’t design truly equitable interventions. Currently, I’m working at the Rutgers Institute for Health on a project focused on women’s cancer screening and early detection in Sub-Saharan Africa. I analyze patient data from Botswana and Tanzania to assess access to breast and cervical cancer screenings. Black women already face disproportionately high breast cancer mortality rates, and women in rural areas are up against even greater challenges. I want to be a part of the next generation of physician-scientists who not only create new treatments, but also ensure that these treatments reach everyone who needs them.

My career goal is to become an internal medicine physician dedicated to advancing health equity through patient-centered care, research, and advocacy. I am particularly interested in the intersection of addiction medicine and cancer care, as substance use disorders (SUDs) significantly impact cancer risk, treatment adherence, and long-term outcomes. Despite well-established links between tobacco, alcohol, and cancer, addiction remains an often-overlooked factor in cancer prevention and management. Addressing this gap is essential to improving patient care, particularly for vulnerable populations. Patients with substance use disorders not only face a higher risk of developing cancer but also encounter barriers to treatment, including stigma, inadequate pain management due to opioid concerns, and lower adherence to follow-up care. I want to bridge this gap by integrating addiction medicine into oncology, ensuring that patients receive holistic, compassionate, and evidence-based care. By incorporating addiction screening and treatment into cancer prevention strategies, we can reduce cancer incidence and improve long-term outcomes, especially in marginalized communities. As addiction medicine and oncology continue to intersect, I believe there is a pressing need for interdisciplinary collaboration between addiction specialists, oncologists, and primary care physicians. I aspire to contribute to research that explores the biological and behavioral links between substance use and cancer progression, as well as advocate for policies that integrate addiction treatment into oncology care. By addressing addiction as both a risk factor and a complicating factor in cancer treatment, I hope to improve patient outcomes, reduce health disparities, and help build a healthcare system that treats both conditions with the urgency they deserve.

As an M.D./Ph.D. student at the Jacobs School of Medicine, my ultimate dream is to become a physician-scientist specializing in pediatric oncology. I am currently pursuing my third year of medical school studies. I recently completed the PhD part of my dual-degree program at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center where I studied neuroblastoma, a deadly pediatric cancer affecting nerve cells of the body. More than half of high-risk neuroblastoma patients will ultimately die from progressive disease, highlighting the critical need for new therapy options. Under the direction of my mentor, Dr. Anna Bianchi-Smiraglia, I identified and characterized the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) as a new tumor promoting-protein in neuroblastoma. Excitingly, my work revealed clofazimine (CLF), an already FDA-approved drug for leprosy, as a potential new treatment for neuroblastoma in laboratory models. We plan to test the safety and effectiveness of clofazimine in high-risk neuroblastoma patients in clinical trials. Ultimately, I aspire to lead a laboratory as a principal investigator and study the molecular basis underlying pediatric tumors, including neuroblastoma. In addition, I plan to care for childhood cancer patients and their families in the hospital. My unique M.D./Ph.D. training background in both medicine and cancer biology will allow me to ask clinically relevant questions in the lab and bring my discoveries in the lab back to the patients in the clinic. My goal is to find novel therapies for pediatric cancers such as neuroblastoma in the lab, and ultimately run clinical trials. I want to be a physician-investigator at a leading academic hospital, where I can make the greatest impact on patients while being the most caring and compassionate provider that I can be.

Healthy young adults always neglect doctors appointments, but being considered at an extremely high risk for breast cancer makes this decision all the more risky. My mother was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at the young age of 29. With no family history, this came as an extreme shock, and altered the lives of her three daughters forever. Knowing that I would always have several extra doctors appointments to attend to each year influenced my aspirations. From a young age, I knew I was not only interested in medicine, and attending medical school, but also interested in conducting research and advancing medicine. As a rising third year medical student, I have realized my career goals have two aspects- patient care and scientific research. Starting from my time at UCLA, I conducted research on glioblastoma, an incredibly deadly malignant brain tumor. I spent hours working in a laboratory using cancer cells taken from patients at the Ronald Reagan Hospital at UCLA and injecting them into hydrogels mimicking the brain's extracellular matrix to understand just why these cancer cells were so migratory. After beginning my master's program in public health at USC, I continued this work but also became interested in understanding if patients even understood their diagnoses, and how genetics could influence individual's lifetime risk of developing cancer. This led to a project conducted with the cancer genetics clinic at the University of Michigan aiming to understand patient attitudes towards sharing and understanding their cancer genetics screenings, focused on conditions like Lynch Syndrome and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. These passions have continued as a medical student as I am now conducting a chart review understanding how to influence the preservation of language in individuals diagnosed with various brain tumors. These passions guide me as I look towards my future in medicine.

I am currently a student in a Regulatory Science Masters programme, with the ultimate goal of making safe pharmaceuticals accessible to those who need them the most. I currently work in women's health, primarily in ovarian cancer and endometriosis research, and I see how many women are affected by these diseases - it is my hope that through my work, I will be able to work with those who are developing tumour biomarkers to prevent disease progression. We must take into account the fact that the top pharmaceuticals are often inaccessible to those from low income backgrounds, and while we may be making progress on the disease front, we need to come up with equitable ways for women and people of colour to be heard and believed when it comes to their diseases. Many reports have shown that disease can go undetected in these groups simply because their healthcare providers don't recognise the level of pain they are in. Especially working in women's health, we see how many doctors women have to go through before they are given an accurate diagnosis; some women see more than 15 doctors before they are truly listened to. As a professional in regulatory affairs, my hope is to bridge the gap between clinicians, patients, and pharmaceutical companies to discuss solutions that work best for everyone, and ultimately be on the ground, providing medical access to those who may not get treatment otherwise. While I may not be a medical professional, over my years as a volunteer, student intern, and employee within the hospital systems in Boston, I see how we all play a vital role in cancer prevention and health equity.

I was 16-years-old when my family learned my uncle had lung cancer. We were told it was stage IV and he had less than a year to live. As we sprung into action, everyone's workload increased. The adults took shifts with appointments and doctor's visits. My uncle's daughter and I were left in charge of our younger siblings. We packed lunches and drove everyone to and from school. On weekends, we would support our parents in whatever way we could. We saw our parents become patient advocates and caregivers, picking up prescriptions, and tackling the steep learning curve that is cancer-related care. I then realized that the delivery of medical care is so much more nuanced than any of us could have imagined. Sadly, my uncle passed away 9 months later. There are many things I wish to accomplish or partake in throughout my medical career. I want to serve patients, help combat misinformation and arm patients with the tools to take control of their health, continue researching, learn from those who came before and mentor those who come after me, and positively impact healthcare policy. Throughout my career, I will continue advocating for interdisciplinary medicine, healthcare entrepreneurship, health policy shaped by science, and compassionate clinical care, because I am truly passionate about these areas of medicine and believe these avenues can help bridge the delivery-of-care gap for all people. As an MS1 student, I'm exploring hematology/oncology as one of my specialties of interest. Based on these goals, Academic Medicine is where I’d like to practice. Not only is teaching and mentoring more likely in an academic medicine setting, but I can also lead research initiatives and new innovative procedures and technology. Above all, I can still see patients and witness the direct impact of medical practice.