Researcher Spotlight: Mallorie Heneghan, MD

The University of Utah

The Kellie and Jeff Fellinge Scholar

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with lymphoma often have poor outcomes, with variable presentations observed between age groups. In particular, Dr. Heneghan is interested in understanding how lymphomas with mixed cellularity (MC) histology vary in their outcomes and presentation based on age. Older research suggests that MC histology is more common in younger patients (<10 years) but may exhibit a more aggressive disease course in AYAs (≥15 years). “Whether these differences persist in a contemporary cohort is unknown,” Dr. Heneghan explains. “To address this, I proposed the largest analysis of presentation and outcomes by age among patients with MC. If survival differs significantly, this will require urgent reevaluation of current clinical practice.”

Dr. Heneghan earned her medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently an assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where her experiences with her patients inspire her research. “Watching my AYA patients persevere through treatment reinforces my commitment to do better for them,” she says. 

The mentorship gained through the Lymphoma Clinical Research Mentoring Program has already proven invaluable to Dr. Heneghan’s project and future career. “The unique opportunity to get feedback from world-renowned experts in lymphoma was a tremendous opportunity to improve my project, hone my research skills, and build my network,” she says. Dr. Heneghan hopes that the connections she builds through this program will help guide her research efforts in the coming years. “I aim to lead collaborative health services research focused on improving access to care and advancing personalized treatments for AYA lymphoma patients,” she explains. “I believe my AYA lymphoma patients will change the world, and we need to find less toxic cures to let them reach their full potential!”