Jaye Gardiner


Jaye Cassandra Gardiner is an American cancer researcher and assistant professor of biology at Tufts University. Her research considers the microenvironment that surrounds tumors, with a particular focus on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In 2022, she was the inaugural awardee of the Black in Cancer Postdoctoral Fellowship.
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Early life and education

Gardiner is a first generation American. She was a doctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she worked on HIV cell-to-cell transmission. She studied how the cytoplasmic tail of the envelope was involved with forming the virological synapse.

Research and career

Gardiner was a postdoctoral fellow at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, where she worked with Edna Cukierman. Her research considers the microenvironment that surrounds tumors, with a particular focus on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has a survival rate of 10% and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. She believes that these microenivronments are critical to identify new diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
Gardiner founded JKX Comics, a project that looks to improve science literacy amongst young people. She is committed to improving diversity in science and engineering. She was appointed to the American Association for the Advancement of Science IF/THEN Ambassador, which looks to promote women scientists.

Awards and honors

Selected publications

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