Photo: Hallie Leo
PhD candidate Favour Akabogu is working to develop new therapies for a rare type of sarcoma called gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), a tumor that develops throughout the gastrointestinal tract.
Although there are more than 100 different sub-types, sarcomas are rare overall and represent 1 percent of adult cancer diagnoses. Akabogu studies GISTs, which historically only respond to one form of therapy and eventually develop resistance, in the lab of Matthew Hemming, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine.
“My research is exciting because we see the potential to impact patients,” said Akabogu. “I’m hoping my study opens another avenue to understand rare diseases, as well as resistance to therapies.”
Akabogu has been interested in disease since growing up in Nigeria. It’s an interest that has taken her away from her four siblings and the rest of her family, who still live there.
“Health care had my interest because I fell sick as a child with diseases that could’ve been avoided if there were proper prevention mechanisms and easily treated if there were effective medications. I don’t even know how I’m alive,” Akabogu said.
Sponsored by the United States consulate in Nigeria through a program called EducationUSA, Akabogu earned a full scholarship to study pre-med at Berea College in Kentucky. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and worked as a research associate at Vanderbilt University Medical Center before she joined the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at UMass Chan.
“Favour brings a lot of energy and insight, and her world experience and views really enrich the lab environment,” said Dr. Hemming. “She’s a hard worker, is passionate about her work and has a very bright future ahead of her.”
Akabogu spoke at a UMass Chan event last year about her research. This year, she received awards for her oral presentations at two scientific conferences in Boston: the Vertex Pharmaceutical Biomedical Science program scholarship and the Ruth and William Silen, MD, Award.
“These awards showed me that other people are willing to invest in my future and my career path,” said Akabogu, who plans to use the awards to attend conferences and pursue online certifications. “They believe in my dream and they’re willing to bet money on it.”
Akabogu aspires to continue the drug discovery and optimization process, transitioning to industry. Outside of the lab, Akabogu loves to try new things. As someone who “grew up in a region where it’s summer all year long,” she said she was proud of herself for “letting go and facing her fears” and going skiing last winter with a group of her peers.
The Student Spotlight series features UMass Chan Medical School students in the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and T.H. Chan School of Medicine. For more information about UMass Chan Medical School and how to apply, visit the Prospective Students page.
