MCP Student Grace McIntyre Awarded Rogel Cancer Center Graduate Student Scholarship
By Lynn McCain | May 12
Richard and Susan Rogel were passionate about supporting the education of the next generation of physicians and researchers. In their honor, the Rogel Cancer Center Graduate Student Scholarship was established. These scholarships are awarded to graduate students who display outstanding potential in the field of cancer research. This year, Molecular and Cellular Pathology Graduate Student Grace McIntyre was selected to receive this $25,000 award.
“I am very excited to receive this award,” exclaimed McIntyre. “The Rogel Cancer Center has been very good to me.” Grace’s application was based on her work developing novel small molecule inhibitors for a very small RNA called microRNA-181a. MicroRNA’s are a class of non-coding RNAs that act as regulators within cells. “This microRNA regulates genes that control cell growth and cancer cell metastasis. MicroRNA-181a also controls STING, a modulator of innate immunity, controlling inflammation and initiation of the immune system. This means that the immune system is not activated in the presence of this microRNA in cancer. Therefore, if we can inhibit this microRNA we can stop cancer cells from growing fast and potentially re-activate the immune cells to detect the cancer cells and lead to cell death.”
With the funds from the award, McIntyre will focus on identifying small molecule inhibitors of microRNA-181a. She completed a high-throughput screen of more than 54,000 small molecules and has identified an interesting class of compounds that may be effective in deactivating this microRNA. “Currently, I am exploring the efficacy of 26 compounds. I hope to narrow this down to the top two or three compounds in the next six months. This microRNA is overexpressed in numerous cancers including ovarian, colon, gastric, pancreatic, and hepatocellular cancers. Thus, the goal is to first find a compound that is effective in ovarian cancer, and then expand to other microRNA-181a high cancers.
"Congratulations to Grace on receiving the 2025 Rogel Cancer Center Graduate Student Scholarship! This is a well-deserved recognition of your hard work, scientific curiosity, and dedication to advancing cancer research,” added McIntyre’s mentor, Dr. Analisa DiFeo. “We're especially grateful to the Rogel Cancer Center for their continued investment in young scientists—support like this makes transformative research possible.”
Dr. Eric Fearon, Emanuel N Maisel Professor of Oncology and Director of the Rogel Cancer Center, said, “The Rogel Cancer Center Medical Student Scholarship recognizes your demonstrated commitment and passion to advance cancer research in your future career. We are very proud of you and your accomplishments and your tremendous potential for further success going forward. We are very pleased to award you this scholarship with the hope that it will have major and leveraging effects in supporting your aspirations for impact and innovation in cancer research.”
McIntrye gratefully concluded, “I want to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. DiFeo for her unwavering support and mentorship. She has dedicated countless hours to helping me grow as a scientific writer and translational researcher, and her guidance has been instrumental to my success. Her encouragement and expertise have empowered me to pursue and secure critical grants, shaping my career trajectory in profound ways.”
Please join us in congratulating Grace McIntyre on receiving this award.
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