Researcher Spotlight: Lauren Shea, MD

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

Kanti R. Rai, MD Clinical Scholar

Better therapies are needed for patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), and Dr. Shea’s research aims to identify a novel, improved treatment approach in this setting. The EZH1/2 inhibitor tazemetostat has been found to be effective in other types of lymphoma, and preclinical data in T-cell lymphomas have been promising. Dr. Shea is conducting a phase 2 clinical study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tazemetostat in patients with relapsed/refractory PTCL, which she hopes will provide a meaningful and urgently needed advancement for the treatment of T-cell lymphomas.

Dr. Shea first became interested in lymphoma research from a scientific angle. “I found the molecular biology and immunology of lymphoma fascinating,” she explains. “Later, however, it was my experience with patients and mentors in lymphoma that left me committed to a career in lymphoma research and patient care.” She earned her medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, where she also completed her hematology/oncology fellowship. She is currently an assistant professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where her research focuses on transplant and targeted therapies for T-cell lymphoma.

With the support of the Lymphoma Scientific Research Mentoring Program (LSRMP), Dr. Shea hopes to refine her skills as a clinical trialist studying T-cell lymphomas. She also looks forward to giving back to the next generation of researchers. “Mentorship is fundamental. I have been blessed with many amazing mentors throughout my career,” she says. “I would love to be able to serve as a mentor to early career clinical investigators interested in lymphoma research as well.”