2008 Woodie Awards
Professor receives grant for cancer research
By Jordan McAnaney
Issue date: 2/21/08 Section: News
Margaret Kovach, associate professor of biological and environmental sciences, has secured a three-year, $201,154 research grant from the National Institute of Health .
The endowment is a historic milestone for the university, marking the first award UTC has received from the National Cancer Institute within the National Institute of Health, according to Jennifer Hoff, program administrator of grants and program review.
As part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institute of Health is the chief federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.
The Academic Research Enhancement Award given to Kovach supports research and exposes undergraduates to a research environment.
"One of the stipulations of the grant was the inclusion of undergraduate students in the research," Hoff said.
Hoff said she worked on the proposal and said the application process is competitive.
Many researchers submit multiple proposals before a grant is awarded, Hoff said. Kovach, however, received her second grant after only two tries, according to Hoff.
The funds will largely be used to purchase chemicals and equipment to perform experiments, Kovach said.
Carrie Wiese, a Chattanooga senior, will assist Kovach with her research. Wiese said she has begun analyzing samples and collecting data.
She said she accepted the assignment as a unique opportunity to learn more about the subject.
"I want to learn and understand how it is to work in a lab," Wiese said.
Wiese said she hopes the research will help her understand more about the variability in DNA as it relates to cancer.
Kovach said she and her team will primarily study colorectal cancer cells, using them as the model for investigating the causes and progression of the disease.
"We will be looking at the basic biology of cancer, and attempting to correlate genetic instability at the genomic level with the onset and progression of cancer," Kovach said.
This research will aid in the detection, prevention and treatment of not only colorectal cancer, but also other cancers and diseases, she said.
"The research will reveal identifying markers for cancer as well as novel mechanisms for cancer treatment," Kovach said.
The endowment is a historic milestone for the university, marking the first award UTC has received from the National Cancer Institute within the National Institute of Health, according to Jennifer Hoff, program administrator of grants and program review.
As part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institute of Health is the chief federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.
The Academic Research Enhancement Award given to Kovach supports research and exposes undergraduates to a research environment.
"One of the stipulations of the grant was the inclusion of undergraduate students in the research," Hoff said.
Hoff said she worked on the proposal and said the application process is competitive.
Many researchers submit multiple proposals before a grant is awarded, Hoff said. Kovach, however, received her second grant after only two tries, according to Hoff.
The funds will largely be used to purchase chemicals and equipment to perform experiments, Kovach said.
Carrie Wiese, a Chattanooga senior, will assist Kovach with her research. Wiese said she has begun analyzing samples and collecting data.
She said she accepted the assignment as a unique opportunity to learn more about the subject.
"I want to learn and understand how it is to work in a lab," Wiese said.
Wiese said she hopes the research will help her understand more about the variability in DNA as it relates to cancer.
Kovach said she and her team will primarily study colorectal cancer cells, using them as the model for investigating the causes and progression of the disease.
"We will be looking at the basic biology of cancer, and attempting to correlate genetic instability at the genomic level with the onset and progression of cancer," Kovach said.
This research will aid in the detection, prevention and treatment of not only colorectal cancer, but also other cancers and diseases, she said.
"The research will reveal identifying markers for cancer as well as novel mechanisms for cancer treatment," Kovach said.
