Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Associate Professor Jeremy Borniger is among five scientists to receive this year’s Bakewell Emerging Leader Award from The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research. The Award provides Borniger’s lab $750,000 over three years.
Borniger’s research explores the potential of synthetic torpor—a hibernation-like metabolic state—as a novel anti-cancer strategy. By suppressing metabolism, this approach aims to “starve” tumors of essential nutrients, opening new avenues for cancer therapy.
“On behalf of my CSHL team, we are thrilled to accept The Mark Foundation’s investment in our research, which will enable us to ask bold questions not yet addressed by conventional funding mechanisms,” Borniger says. “This support allows our lab to accelerate experiments testing whether inducing a hibernation-like state can selectively suppress tumor growth while preserving healthy tissue.”
Since 2018, The Mark Foundation has awarded more than $40 million to rising leaders in cancer research. The 2026 awardees are addressing critical challenges in oncology, from early detection to innovative therapeutic approaches, helping to shape the future of cancer treatment.
Written by: Gina DiPietro, Senior Public Relations Specialist | dipietro@cshl.edu | 516-367-6826