Vanha Nhat Pham Named 2025 Ludwig Cancer Research-Jane Coffin Childs Fellow
It is with great pleasure that we announce that Ludwig Princeton’s Vanha Nhat Pham, a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Branch Director Joshua Rabinowitz, has been named the first Ludwig Cancer Research-Jane Coffin Childs Fellow.
Over the course of the three-year fellowship, Pham will explore the roles molecular components of cell membranes known as phospholipids play in cellular physiology. These molecules—consisting of a water-soluble head and two (water-repelling) fatty acid tails—tend to be structurally similar, even though their tails vary considerably in their chemical characteristics. With a few notable exceptions, they have traditionally been seen as interchangeable in their biological function, mainly the modulation of membrane structure and fluidity.
There are, however, several hundred chemically distinct varieties of phospholipids in cells, inviting the question of what necessitates such diversity. There is some evidence that they might have more complex roles in cell biology than is generally presumed. For example, specific changes in the phospholipid profile of cell membranes accompany several diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. Further, Pham’s own preliminary studies have uncovered variations in the distribution of different species of phospholipids across distinct regions of the brain.
Pham hypothesizes that—based on their chemical characteristics and locations within cells and tissues—phospholipids are likely to have variegated roles in molecular communication that affect the fate and function of cells. She has proposed a series of studies employing cutting-edge technologies for large-scale molecular analysis—including many pioneered by Ludwig Princeton—to examine that idea.
Together with support provided by the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research through its Princeton Branch, the Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research (Jane Coffin Childs Fund) will provide Pham with three years of stipend, research and travel support. Pham, whose fellowship begins in July, will attend the annual symposium of the Jane Coffin Childs Fund in each of these years, where she will present her work along with all of the 76 current JCC Fellows.
Our congratulations to Pham for this well-deserved award.
About Ludwig Cancer Research
Ludwig Cancer Research is an international collaborative network of acclaimed scientists that has pioneered cancer research and landmark discovery for more than 50 years. Ludwig combines basic science with the translation and clinical evaluation of its discoveries to accelerate the development of new cancer diagnostics, therapies and prevention strategies. Since 1971, Ludwig has invested nearly $3 billion in life-changing science through the not-for-profit Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and the six U.S.-based Ludwig Centers. To learn more, visit www.ludwigcancerresearch.org.
For additional information please contact communications@ludwigcancerresearch.org.
About The Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research
The Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research was established by the Childs Family in 1937 to honor the memory of Jane Coffin Childs. Inspired by the founding purpose to support research into the causes and treatment of cancer, the Fund’s mission has broadened to support fundamental scientific research that advances our understanding of the causes, treatments, and cures for human disease. This year, the Board of Scientific Advisors selected twenty-nine new fellows from the largest applicant pool in the fund’s history based on their doctoral research accomplishments, innovative research plans, and their chosen scientific mentors. To learn more, visit: www.jccfund.org.
For additional information please contact info@jccfund.org.