Kristin Huntoon receives Career Development Award

Kristin Huntoon, PhD, DO, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, received a U of A Health Sciences Career Development Award.

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She is one of three recipients to receive the honor, which provides mentorship, research training and salary support, as well as funding for travel and research supplies. CDA scholars must complete an independent research project that is expected to generate sufficient pilot findings to enable the submission of a National Institutes of Health K-series or R01 grant or equivalent by the program’s second year. 

“I am excited to see the outcome of Dr. Huntoon’s research,” said Michael D. Dake, MD, senior vice president for the  University of Arizona Health Sciences. “These awards are a tremendous boost to early-stage scientists and the important work they undertake. Their dedication and work help the University of Arizona remain a leader in improving the health of Arizonans and people around the world.”

Huntoon received her CDA for her research on the potential usefulness of a drug to treat glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that has gained media attention in recent years because it has claimed the lives of Arizona senator and former presidential candidate John McCain; Beau Biden, son of former President Joe Biden; and, in January, Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of options for these patients,” said Huntoon.

The drug to be studied, 6-thio-2’-deoxyguanosine, or 6-thio-dG, crosses the blood-brain barrier, a rarity, and can be used while patients receive radiation. Huntoon said she’s thrilled to have dedicated time to concentrate on helping those battling this form of cancer.

“It’s really hard to do the same thing for your patients and not see anything change,” she said. “To take out a glioblastoma and then have your patients all succumb to their disease within a few months to a year, and then do it over and over again. You meet their families, and they ask you if you can do anything more, and there’s nothing you can do. It’s really devastating to keep living this trauma with families.”

Huntoon’s mentor for the project is Janko Nikolich, MD, PhD, professor and head of the Department of Immunobiology at the College of Medicine – Tucson; director of the Aegis Consortium at the U of A Health Sciences; co-director of the University of Arizona Center on Aging and a member of the BIO5 Institute; 

“Kristin is the prototype of a young, fearless physician-scientist, attacking a critical problem from a new angle,” Nikolich said. “I am delighted to mentor her and work with her on her K grant to address this deadly disease.”

Huntoon said the fight against glioblastoma has become even more personal for her since a good friend was recently diagnosed with the cancer.

“I don’t want anyone else I care about to succumb to this disease,” she said. 

The U of A Office of the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and the College of Medicine – Tucson sponsor the awards. 

Other recipients of the 2024 CDAs are: 

• Erika Austhof, PhD, MPH, an assistant research professor at the U of A Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

• Celina Valencia, DrPH, an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson (story will publish March 3).