SBP is proud to announce that the 2017 recipient of the Eric Dudl Endowed Scholarship Award is Maria Victoria Recouvreux, PhD Each year, a promising postdoc is awarded this prestigious scholarship to further their career advancement. Dr. Recouvreux works on pancreatic cancer in the laboratory of Cosimo Commisso, PhD, assistant professor in the Cancer Center.
“Since I received the award, I’ve learned more about what an amazing man and researcher that Eric Dudl was. I’m touched at how he was working at the Institute up until his own cancer overtook him. It takes courage to do that. I’m truly grateful for Eric Dudl and all the supporters who help fund the Eric Dudl Award to keep his memory alive,” said Dr. Recouvreux.
Pancreatic cancer is a particularly aggressive type of cancer with a very low survival rate and so few effective treatments. Dr. Recouvreux’s research focuses on understanding the metabolic adaptations of pancreatic cancer cells, meaning how they survive and grow. By developing a better understanding of how pancreatic cells metastasize, she can find drugs to slow or halt how the cancer cells grow.
With this award, she will attend an international conference and learn from leading scientists in the field.
Though she became interested in studying biology as early as high school, she became even more devoted to the study of tumor biology when several members of her family were diagnosed with an inherited disease that cause tumors in endocrine organs. As a result, her family had their DNA sequenced and are now able to control the disease through regular medical check-ups.
Dr. Recouvreux herself understands firsthand how discoveries in medical science can truly save lives.
The Eric Dudl Endowed Scholarship Award recognizes a promising postdoctoral researcher working in the field of cancer. Eric Dudl was a dedicated SBP young researcher. He had just begun his postdoctoral training in 2006, when he was diagnosed with lung cancer. The cancer progressed quickly and would claim his life in just 9 months. Eric’s family established the award in his honor.
Dr. Jim Dudl, Eric’s father, presented the award to Dr. Recouvreux at the November 2017 Cancer Center Open House as Eric’s mother Barbara and Eric’s brother Bret looked on. Dr. Dudl asked, “Could you take the baton to continue cancer research for Eric?” Dr. Recouvreux replied she would be “honored.”
Eleven years after his passing, Eric Dudl’s legacy lives on.
You can donate to the Eric Dudl Endowed Scholarship Fund by clicking here.