CF Recruits Experienced Cancer Scientist as Manager of Research

The newest member of the Chordoma Foundation’s growing team, Patty Cogswell brings over 25 years of cancer research experience to her role as the Foundation’s first full-time manager of research. Patty joined the Foundation this spring from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) Lineberger Cancer Center, where she served as a research scientist and lab manager for 21 years. There, she became involved in chordoma research through a collaboration between UNC, Duke, and the Chordoma Foundation.

At the Foundation, Patty has assumed responsibility for the biobank, cell line and animal model repositories, prizes, and research grants. In addition to first-hand perspective as a scientist studying chordoma, Patty adds to the Foundation’s staff valuable cancer biology expertise and extensive experience managing research projects.

"I’m inspired by the innovative way in which the Foundation is addressing the need for research on this rare disease," says Cogswell. "At the Foundation I see real opportunities to advance research on many fronts, and I’m hoping to finish my scientific career by being a part of something that really makes a difference."

Patty’s position is supported through a fellowship of the Carolina Kickstart Program at the NC Translational and Clinical Sciences (NCTraCS) Institute, UNC’s home of the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award. This fellowship is funded by a generous gift from long-time Chordoma Foundation supporters, Adam and Rosalind Abram, who recognized that having a manger of research on staff is critical to achieving the Foundation’s research goals, and to taking advantage of a growing number of new research opportunities.

As a Kickstart Fellow, Patty maintains affiliation with the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center, giving the Foundation access to valuable resources and capabilities within the University. Patty’s work at the Foundation also provides an opportunity for the University to study the Foundation’s approach to accelerating research in chordoma, which could serve as a template for other rare cancers.

The Foundation is deeply grateful to the Carolina Kickstart Program and to the Abram Family for their strategic investment in this position, which greatly increases the Foundation’s capacity to catalyze progress against chordoma.