Department of Surgery research resident and member of the Beierle Lab Raoud Marayati, M.D., was awarded the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2020 Rosenkrantz Award for Basic Science Research.

This year marks the second year in a row that Marayati has won the award, which is given each year to one individual in the Basic Science category and one individual in the Clinical Science category during the AAP 2020 National Conference and Exhibition.

Marayati was awarded for her manuscript, “Novel Second-Generation Rexinoid Induces Growth Arrest and Reduces Cancer Cell Stemness in Human Neuroblastoma Patient-Derived Xenografts.” The project investigated the effect of the second-generation rexinoid, 6-Methyl-UAB30, in decreasing tumorigenicity, inducing growth arrest, and reducing cancer cell stemness in human neuroblastoma patient-derived xenografts. In addition to the AAP award, Marayati’s manuscript will be published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery.

“These are incredibly exciting steps as I pursue my goal of becoming a pediatric surgeon-scientist. I am grateful for my mentors: Dr. Elizabeth Beierle is an outstanding role model, and I could not have achieved these accomplishments without her guidance,” said Marayati. “I am also grateful for the support of the Beierle Lab, the Division of Pediatric Surgery, and the Department of Surgery.”

Other authors of the study included Professor and Charles D. McCrary Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery Elizabeth Beierle, M.D., and research resident Laura Bownes, M.D.