U. scientist honored by Obama for her work involving blood and breast cancers

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, President Barack Obama took time to honor 94 early-career scientists and engineers for their promising research, including one University of Utah scientist who is working on tracing how certain cancers move through generations of families.

"It is inspiring to see the innovative work being done by these scientists and engineers as they ramp up their careers — careers that I know will be not only personally rewarding but also invaluable to the nation," Obama said in a statement released by the White House.

The Presidential Early Career Awards recipients are chosen by 16 federal departments and agencies who join together and nominate "the most meritorious scientists and engineers whose early accomplishments show the greatest promise for assuring America's preeminence in science and engineering and contributing to the awarding agencies' missions," according to a White House press release.

Nicola J. Camp said she knew that officials at the National Cancer Institute had nominated her this past spring, but she was only informed late last week that she was a recipient. "I'm overwhelmed," Camp said. "Just to be recognized is a big thing for me."

A professor in the Division of Genetic Epidemiology at the U.'s Department of Medicine, Camp says Utah is an ideal area for cancer research thanks for multigeneration families and the Utah Population Database, one of the largest genetic databases in the world.

Camp's research focuses on chronic lymphocytic leukemia and multiple myeloma, two forms of blood cancer, as well as breast cancer. She said her work tries to trace genetic changes within generations of families that lead to an increased risk of those types of cancer.

In October, Camp and other scientists will travel to Washington, D.C., to accept their awards as well as possibly meet the president.

The award will also come with additional research grant money. Camp said the exact amounts of the grant awards have yet to be released.

E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com