Kristina Cole, MD, PhD of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
The Scholar Retreat held annually, invites scholars and mentors to attend a 3-day meeting. This meeting focuses on bringing junior scientists together from various areas of cancer research. The collaborations and innovative ideas that come from this meeting have been numerous and outstanding. The mentors provide great guidance regarding science and career for these junior scientists.
At the Retreat, the Scholars share their research with the other Scholars and Mentors. Each Scholar will participate in four sequential retreats, with all expenses paid by WGFRF. The opportunity for Scholars to connect and form relationships with researchers from completely different areas of cancer research and to have a sort of peer review is one of the most valuable roles of the Retreat. Through the Mentors, the Retreat offers Scholars guidance on practical career issues such as writing grants and preparing successful scientific publications.
Each year, the Scholar Retreat coincides with the Foundation’s annual ‘Blue Jean Ball’ fundraiser. All Scholars attend this event, providing them an opportunity to meet with families whose lives have been directly affected by cancer. This experience resonates particularly with scientists who, unlike clinicians, do not have contact with patients, by putting a human face on cancer.
Esra Akbay, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Forbeck Scholar
Maria-Francis Artega
King's College London
Forbeck Scholar
Kristina Cole, MD, PhD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Retreat Mentor
Ralph DeBerardinis, MD, PhD
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Retreat Mentor
Jeffrey Engelman, MD, PhD
"Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc."
Retreat Mentor
Mohit Jain, MD, PhD
Harvard Medical School
Forbeck Scholar
Cory M. Johannessen, PhD
Broad Institute
Forbeck Scholar
Rosandra Kaplan, MD
National Cancer Institute
Forbeck Scholar
Annette Kunkele, MD
University Hospital Berlin
Forbeck Scholar
Julie-Aurore Losman, MD, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Forbeck Scholar
Shannon Maude, MD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Forbeck Scholar
Chad Pecot, MD
University of North Carolina
Forbeck Scholar
Daniel Powell, PhD
University of Pennsylvania
Retreat Mentor
Kristopher A. Sarosiek, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Forbeck Scholar
Mario Shields, PhD
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Forbeck Scholar
Stefani Spranger, PhD
University of Chicago
Forbeck Scholar
Louise van der Weyden, PhD
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Forbeck Scholar
Kathryn E. Wellen, PhD
University of Pennsylvania
Forbeck Scholar
Kris Cameron Wood, PhD
Duke University
Forbeck Scholar
Hao Zu, MD
Harvard Medical School
Forbeck Scholar