Fox Chase Cancer Center Honors Innovation and Achievement in Celebration of Clinical Trials Day

By introducing new medicines and therapies, clinical trials—and the study teams behind them—change lives.

To recognize the importance of this work, the Association of Clinical Research Professionals designated May 20 as Clinical Trials Day in 2014, marking the annual observance since that time. At Fox Chase Cancer Center, the Office of Clinical Research (OCR) celebrated this year with its fourth annual luncheon.  

“Clinical Trials Day is a global event, but what makes it unique at Fox Chase is not just the scientific research, but everything that encompasses what makes clinical trials possible. This event recognizes and celebrates the many people who work to forward cancer medicine, in the name of the patients we ultimately serve,” said Teena Kochukoshy, MD, DBA, AVP, Office of Clinical Research at Fox Chase. “This is our second year of awarding members of the team, and one thing to note is that there is an underlying connection among them all—that is, this work encompasses who they are.”

Celebrated globally, Clinical Trials Day marks the day that James Lind, a ship’s surgeon aboard the British Royal Navy’s HMS Salisbury, started what is often considered the first randomized clinical trial (in this case, to study the effects of different treatments on scurvy in sailors), on May 20, 1774. While patrolling the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France, many of the Salisbury’s sailors became afflicted with scurvy. Using the moment to study some supposed cures, Lind divided 12 sailors into six groups of two. By the fifth day of the trial, the lucky arm of scorbutic sailors who had received oranges and lemons was already recovering, with one deemed entirely fit for duty.  

Fox Chase’s professionals carry on this legacy in their dedication to cancer patients every day. For the second consecutive year, the OCR featured the Annual Clinical Research Professional (CRP) Awards, with a committee comprised of primary investigators and senior leadership members selecting awardees from a pool of peer-nominated candidates in three categories.

“Teamwork defines so much of what we do in clinical research. As these awards demonstrate, we need to honor and recognize those who build the sort of supportive environments that directly impact improvements in patient care,” said Wencesley Paez, MD, MS, Director, Clinical Research Operations Unit, Office of Clinical Research. “This year’s event was particularly joyous and celebratory, including a spirited few rounds of trivia and the greatly appreciated appearance of members of the Fox Chase executive leadership team.”  

Among the Fox Chase leadership celebrating Clinical Trials Day were Jonathan Chernoff, MD, PhD, Cancer Center Director, and Anna Rodriguez, MSN, MHA, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Nursing and Patient Services. Chernoff highlighted the critical role clinical trials play in pushing the boundaries of cancer research, noting that continued progress depends on the collaboration between scientists, clinicians, and research staff.  Rodriguez spoke to the dedication and compassion of the OCR team, recognizing their impact on the patient experience and the Center’s ability to deliver cutting-edge care. She thanked the nurses and coordinators for helping make clinical research a smooth part of patient care, highlighting the important link between research and treatment.

Rising Star Achievement Award: Madeline Graziani, BSN, RN

The Rising Star Achievement Award is given to an outstanding OCR employee who has worked in any capacity within the office for two years or less.  

Graziani has been a clinical research nurse with the OCR for about 18 months but has been involved in clinical research throughout most of her career. Before joining Fox Chase, she worked at MD Anderson – Cooper and the Rothman Institute. A few years ago, at a party outside of the workplace, she was introduced to Fox Chase’s President and CEO, Robert Uzzo, MD, MBA, FACS, who spoke enthusiastically about Fox Chase and its trajectory.  
“As a lifelong resident of the region, I knew about Fox Chase – and his description of the culture here was amazing – so I began looking for opportunities to join the team,” said Graziani. “We do awesome things in clinical trial research, and I love learning from the interesting researchers and the patients we serve.” 

In a nomination for Graziani, Iberia Romina Sosa, MD, PhD, Associate Professor and Chief of Fox Chase’s Division of Hematology, describes her as “driven and resourceful.” Sosa points to a time of short-staffing and turmoil for her team, where Graziani offered to be added as a backup to all of their studies so that she could offer support to any struggling colleagues. She took it upon herself to learn their research portfolio and develop tools to streamline the screening processes and facilitate the care of trial patients.  

