Achievement Rewards for College Scientists enables post-graduate
studies
PHOENIX, Ariz. - March 25, 2011 - Shannon Fortin, a University of
Arizona graduate student researching brain cancer at TGen, has been
selected as a 2011-12 Achievement Rewards for College Scientists
(ARCS) Scholar.
Shannon Fortin
This $7,000 scholarship will enable Fortin to continue pursuing two
simultaneous post-graduate degrees at the University of Arizona.
She is working toward a medical degree at the UA College of
Medicine-Phoenix, and a doctoral degree in the UA Cancer Biology
Graduate Program-Tucson.
At the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Fortin is
studying glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the highest grade and most
malignant form of all primary adult brain tumors. Specifically, she
is trying to discover why this form of cancer is so invasive and
resistant to chemotherapy.
"To answer these questions, I am studying the genetic signature of
brain tumors and consequent molecular signaling responsible for
tumor invasion. By identifying and understanding the function of
genes that cause malignant tumor cells to spread, we hope to find
molecular targets that have the potential to respond to
therapeutics," said Fortin, who works at TGen in the lab of
Associate Professor Dr. Nhan Tran, himself a past ARCS Scholar at
UA.
"Shannon is a motivated and a bright student. She is passionate
about her research and the translational science that will benefit
patients in the long-term," Dr. Tran said.
The ARCS graduate school award is the latest in an amazing string
of top-flight scholarships awarded to Fortin during the past
decade:
- Arizona Science Foundation Scholarship, Graduate School - 2010-12
- Apogee Scholarship, Medical School - 2008-10 and 2013-15
- Fulbright Fellowship/Scholar to Brussels, Belgium - 2007-08
- AACR-Thomas J. Bardos Science Education Award/Scholarship; 1 of 10 national recipients in 2006
- Goldwater Scholar, 2006
- Flinn Finalist Scholarship, 2003-07
- Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship, 2003-07
- ASU Presidential Scholarship, 2003-07
For more than 30 years, ARCS has supported graduate students
across the U.S in hopes of advancing science. Students must
have a university grade point average of 3.5 or higher, are
recommended by their departments, and are in the scientific and
technical disciplines.
"I cannot express enough gratitude in receiving this scholarship,
which will help provide me with financial stability while I pursue
a long and intense seven-year graduate degree program for my
combined M.D. and Ph.D.," Fortin said. "I will strive to become a
physician-scientist who will impact the field of oncology."
# # #
About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at
TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer,
neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of
translational research where investigators are able to unravel the
genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with
collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen
believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency
and effectiveness of the translational process. TGen is affiliated
with the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
For more information, visit: www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]