PhD Candidate Jacob Kallenbach awarded Wilmot Cancer Institute predoctoral fellowship

June 12, 2020

Congratulations to PhD Candidate Jacob Kallenbach (Chakkalakal Lab), who was awarded a Wilmot Cancer Institute predoctoral fellowship to support his proposal on "Targeting CCR2 to Mitigate the Late Effects of Juvenile Radiation-Induced Skeletal Muscle Decline." 

He will investigate how adult survivors of childhood cancers are at an increased risk of diminished physiological musculoskeletal function, which is intricately connected to a survivor's quality of life. Jacob will exploit his lab's preclinical mouse model to study the early and late effects of juvenile radiation therapy, which comprises >50% of cancer therapies, on skeletal muscle tissues. The data from his study will be used to describe an inflammatory-mediated C-C chemokine receptor 2 (Ccr2) mechanism, where its inhibition could augment the functional quality of life of childhood cancer survivors.

The Wilmot Predoctoral Cancer Research Fellowship provides two years of support for Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. candidates under the mentorship of a Wilmot Cancer Institute member. The goal of the program is to enable emerging scientists to build an independent career in the investigation of the causes, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, or management of cancer or its side effects.