Angelina Vaseva, PhD, to Receive Voelcker Fund Award to Research Type 2 RAF Inhibitors for the Treatment of NF1-Associated MPNST

“Angelina Vaseva, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine and the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute. Dr. Vaseva is receiving $350,000 over three years for her award as she received $100,000 last year as a Voelcker Fund Pilot Research Award winner.

Her project is titled, “Utilizing Type 2 RAF inhibitors for the Treatment of NF1-associated MPNST.” The study focuses on the development of novel therapeutic strategies for neurofibromatosis type 1 with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (NF1-associated MPNST), a type of highly aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma and the leading cause of death in NF1 patients. Preliminary data from Dr. Vaseva and her team indicated that both BRAF and CRAF kinases are important for the growth of NF1-MPNST cell lines and that these cell lines are preferentially more sensitive to type 2 RAF inhibitors. Her project aims to define directions for novel strategies to treat NF1-MPNST by utilizing type 2 RAF inhibitors.

To date, the Voelcker Fund has provided $27.6 million in grants for medical research in furtherance of its charitable mission to UT Health San Antonio.”
SOURCE: UT Health SA Newsroom

About Greehey CCRI:
Since 2004, UT Health San Antonio, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute’s (Greehey CCRI) mission has been to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer, contribute to understanding its causes, and accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies. Greehey CCRI strives to have a national and global impact on childhood cancer by discovering, developing, and disseminating new scientific knowledge. Our mission consists of three key areas — research, clinical, and education.

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