A UCLA researcher has been awarded a national cancer research prize recognizing early-career scientists for innovative work, officials announced Wednesday.
Dr. Aparna Bhaduri, an assistant professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, was named one of 13 recipients of the 2026 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize, which includes $750,000 in funding to support research projects, according to UCLA.
Bhaduri’s work focuses on glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that is difficult to treat. She has developed advanced laboratory models designed to better replicate how tumors grow and interact with the immune system, officials said.
Researchers said the models could help identify the specific cells that drive tumor growth and resistance to treatment, while also aiding in the development of targeted and immune-based therapies.
“This recognition supports our goal of building more accurate human models of glioblastoma to better understand how these tumors evolve and evade treatment,” Bhaduri said in a statement. “By uncovering the interactions between cancer cells, the brain and the immune system, we hope to identify new therapeutic strategies that can ultimately improve outcomes for patients.”
Her research has recently been published in studies examining how glioblastoma tumors interact with surrounding brain cells and why some immune-based treatments fail to eliminate the disease.
The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize is awarded annually to scientists pursuing high-risk, high-reward approaches to cancer research at a critical stage in their careers.