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Pilar de la Puente, PhD

(She/Her/Ella)

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Associate Scientist, Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies, Sanford Research
Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine
Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Sanford Research
Co-Director, Flow Cytometry Core, Sanford Research

Dr. Pilar de la Puente is a biomedical engineer and cancer biologist and an Associate Scientist in the Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group at Sanford Research and Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Surgery at University of South Dakota School of Medicine. Dr. de la Puente was born and raised in Leon (Spain) and earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering and Biological Sciences at the University of Salamanca, Spain. Dr. de la Puente trained as a postdoctoral fellow at Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine in cancer tissue engineering, nanomedicine and translational precision-based drug screenings.

The de la Puente lab focus on developing translational and physiologically relevant preclinical cancer models as tools to recapitulate tumor behavior ex vivo (“out of the living”) with an emphasis in cellular crosstalk, extracellular matrix remodeling, and spatial gradients. Her goal is to engineer novel preclinical cancer models to accurately recapitulate tumor behavior ex vivo (“out of the living”), with a significant emphasis on patient-derived tumor models, or avatars, for personalized prediction of therapeutic efficacy. Dr. de la Puente is a CURE recipient (NCIR21), NCI Early Investigator Advancement Program (EIAP) Scholar, American Cancer Society Research Scholar, and has been awarded prestigious awards including “35 under 35” BussinesInsider Spain, Minority Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research Award from American Association of Cancer Research (AACR), Dani and Erik Zander Junior Faculty Scholar Award from American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP) and the Young Investigator Lush Prize.

In addition to research, Dr. de la Puente is a fierce advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and acts as the Chair of the DEI committee at her institution. Dr. de la Puente is committed to teaching, mentoring, and is deeply involved in outreach activities. In her efforts to openly discussed about the importance of contemporary role models for historically marginalized groups, she has participated in a comic book series “Cancer Wars” featuring Hispanics women in cancer research. Dr. de la Puente is also an active entrepreneur with several patents and roles in start-up companies.

Hobbies

• Cooking (not just Spanish foods, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai are some of my favorites)
• Swimming and scuba diving
• DIY projects
• Traveling with my 3 kids and 2 dogs
• Soccer-fun
• Yoga
• Listening to 80s and Pop Music
• Board Game Geek

Education and Training

• Postdoctoral Fellow Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Biology Division, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO. Mentor: Abdel Kareem Azab, Ph.D
• Ph.D Biomedical Engineering and Biological Sciences, University of Salamanca, Spain. Mentors: Maria Dolores Ludeña, M.D; Gonzalo Varela, M.D; and Javier Iglesias, Ph. D.
• M. Sc Integrated Management Systems: Quality, Environment, and Prevention, European Quality Formacion, Spain
• M. Sc Animal Medicine and Surgery with focus on Biomedical Engineering and Biological Sciences, University of León, Spain. Mentors: Javier Iglesias, Ph. D. and José Manuel Gonzalo Orden, Ph. D
• B. Sc Biology, University of León, Spain

Awards

• NIH Early Investigator Advancement Program (EIAP) Scholar, National Cancer Institute, 2023
• Dani and Erik Zander Junior Faculty Scholar Award, American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP), Salt Lake City, Utah, 2023
• Pilot grant award, Haarberg 3D Center, SD, 2023
• Entrepreneurship Award, Pitch-competition, Start-up school. Haarberg 3D Center, SD, 2023
• Young Investigator Award, Midwest Tumor Microenvironment Meeting, Kansas City, Kansas, 2022
• Minority Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research Award, American Association of Cancer Research (AACR), Philadelphia, PA, 2020
• Stimulus and Biospecimen Awards, Geographical Management of Cancer Health Disparities Program (GMaP), Utah, USA 2020
• “29 under 35” BussinesInsider Spain. Selected among the top 29 women under 35 to revolutionize technology, finances and/or politics in Spain
• “Young Innova Talent” Award, Diario de Leon, 2019, Leon, Spain, 2019
• Local award recognizing research and technological initiatives more highlighted among the many developed by entrepreneurs born in Leon (Spain) capable of competing in international R & D
• “Leones” Merit in the World Award, RTCyL 2018, Leon, Spain 2018
• Local award recognizing people born in the city of Leon that are accomplishing important task in any field outside of the country Spain
• Young Investigator Award, Lush Prize 2018, Berlin, Germany, 2018 – This distinguished international award recognizes young scientists (up to 35 years at the time of application) who have demonstrated excellence in research involving animal-free testing.
• Patent Awardee, United States Patent and Trademark Office Department of Commerce, Office of Technology Management, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 2018
• Research Fellowship Award, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), Norwalk, Connecticut, USA, 2018 – This distinguished international award recognizes Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree at the post-doctorate, clinical fellow or assistant professor levels, who have demonstrated excellence in research involving innovative research efforts in the most promising areas of multiple myeloma research.
• Excellent Research Student (Cum Laude), School of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Spain, 2012
• Excellent Research Student (Valedictorian), University of León, Spain, 2008

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