Shweta Joshi Recognized with Curebound 2023 Cure Prize

Joshi Shweta, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UC San Diego has been recognized with the Curebound 2023 Cure Prize for her work on pancreatic cancer. The team from Salk Institute for Biological Studies and UC San Diego Health recently discovered that the predominant type of immune cell present in pancreatic cancers, the macrophage, can be changed from a tumor promoting cell to a tumor eliminating cell by inhibiting the function of a protein known as Syk. This project will determine if combining Fostamatinib, an FDA approved drug that blocks Syk function, with chemotherapy prior to surgery improves patient outcomes.

“The outcomes for pancreatic cancer are the most unfavorable among all major malignancies in the United States. Our proposal to study the Syk inhibitor, fostamatinib, in combination with chemotherapy holds the potential to revolutionize the standard of care for pancreatic cancer. Curebound’s indispensable support is crucial for propelling foundational preclinical studies, arising from the collaborative efforts of basic scientists and physician-scientists, into the clinical trial stage.”

Shweta Joshi, PhD
UC San Diego Health

Shweta Joshi, PhD (UCSD), Andrew Lowy, MD (UCSD), Ronald Evans, PhD (Salk Institute), Karen Messer, PhD (UCSD), Hitendra Patel, MBBS (UCSD)