Yana Zavros
DIRECTOR, UGA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE RESEARCH CENTER
GRA EMINENT SCHOLAR IN MOLECULAR MEDICINE
"It’s important that every question that we’re asking has clinical relevance. We must have an interdisciplinary team of translational scientists, oncologists, pathologists, surgeons, clinicians, and veterinarians. That’s what it takes to accelerate the movement of scientific discovery to the clinic."
At the forefront of UGA’s School of Medicine, Dr. Yana Zavros is building a research center from the ground up. Her focus on pancreatic cancer and Cushing’s disease is setting the stage for efficient, more specialized medical studies.
Dr. Zavros uses lab-grown organ models called organoids to study how immune systems respond to tumor cells. Data has already resulted in the identification of a targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer which is undergoing a Phase 2 clinical trial. She also uses organoids to study treatment for Cushing’s disease. This research led to a multi-disciplinary, NIH-funded initiative which is reshaping diagnostics across human and veterinary medicine.
With her focus on real-world solutions, Dr. Zavros represents the future of UGA: bold, effective, interdisciplinary science with global impact.