Jaye Gardiner, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Fox Chase Cancer Center, was one of 10 rare disease researchers to receive a grant from the nonprofit Uplifting Athletes during its Young Investigators Draft.
“I’m very honored to receive this grant, which will help me continue and enhance my work,” said Gardiner, who conducts her research in the lab of Edna “Eti” Cukierman, PhD, Co-Director of the Marvin and Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute at Fox Chase.
Gardiner’s research focuses on the tumor microenvironment (TME), which consists of the cells in the immediate vicinity of cancer cells. Gardiner said the TME plays a key role in the growth of tumors in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, in part by maintaining an immunosuppressive environment that allows tumors to grow.
“It is an honor to partner with 10 patient advocacy organizations to advance rare disease research, and we are overjoyed to celebrate the 2025 Draft Class,” said Brett Brackett, President of Uplifting Athletes. “These 10 incredible researchers represent so much promise for tomorrow, and we are honored to have them on our team.”
Uplifting Athletes is a nonprofit organization that unites student-athletes and professional athlete ambassadors nationwide with their local rare disease communities. Together, they raise awareness, inspire hope, and generate funds to support the approximately 1 in 10 Americans impacted by rare diseases. Over $1 million in grants have been awarded throughout the program’s history.
The Young Investigator Draft is inspired by the NFL Draft but shifts the focus from selecting potential talent on the football field to recognizing the next generation of promising young medical researchers in rare diseases. It is one of several signature initiatives created by Uplifting Athletes to raise awareness and research funding for rare diseases, which affect approximately 30 million individuals in the United States.
Grant submissions for the Young Investigator Draft are evaluated by an expert panel of scientific advisors prior to the selection of each year’s Draft Class. Every researcher is nominated by a patient advocacy organization recognized by Uplifting Athletes as a priority partner. The grants are equally co-funded by Uplifting Athletes and the nominating organization, which in Gardiner’s case was the Pancreatic Cancer Cure Foundation.