Pritam Saha Podder, a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the UAMS Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, has received the Dr. Samir Jenkins Innovation Travel Award. The funding will support his attendance at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting.

Established by BioVentures in memory of Dr. Samir Jenkins, the award provides travel support for conferences and training opportunities focused on commercialization, entrepreneurship, innovation, and moving research discoveries toward practical use.

Podder’s research explores potential therapeutic approaches to chemotherapy-induced lymphatic dysfunction, a complication that can contribute to lymphedema in cancer survivors. At AACR, he will have the opportunity to share his research, learn about developments in cancer research, and connect with researchers and industry professionals. These discussions could help inform the next steps in his work and potential paths toward practical application.

Podder also participated in the inaugural cohort of BioVentures’ Cancer and Developing Entrepreneurial Technologies (CADET) program, where he gained experience in entrepreneurship, intellectual property, and technology commercialization. Attending AACR offers an opportunity to build on that experience in the context of his research.

Dr. Jenkins was a scientist, mentor, and entrepreneur whose work in cancer nanomedicine included nanoparticle-based therapeutics and commercialization efforts with BioVentures. The award honors his memory by helping members of the UAMS research community gain knowledge, build connections, and develop skills to support the translation of research into practice.