The Courtney Page Zillman Doctoral Fellowship Program
TUFT began funding the program in 2000. Young, ambitious scientist apply for these positions and are extensively interviewed by the highly regarded and dedicated doctors at Steele Research Center. Once selected, these fellows work under the close supervision of Dr. Emmanuel Katsanis.
2011 Fellow Alexis Bucknam
Tee Up For Tots is proud to announce that Alexis Bucknam is the 2011 Courtney Page Zillman Fellow.
Alexis is pursuing a PhD in Immunobiology at the University of Arizona. She joined Emmanuel Katsanis's, MD laboratory in the spring of 2011. Her research interests surround the idea of using the body's own immune system to battle cancer, an idea that is one of the main focuses of the lab.
Her project is centered around the use of immunotherapy in pediatric bone marrow transplant recipients, who have a high probability of relapsing. Using a vaccine that was developed in the lab, CRCL (Chaperone Rich Cell Lysate), in conjuction with activated immune cells (emTh-1) she is hoping to establish an anti-cancer effect that will help the body attack any remaining cancer cells.
"I believe that this project is especially relevant to Tee Up For Tots because most bone marrow recipients are children," Alexis says, "And we want to provide therapies that will not only help clear the cancer, but also have as little side effects as possible".
A Very Special Thank You From Alexis:
Especially in today's economy, it is hard to find money for research. And cancer research is an expensive endeavor. I am incredibly grateful for the funding being provided by Tee Up For Tots. It will provide us with the tools we need to continue searching for ways to better understand cancer, and hopefully to provide clinicians like Dr. Katsanis with better ways to treat their patients.
Because the patients really are the whole reason we do this. They battle extremely hard with their own bodies to be able to do the things that all children should be able to do. Their fight inspires us to work harder and to think more originally. Our work is nothing next to their bravery.
I am extremely grateful to Tee Up For Tots for giving me the opportunity to combine two of my favorite things, doing science and helping children. Without the support of the Courtney Page Zillman fellowship, this groundbreaking science would be developed slower, which so many children cannot afford. So thank you for your support in allowing me to do my part in the fight against pediatric cancer.
View Past Fellowship Recipients
2008-2010: Fellow Collin LaCasse
2005-2007: Fellow Jessica Cantrell
2003-2005: Fellow Xinchun Chen
2003-2005: Fellow Ryan Falsey
2000-2003: Fellow Yi Zeng
2000-2003: Fellow Jason Beliakoff