Spotlight on Researcher and 2024 AstraZeneca Grant Awardee Sara Moufarrij, MD
The Foundation for Women's Cancer (FWC) proudly highlights Sara Moufarrij, MD, a distinguished researcher and recipient of the 2024 AstraZeneca Young Investigator Ovarian Cancer Research Grant, announced by the FWC in March 2024.
In her professional career, Sara Moufarrij, MD, has made an impact in both basic and translational science, but her dedication to advocacy with a goal of encouraging policymakers to prioritize gynecologic oncology on a national level is something she also finds incredibly important.
Dr. Moufarrij’s path to gynecologic oncology was driven by her passion for multidisciplinary collaboration and innovation. “I was attracted to its complexity and its integration of medicine, surgery, radiation, and radiology,” she reflects. “I was also very interested in its emphasis on research as a necessary tool to better our understanding of the disease processes.” Early in her career, Dr. Moufarrij observed lagging time in treatment options and testing between gynecologic oncology and the rest of the oncology world for which she envisioned herself creating solutions that improved patient outcomes.
Prior to her fellowship in gynecologic oncology, Dr. Moufarrij had various exposures to basic science. After earning her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, she studied regenerative cellular therapy in Switzerland and worked in a translational laboratory at George Washington University. Her work included establishing a biobank for ovarian cancer specimens and exploring epigenetics as a novel therapeutic tool for ovarian cancer. “I read about the various FWC grants available for trainees and used it as an opportunity to understand the grant writing process and further propel my research,” she shares.
Alarmed by recurrent disease and systemic toxicity in young patients, the primary focus of Dr. Moufarrij’s research funded by the awarded grant is low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSC). “While exciting studies have uncovered molecular alterations that have led to new targeted therapies for this group, these treatments seem to benefit only 60% of patients with LGSC, leaving about 40% with minimal treatment options and a worse prognosis,” she explains. Through her research, she hopes to better understand the disease course and response to certain targeted treatments.
Looking ahead, Dr. Moufarrij sees advancements in gynecologic oncology that address recurrent gynecologic malignancies and standard treatment resistance. For those entering the field at this juncture, Dr. Moufarrij emphasizes the importance of mentorship, curiosity, and collaboration. “Gynecologic oncology is an ever-growing, exciting field. Due to its complexity and vast outreach, it is important to have good mentorship to assist you in uncovering your passions within the field,” she advises. She also recommends building connections locally and internationally to have a far-reaching, global impact in the field.
Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Moufarrij finds fulfillment in bridging the gap between clinical and translational science. “The ability to do research while taking care of patients in parallel has brought a newfound understanding of the disease processes,” she shares. Her work has not only deepened her knowledge of the pathogenesis of certain malignancies—it has also inspired creative thinking about treatment options for patients. She looks forward to translating exciting preclinical results into tangible benefits for those affected by gynecologic cancers.
