Dr. Yoko DeRose memorial fund

It is with heavy hearts that we share that Dr. Yoko DeRose passed away on February 14, 2024 after a battle with cancer, the very disease she researched for the last 15+ years. Yoko joined Dr. Alana Welm's lab at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) in 2008 and was a pioneer in developing breast cancer patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, which are now used throughout the world to advance breast cancer research. Through that work, she also helped initiate the Comparative Oncology Resource at HCI, which eventually became the Preclinical Research Shared Resource. In 2019 Yoko transitioned to Dr. Siwen Hu-Lieskovan’s lab, where she was eager to apply her considerable talents in immunostaining tissues to important clinical trials in immunotherapy for melanoma and other cancers. She became an expert at creating multiplex staining panels and also contributed her skills to advance the research immunohistochemistry services within the HCI Biorepository and Molecular Pathology Shared Resource. Yoko was a committed scientist who had considerable impact on cancer research at HCI and far beyond. She was also an active member of the community and often organized the ‘giving trees’ during the holiday season to help those in need. Her calm energy was comforting to so many, and she will be greatly missed. She leaves behind her husband, Paul, and 11-year old daughter, Kiara. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Yoko’s family, colleagues, and friends. Yoko's work was the family's main source of income and we are seeking support to help her family with expenses during this difficult time.