The career path in scientific and medical research is a long, hard road. Four years of undergraduate work in a science, including laboratory research. Four to six years of graduate work or medical school. Postdoctoral fellowships for a few more years after that. I truly believe that pursuing a career in research science is a calling, a vocation.

From their website, The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation's main goal is "identifying and encouraging extraordinary young scientists to commit themselves to arresting cancer's devastating legacy. The Foundation is dedicated to identifying generations of truly innovative investigators in cancer research - scientists that approach questions from totally new directions, challenge existing dogma, and think outside the box."

The Foundation has recently awarded 18 postdoctoral awards in their 2007 Postdoctoral Fellows program. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to all researchers who dedicate their lives to furthering our understanding of the cell in the ultimate quest for more and better approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Danielle S.W. Benoit, PhD, Maya Capelson, PhD, Lea A. Goentoro, PhD, Michael D. Gordon, PhD, Ryan C. Heller, PhD, Thomas M. Huckaba, PhD, Melissa R. Junttila, PhD, L'szl' K'rti, PhD, David S. Matus, PhD, Yunsun Nam, PhD, Cara T. Pager, PhD, Katharina Schlacher, PhD, Heather M. Scobie, PhD, Sarah E. Siegrist, PhD, Karsten H. Siller, PhD, Tao Wang, PhD, Kathryn E. Wellen, PhD, Yu Wong, MD, PhD

For more information on these researchers and their work, please see here.