Jianqin Lu Receives Research Prize for Translational Science

Jianqin Lu, PhD, a John A. and Frances P. Ware Associate Professor at the University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, is the recipient of the 2024 Research Prize for Translational Science from the University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center. Lu joined the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in 2019 after completing his postdoctoral training in nanomedicine and tumor immunology at the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Nominated by Steffan Nawrocki, PhD, co-leader of the Clinical and Translational Oncology Program at the University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center (UACCC), the winning paper Sphingomyelin-derived nanovesicles for the delivery of the IDO1 inhibitor epacadostat enhance metastatic and post-surgical melanoma immunotherapy was additionally co-authored with Georg Wondrak, PhD, of the Coit College of Pharmacy and Jennifer Erdrich, MD, of the College of Medicine. Research prizes were awarded in support of excellence to recognize published work that has had the greatest impact on cancer research this year.  

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In the published paper, researchers demonstrate that by delivering Epacadostat (EPA, the most advanced IDO1 inhibitor) in the form of an innovative nanovesicle (Epacasome), they can significantly improve EPA’s pharmacokinetics and tumor delivery efficiency, reviving its clinical translational potential. Thus, Epacasome nanotherapeutic platform portends significant clinical relevance and represents a promising strategy for IDO-based therapeutics against diverse cancers including melanoma.

"The Clinical and Translational Oncology Program is proud to count Dr. Lu as one of our members. His highly innovative nanoformulations are poised to make practice-changing impacts in the way that multiple forms of cancer are treated. The high caliber of his research is reflected in several outstanding recent publications from his team and his strong extramural funding support from the NCI and other competitive sources. There truly was no one more deserving of this year's UACCC Translational Research Award than Jianqin and we congratulate him on this honor and his many other impressive recent achievements," says Nawrocki.

The inaugural UACCC Awards Dinner started in 2023 under then-center director Joann Sweasy, PhD. This year 52 cancer center member researchers attended the event to celebrate their scientific achievements. The UACCC is the only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center headquartered in Arizona and one of only 57 such centers in the United States. Their mission is to alleviate the burden of cancer in Arizona, particularly in underserved populations.

“Being recognized by the Research Prize for Translational Science from UACCC is quite an honor for me and my team. This award attests the translational potential and significant impact of the nanotherapeutic research we are conducting, which could transform the current cancer treatment paradigms (e.g., melanoma) to benefit cancer patients. Also, I am so grateful to the support from my collaborators, Dr. Georg Wondrak and Dr. Jennifer Erdrich, for their contributions on melanoma biology and clinical oncology research insights, respectively,” says Lu.  

To learn more about Lu and his research, visit the Lu Laboratory website.

This work was supported in part by the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, a PhRMA Foundation for Research Starter Grant in Drug Delivery, and by National Institutes of Health grants (R35GM147002 and R01CA272487) to Jianqin Lu (R01 CA229418) to Georg Wondrak and (K08 CA276137-01A1) to Jennifer Erdrich, as well as the SWEHSC NIEHS P30 ES006694 and UACCC NCI P30 CA023074.