# UK Markey hosts 16th annual cancer research showcase  
**Published:** 2026-05-14T16:32:50.000Z  
**Source:** [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/research/advances-cancer-science-showcased-markey-research-day)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uk-markey-hosts-16th-annual-cancer-research-showcase

LEXINGTON, Ky. — [More than 120 poster presentations and a full day of lectures, oral abstracts and networking brought together researchers, clinicians, trainees and staff May 13 for the 16th annual Markey Cancer Center Research Day](https://uknow.uky.edu/research/advances-cancer-science-showcased-markey-research-day) at the University of Kentucky.

The event spanned the full spectrum of cancer science, including prevention, early detection, basic laboratory research, clinical care and survivorship, while recognizing outstanding work by students, postdoctoral fellows and research staff.

"Research Day remains one of the most meaningful days of the year for our cancer center, and it is an opportunity to step back from the pace of our work and reflect on the progress we are making," said B. Mark Evers, director of the [UK Markey Cancer Center](https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/markey-cancer-center), which earned designation as Kentucky's only National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2023.

The gathering featured two distinguished keynote presentations on cancer research and community engagement. Carmen E. Guerra, M.D., associate director of community outreach and engagement at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, delivered the Gilbert H. Friedell Memorial Lecture titled "Centering Community in Cancer Research." Anil K. Rustgi, M.D., director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University, presented the Susan B. Lester Memorial Lecture on mutant p53 and tumor metastasis.

Additional featured presentations included work by Jessica Burris, Ph.D., co-leader of Markey's Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program, on smoking cessation in cancer survivors, and Yi Zheng, Ph.D., from Cincinnati Children's Hospital, on targeting Rho family proteins in cancer therapy.

The centerpiece award was the Markey Women Strong Distinguished Research Award, presented by the Markey Cancer Foundation. [The $100,000 prize was split between Denise Fabian, M.D., from the UK College of Medicine, and Ni Su, Ph.D., from the UK Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering](https://medicine.uky.edu/), whose groundbreaking work addresses the cancer burden among women.

Research mentorship awards went to Samuel Awuah, Ph.D., for mentoring trainees; Laurie McLouth, Ph.D., for mentoring junior faculty; and Amos Olalekan Akinyemi, Ph.D., in the trainee mentorship category.

Poster competition honors recognized scholars across multiple disciplines. Cheng Zhang won overall recognition for research on castration-resistant prostate cancer. Other winners included Oluwaseyi Omodiminiyi for basic science work on improving chemotherapy efficacy, Elizabeth Ruschman for evaluating oncofertility preservation access at cancer centers, Michelle Pitts for research on neuroblastoma tumor growth, and Kennedy Walcott-George for adapting behavioral interventions for glioma cancer survivors.

The [Markey Cancer Center's reach extends across 11 of UK's 16 colleges](https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/markey-cancer-center), reflecting its interdisciplinary approach to addressing cancer prevention, treatment and survivorship.

## Sources

- [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/research/advances-cancer-science-showcased-markey-research-day)
- [UK Markey Cancer Center homepage](https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/markey-cancer-center)
- [UK College of Medicine](https://medicine.uky.edu/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from University of Kentucky News, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://uknow.uky.edu/research/advances-cancer-science-showcased-markey-research-day.