First Dan Grandér memorial prize
The first Dan Grandér memorial prize for best thesis at Karolinska Institutet in Cancer Research has been awarded to Dr Nicholas Valerie, Department of Oncology-Pathology.
He defended his thesis on April 6th, 2018 on Roles of NUDT5 and NUDT15 beyond oxidized nucleotide sanitation and their potential as therapeutic targets. He demonstrates novel functions of the two enzymes NUDT5 and NUDT15 in oxidized nucleotide metabolism. Furthermore he shows that NUDT5 is an important regulator of hormone signaling, and that it could block thiopurine based chemotherapies to reduce their efficacy as cancer therapeutic agents. This led to the development of targeted NUDT5 inhibitors which might be used to potentiate cancer therapy.
Professor Dan Grandér was a prominent researcher and physician in the field of cancer, and at the time for his death also Head at the Department of Oncology-Pathology at Karolinska Institutet. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 53 years, himself the victim of cancer disease.
The awardee receives SEK 50,000 and a diploma. The prize is administered by the Department of Oncology-Pathology.