Mikala Egeblad receives Bertner Award for cancer research

Johns Hopkins researcher Mikala Egeblad received the 2025 Ernst W. Bertner Memorial Award for her work on how tumor microenvironments influence cancer progression. She joined Johns Hopkins in 2023 as Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Tumor Microenvironment.

Johns Hopkins researcher Mikala Egeblad received the 2025 Ernst W. Bertner Memorial Award for her research on tumor microenvironments and their role in cancer progression. The Bertner Award is an annual distinction established in 1950 to recognize contributions to the prevention or cure of cancer. Egeblad joined Johns Hopkins in 2023 as the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Tumor Microenvironment. Her work looks at how the cells and structures around a tumor influence initiation, growth and spread. Key facts: - Mikala Egeblad was named the 2025 recipient of the Ernst W. Bertner Memorial Award. - The Bertner Award was established in 1950 and is named for Ernst William Bertner; the Bertner Foundation was created in 1946 by Bertner and his wife, Julia. - Egeblad joined Johns Hopkins in 2023 as Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Tumor Microenvironment. - A tumor microenvironment includes nearby immune cells, blood vessels, chemical signals and the tumor support matrix, and can either promote or restrict cancer. - Much of Egeblad's research focuses on myeloid cells and neutrophils, which her work shows can either promote or attack cancer depending on the microenvironment. Summary: The award recognizes Egeblad's contributions to shifting how researchers view tumors—as complex, living tissues interacting with host systems—rather than as isolated collections of cancer cells. She has said she will continue studying tumor‑host interactions and integrating cancer biology with the immune, vascular and nervous systems to broaden understanding and inform future research.