The National Cancer Institute has awarded Wayne State University School of Medicine student Jugmohit Toor its Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual M.D.-Ph.D. fellows to support his research.

Jugmohit is an M.D.-Ph.D. student now in the third year of his doctoral program in the School of Medicine’s Cancer Biology Graduate Program. His dissertation project is entitled “Investigating the MAIT cell- Microbiome Relationship in Pancreatic Cancer Liver Metastasis.”

“I have always taken an interest in how T cells work and how we can use them to combat cancer. With this project, I have the opportunity to figure out how this unique subset of T cells, MAIT cells, interacts in the tumor environment and how we can target them to reduce tumor. Aside from my personal interests, this work may one day make real impacts on how patients with pancreatic cancer liver metastasis are treated,” Toor said.

The competitive award combines medical school and predoctoral support, including an annual stipend and funds for tuition/fees.

His dissertation advisor is Qing-Sheng Mi, M.D., Ph.D., an adjunct professor in the Department of Oncology and in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology. Toor joined Dr. Mi’s lab in 2021.

“Jugmohit's achievement is a testament to his dedication, hard work and passion for research. Receiving this prestigious NCI grant is a significant milestone in his academic career, and it reflects the high caliber of his work and the potential impact of his research,” Dr. Mi said. “I am incredibly proud of him and confident that his contributions will advance our understanding in his research field and inspire his peers.”