Colorado State Cancer Biology Student Receives Young Investigator Award

Dr. Luke Wittenburg, a graduate student at Colorado State University in the cancer biology program, recently received the Veterinarians in Biomedical Research: Building National Capacity 2007 Young Investigator Award, conferred in Bethesda, MD.

Wittenburg was one of six veterinarians chosen from among a large number throughout the country to present at the national conference. Of six finalists, Wittenburg was selected to receive the award for his work titled: "Histone deacetylase inhibition to enhance osteosarcoma sensitivity."

The cancer biology program provides research and education related to carcinogenesis and chemoprevention, cancer risk assessment, cancer diagnosis and experimental therapeutics. This multi-departmental and multi-college program involves basic cancer research and translational and clinical research.  

Wittenburg conducts research in the laboratory of Dr. Douglas Thamm, a medical oncologist and cancer researcher at the Animal Cancer Center. Wittenburg’s research on histone deacetylase inhibition has important implications for the treatment of human and animal cancers with combinations of new, targeted medications and standard forms of treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

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