CSU's First Cancer Biology Program Graduate

Thursday, December 3, 2009

FORT COLLINS - The Animal Cancer Center is proud to announce that Dr. Joe Sottnik successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis on Thursday, December 3, 2009. Joe is the first student to graduate from the Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program at the Animal Cancer Center. Joe’s research focused on the key links between the immune system and cancer, in particular on the connection between an increase in survival times and the rate of bone infection in animals with osteosarcoma.

Joe grew up in Castle Rock, Colorado and earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from CSU in addition to his Ph.D. Joe credits the inspiration for going into clinical cancer research to his oncologist who treated him for lymphoma and to Dr. Stephen Withrow, the Director of the Animal Cancer Center. Joe met Dr. Withrow at the Sky High Hope Camp, a camp for children fighting cancer. Members of Joe’s Ph.D. committee included Drs. Steve Dow, Barb Biller, Doug Thamm and Mike Weil.

	Drs. Joe Sottnik and Stephen Withrow		Drs. Joe Sottnik and Doug Thamm

We would like to congratulate Dr. Sottnik on this fantastic achievement! Fortunately, Joe will be staying at the Animal Cancer Center for the next several months to continue cancer immunology research before pursuing a post doctoral position.

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