Since 2014, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has provided the opportunity for graduate students, postdocs, and assistant professors to give high-profile presentations at the AACR Annual Meeting as part of its NextGen Stars Program. This year, 11 early-career researchers were selected based on their outstanding applications.

Learn more about one of the newest NextGen Stars below, and check out the Q&As with other members of the NextGen Stars Class of 2025.

---

Zuzana Keckesova, PhD
AACR NextGen Stars Class of 2025
Junior Group Leader
Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS, Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract Presentation:
Cancer-resistant tissues: Powerful approach for novel tumor suppressor identification and therapeutic reactivation

Session Details:
SY26 – Metabolism and Organelle Biology in Cancer
Monday, April 28, 10:15-11:45 a.m. CT
Room S102, McCormick Place South (Level 1)

---

What is the subject of your research?

The subject of my research is identification, characterization, and therapeutic utilization of novel tumor suppressive pathways.

What sparked your interest in this area of research, and why is it important?

I was fascinated by the realization that we never hear of some types of cancer. For example, we rarely hear about heart cancer or adult skeletal muscle cancer and that there are tissues in the human body where cancers rarely develop. I found the existence of such tissues very important for cancer research because these tissues already found a way to fight cancer—they already hold a key to our quest for cancer cures. Therefore, I started to work with, what I termed, cancer-resistant tissues and uncovered the identities of some novel tumor suppressive pathways. This led to the current stage of our research where we are characterizing these pathways in more detail and trying to find therapeutical approaches for their reactivation in human cancers.

What (or who) inspired you to apply for the NextGen Stars program?

A friend of mine received this prestigious honor a few years ago and told me how beneficial it was for the project to be presented to such broad audiences. It led to many wonderful collaborations and new project directions.

What do you hope to take away from your experience as a NextGen Star and your time at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025?

I would like to find collaborations with new scientific insights and methodologies that might lead to joint applications for collaboration or synergy grants. Also, I would like to find potential financial investors that would like to become a part of this project since several lines of our research are nearing human clinical trials.