丽娅·哈弗贝克·西蒙 wants to make a difference in the lives of breast cancer patients. 哈弗贝克·西蒙，一名学生 体育与运动科学博士.D. – Exercise Physiology Concentration program，被授予 论文奖学金 this year for her research, “Effects of Exercise Training on Circulating Cancer-Associated Immune Cells in Breast Cancer Patients.”

The fellowship recognizes excellence in research promise as students enter the final phase of their doctoral program and provides a stipend and tuition waiver. 资格 criteria include an outstanding academic record, faculty support and an intention to complete the dissertation during the fellowship term. 

“I started out doing research on the effects of exercise on chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in rats and on immune cells in mice. I decided to switch to the human cancer patients on campus, and now I’m looking at the effects of exercise on several immune cells, most importantly myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Along with some other immune cells, they play an important role during the disease of cancer,” said Haverbeck西蒙.

Originally from Germany, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Heinrich Heine 杜塞尔多夫大学. While pursuing her master’s in exercise physiology from Central Michigan University, she was intrigued by a peer’s presentation about doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity research conducted at UNC. She learned about the University of Northern 科罗拉多州 癌症康复研究所, which has been at the forefront of clinical exercise-based rehabilitation research and programming since its 1996 founding.

里德海沃德, Ph.D.体育运动和 Exercise Science professor and UNCCRI director, has mentored Haverbeck西蒙 since she started the program. 

“The overarching impact of the work that we do is to justify the incorporation of our form of exercise into the rehabilitation programs of cancer survivors as a standard 的护理. The other thing is to gain a better understanding of why exercise is beneficial and what mechanisms are involved,” 海沃德 said. “Lea is looking at myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and we know what they do in cancer patients, but does exercise modulate 以任何方式?”

He said Haverbeck西蒙 stands out for her dedication to different research areas and proficiency in exercise physiology. 海沃德 believes an integral part of her success 在程序中 is her “saying yes.”

“She’s always willing to get involved whenever there’s a need or an opportunity,” 他解释说. 

她也参与了很多. 

She worked as a certified clinical cancer exercise specialist, where she led patients in individualized training sessions. She volunteered over 1,000 hours at the institute and served as a teaching assistant and adjunct instructor. 这一切都是在磨练她的研究 技能.

“The fellowship allows me to have the financial support to fully focus on my dissertation. I also did a lot of data collection over the years and now I finally have the time to write up some things to submit to conferences. I’m going to a conference next month to present some of my research,” said Haverbeck西蒙.

She points to the collaborative environment between the biology and exercise physiology departments as one of the outstanding aspects of the program, allowing her to develop collegial relationships with faculty members from both departments. 

“我很感激奥巴马医生. 海沃德 took a chance on me and that I get to work with him. He is so passionate about the institute. When the new interns come in, he gives a speech about how this program was established. It gives me motivation to do all these things for the patients and find out things to ultimately help them improve their 生活质量，”她说.

Haverbeck西蒙 would do it all again.

“I’ve made so many friendships here, and I’ve had a great experience with all the faculty and staff at UNC,” she said.

After graduating, Haverbeck西蒙 hopes to be a postdoctoral fellow. 最终,她 like to become a professor to pursue her love of teaching and research.

——布伦达·吉伦著