Dan Grandér's Memorial Prize

The Dan Grandér Memorial Prize is awarded annually for the best dissertation in cancer research at Karolinska Institutet.

Professor Dan Grandér Photo: Markus Dagnell

Dan Grandér began his research career in 1985, defended his thesis in 1991 and was at his passing in 2017 professor and Head of the Department of Oncology-Pathology. He dedicated his entire career to cancer research and especially cared for mentoring young researchers throughout that time.

When Dan Grandér passed away, a fund was instigated in his memory to honor the best dissertation in cancer research at Karolinska Institutet. The prize is awarded each calendar year. The awarded sum amounts to 50 000 SEK, of which at least 50% are to be used as research funding. The other 50% can be disposed freely by the awardee.

Documents

Petra Marttila is sitting in a lab.
Petra Marttila. Photo: Private

 

2023: Petra Marttila, Targeting MTHFD1 and MTHFD2 as cancer treatment

Her pioneering research improves our understanding of basic cellular processes as well as exploits novel molecular targets for cancer-specific therapies.

Petra Marttila will present her research at the conference Frontiers in Cancer Research and Therapy 2024 in Sune Bergströms Aula, BioClinicum on the 25th of October 2024.

Previous awardees:

Karin Dembrower, affiliated researcher forskare, KI.
Karin Dembrower. Photo: N/A

2022: Karin Dembrower, Deep learning in breast cancer screening.

For her innovative use of AI technology to improve the accuracy of breast cancer screening diagnostics, with the potential to improve the prognosis of breast cancer.

Portrait of Xiaofei Ye.
Xiaofei Ye. Photo: N/A

2021: Xiaofei Ye, Characterization of the genome and tumor microenvironment of human B-cell lymphoma

For translating sequencing data into an understanding of disease mechanisms that potentially may lead to better diagnosis and treatment of lymphoma.

Portrait of Jiayao Lei
Jiayao Lei Photo: Gunilla Sonnebring

2020: Jiayao Lei, Prevention and prognosis of cervical cancer : the interplay of human papillomavirus, vaccination and screening

For exceptional work on the prevention of cervical cancer with important implications for women all over the world.

portrait photo
Tânia Costa Photo: Private

2019: Tania Costa, PAK4 signaling in development and cancer

Tania have explored the role of PAK4 in normal organ development and cancer. She established two mouse models with PAK4 depletion in the mammary gland and in the pancreas and a counterpart mouse model with PAK4 overexpression in the mammary epithelium. Her data showed that PAK4 confers selective advantages to cancer cells by overcoming the senescence barrier and through a crosstalk between PAK4 and NF-κB signaling. The results are thus highlighting PAK4 as an attractive therapeutic opportunity in cancer.

Nicholas (Nick) Valerie. Photo: Private

2018: Nicholas Valerie, Roles of NUDT5 and NUDT15 beyond oxidized nucleotide sanitation and their potential as therapeutic targets

Nicholas demonstrates novel functions of the two enzymes NUDT5 and NUDT15 in oxidized nucleotide metabolism. Furthermore he shows that NUDT5 is an important regulator of hormone signaling, and that it could block thiopurine based chemotherapies to reduce their efficacy as cancer therapeutic agents. This led to the development of targeted NUDT5 inhibitors which might be used to potentiate cancer therapy.

02-07-2024