“We regard Madeline as an invaluable part of our team and a resource in challenging situations,” Sosa said. “She remains positive despite adversity and drives her colleagues to strive to be their best.”

Legacy Achievement Award: Fathima Sheriff

The Legacy Achievement Award was created to honor individuals within the OCR who have

demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership, and impact over their tenure, contributing

significantly to the advancement of clinical research within the organization and beyond.

Sheriff arrived at Fox Chase Cancer Center in 2000 to work in the laboratory of Jose Russo, MD. There, she worked on breast cancer research, growing cells following biopsies, but she also became increasingly active in contacting patients for long-term follow-up studies. That was her entry point into the OCR, and nine years ago, she transferred to the office to work full time as a Clinical Research Coordinator.  

Today, her leadership describes her as one of the most dedicated and respected members of the team. Whether mentoring new colleagues, taking on additional workload, or tackling unique and demanding protocols, she can always be relied on to see these challenges through, and the department and program are immeasurably better for it.

“What I truly like is the patient care and the community we treat; the people with whom I work make me happy,” Sheriff said. “I was actually very surprised by this recognition, and I am truly grateful to my colleagues Dr. von Mehren and Dr. Olszanski for their support.”

In his nomination, Anthony J. Olszanski, MD, RPh, Associate Professor and Vice Chair, Clinical Research, notes that even though Sheriff holds an MD from outside the United States, “she works tirelessly in her role as CRC without seeking recognition for her past achievements.”

“Her commitment to excellence, collaborative spirit, and positive attitude serve as an inspiration to her colleagues,” Olszanski said. “Fathima demonstrates an exceptional ability to manage the most complex clinical trials. She is known for meticulous attention to detail even in the most logistically challenging situations.”

Faculty/PI Achievement Award: Margaret (Meg) von Mehren, MD

Introduced this year, the Faculty/PI Achievement Award was created to honor the faculty or PI leaders who best exemplify the collaborative relationship between the Office of Clinical Research and the clinical teams for whom they support. According to Paez, the award was introduced because of feedback from the OCR community on the need to recognize that the role of the professional is so critical (and somewhat unrecognized) in the success of the entire enterprise.

It is fitting, therefore, that Margaret von Mehren, MD, Professor and Chief of the Division of Sarcoma Medical Oncology at Fox Chase, is the inaugural awardee.  

Since joining Fox Chase in 1993, von Mehren has become a part of the fabric of the institution. She is a renowned oncologist specializing in sarcoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and serves as Physician Director for the OCR. She has a longstanding reputation for excellence in her field and has been recognized with numerous awards and distinctions, including frequently being named a Top Doctor by Philadelphia magazine.  

In his nomination, David Brown, MS, ACRP-CP, a Disease Site Research Manager for Sarcoma in the OCR, decried the inherent impossibility of summarizing the impact of von Mehren on the Site Management Organization team, let alone on the OCR and Fox Chase as a whole.  

“Limiting her commendations to the content of this letter would be a disservice to the lifetime of dedication and excellence she provides our patients and staff,” said Brown. “Her involvement branches well beyond clinical research, but in this space, she uses decisive leadership and genuine love and support to push our team and institution to greatness.”

Due to prior travel commitments, von Mehren was unable to be present at the Clinical Trials Day event but kindly left a video message for the attendees. She expressed her gratitude for the honor and recollected the time in medical school when she met her first clinical research patient, who was the first to take part in the trial of an antibody that is now part of the standard of care. 
 

“Through the work that I’ve done with members of the Fox Chase OCR, I’ve been really fortunate to see six drugs become standard of care for diseases I take care of,” von Mehren said. “As all of you know, the work that we do is really important for our patients, and it can be really hard as well. I’m really fortunate and thankful for all that everybody does every day in that effort.”