Congratulations Chris!

Congratulations to our awesome, super talented technician Chris who recently graduated with his Master’s in Biotechnology! We are so proud of him and all his achievements and cannot wait to see what the future holds.

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Science fair win!

Grace John, our accomplished Central High School student, placed 1st in the annual George Washington Carver Science Fair! It is a 40+ year collaboration between Temple University and the Philadelphia community. Topics of students’ projects ranged from traditional sciences such as chemistry and biology, to computer science and psychology. Grace presented her researched titled “Cracking the Code: Connecting Genetic Variation and ALS”. The Whitaker lab is very proud of her and wish her much success in the future!

A Tribute to Beatrice Mintz

In honor of The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the Whitaker Lab would like to spotlight a past pioneering researcher here at Fox Chase, Dr. Beatrice Mintz. During her 50+ years here, she made foundational scientific contributions that have influenced our thinking about the relationship between stem cells, embryonic development, and adult tumorigenesis. Her achievements earned her the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research. The award was established to honor individuals who have made significant fundamental contributions to cancer research, either through a single discovery or a body of work, and demonstrated a lifetime commitment to progress against cancer.

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated on February 11th, is a global initiative aimed at recognizing and promoting the vital role that women and girls play in the field of science. This day serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of gender equality in the world of scientific research and innovation. It acknowledges the significant contributions made by women scientists and encourages the next generation of girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). By breaking down barriers and addressing gender disparities, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science not only celebrates the achievements of women in science but also fosters a more inclusive and diverse scientific community, leading to enhanced creativity, innovation, and problem-solving for the benefit of all humanity.

Below are links to read more about Women and Girls in Science and its initiatives:

International Day of Women and Girls in Science - United Nations

International Day of Women and Girls in Science Official Website

International Day of Women and Girls in Science - UNESCO

Whitaker Lab RECEIVES The W. W. Smith Charitable Trust grant

The Whitaker lab was awarded The W. W. Smith Charitable Trust grant, through their Medical Research program. They focus on basic research primarily related to heart disease, cancer and AIDS. The W. W. Smith Charitable Trust is a private foundation established by Mr. William Wikoff Smith with a mission to help organizations and individuals achieve their goals, hopes, and dreams.

2023 EMGS Election

Congratulations to Dr. Whitaker who was recently announced as a new member of the EMGS Council and Executive Board.

She will serve her term as councilor for the next 3 years.

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Wistar

Dr. Whitaker visited the Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis/Gene Expression and Regulation programs at The Wistar Institute to give a seminar on the “Interplay between DNA repair and transcriptional regulation of cancer-associated genes”.

Drexel Seminar

Amy’s visit with Drexel University’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology was a day of establishing collaborations, co-mentorships and pathways to hosting graduate students at FCCC.

Cei Symposium 2023

The Cancer Epigenetics Institute (CEI) symposium, held at The Franklin Institute, brought together world-leading scientists to Philadelphia to present their newest discoveries in academia and industry. Anyone, anywhere and at any educational level were invited to this opportunity to hear these scientists speak about discovery and clinical impact.For the in-person portion, a poster session was held where Haley Kravitz presented and won 3rd place! We are so proud of her and all the other awardees! The Whitaker lab looks forward to attending next year (March 7, 2024).

UAMS faculty Seminar series

Amy presented a seminar at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) titled "Interplay between DNA repair and transcriptional regulation of cancer-associated genes”.

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Penn Center for Genome Integrity (PCGI) Special Seminar

The PCGI hosts a monthly seminar series on a broad range of topics in genome integrity. These mini-symposia have been an excellent educational opportunity for faculty and trainees alike, while also allowing them to make connections to prominent scientists. Dr. Whitaker was invited to speak in this session with other internationally-renowned scientists, presenting on the “Interplay between DNA repair and transcriptional regulation of cancer-associated genes”.