Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
The Robert G. Fenley Writing Awards: Basic Science Staff Writing
Bronze
Dana-Farber scientists are known for their clinical and translational investigations, but the Institute also has many basic science laboratories making discoveries that could shape the anti-cancer interventions of the future. The Kranzusch lab stands out for its investigations into ancient cellular defense mechanisms that evolved in bacteria billions of years ago. This story chronicles two discoveries that were essentially unrelated in the lab but together told a fascinating story about the ongoing battle between bacteria and viral invaders and how they might provide insights into new approaches to cancer therapy.
What was the most impactful part of your entry?
A key to covering more obscure science stories is to take the long view. This story could come back to life again if there is a next finding that in fact does gain traction toward advancing cancer therapy. This happens surprisingly often and it is incredibly valuable as a reporter to have firsthand narratives of the earliest seeds of the original research.
What is one thing you learned from your entry/experience?
This story is a great example of how basic science that seems very far from human cancer and cancer therapy could influence the field of cancer research. I wanted the story to reach a wide audience of people who are curious about science and cancer. I loved the metaphors used to describe the findings, so I partnered with a video producer on our team and with the two first authors, both graduate students, to come up with a fun approach to a social media video to promote the story. It showed us that by partnering with our scientists, we can expand our thinking and creativity and make content we wouldn’t make without them.
Contact: Elizabeth Dougherty
elizabeth_dougherty@dfci.harvard.edu