Ratner Honored for Career Contributions to NF1 Research
Post Date: December 6, 2024 | Publish Date:
NF Forward bestows “Head and Heart” award to scientist whose early work led to the first FDA-approved treatment for NF1 tumors
A Cincinnati Children’s scientist who has dedicated much of her career to studying neurofibromatosis (NF) was honored for her work by the leading non-profit organization working to find cures for the rare disease.
Nancy Ratner, PhD, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, was among a handful of leading figures in the field who were feted at beNeFit XII, a fundraiser hosted in Detroit on Nov. 23, 2024, by the NF Forward foundation.
The foundation was launched in 2017 by Dan and Jennifer Gilbert. Dan Gilbert is a billionaire who co-founded Rocket Mortgage and owns the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA team. The couple’s son Nick died in 2023 from the disease.
NF tumors grow along nerve fibers, and while not cancerous, these tumors can be painful, disruptive, and even life-threatening depending on where they form. About 3 million people worldwide live with the genetic condition.
In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved KOSELUGO® (selumetinib) as the first therapy proven to shrink NF1 tumors in children. That approval was based on years of basic research in the Ratner lab to explore the tumor-shrinking potential of a class of agents called MEK inhibitors.
Since 2017, the NF Forward foundation has raised more than $65 million to fund research and help those coping with the disease.
Watch the NF Forward video to see more of the story
Learn more about research led by Ratner and colleagues:
Cracking the Code of NF1: A New Drug Shows Remarkable Promise for Shrinking Tumors
Inhibiting MEK Protein Shrinks NF1 Plexiform Tumors
Shining Light on Rare Nerve Tumors Illuminates a Fresh Path for Fighting Cancer
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