Beverly Jo Torok-Storb
Torok-Storb in 2016
Born1948 (1948)
Died (aged 75)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Pittsburgh
PennWest Edinboro
Scientific career
InstitutionsFred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
ThesisEffects of murine genotype W/Wv on the proliferative response of various stem cell compartments (1975)

Beverly Jo Torok-Storb (1948 – May 5, 2023) was an American physician who was Professor of Clinical Research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Her work considered the stem cells that generate blood and the microenvironment of bone marrow.

Early life and education

Torok-Storb was born in 1948,[1] in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she was raised in a public housing project.[2][3] She became interested in biology during high school, then was an undergraduate student at PennWest Edinboro.[4] Torok-Storb worked toward her doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh.[5]

Research and career

Torok-Storb joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in 1978 and studied stem cells and the microenvironment of bone marrow. Her research identified the interactions between the stem cells in blood and the supportive cells in bone marrow, enabling critical transplants in leukemia and blood cancer.[2][6] Prior to the work of Torok-Storb, it was assumed that bone marrow stromal cells could be derived from Hematopoietic stem cells. In 1987, Torok-Storb showed that this was not possible.[7] She showed that cells within the bone marrow send signals to stem cells which determine whether transplantations are successful. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute awarded Torok-Storb a $16.7 million grant to develop stem cell therapies.[8]

Torok-Storb also worked with an animal model that could predict the outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplants in humans.[9]

Torok-Storb was part of the Cooperative Center of Excellence in Hematology.[10]

Academic service

Torok-Storb was an advocate for building a more inclusive academic culture.[11] She developed research opportunities for undergraduate students, high school students[12] and people from historically excluded groups.[13][14] She said that her mentorship has come from her upbringing, “the only reason I made it as far as I did is because of special teachers along the way who let me know that I was capable and I could do it,”.[2]

Death

Torok-Storb died at her home in Seattle, Washington, on May 5, 2023, at the age of 75.[15]

Publications

  • P A McSweeney; D Niederwieser; J A Shizuru; et al. (1 June 2001). "Hematopoietic cell transplantation in older patients with hematologic malignancies: replacing high-dose cytotoxic therapy with graft-versus-tumor effects". Blood. 97 (11): 3390–3400. doi:10.1182/BLOOD.V97.11.3390. ISSN 0006-4971. PMID 11369628. Wikidata Q40706569.
  • Simmons PJ; Torok-Storb B (1 July 1991). "Identification of stromal cell precursors in human bone marrow by a novel monoclonal antibody, STRO-1". Blood. 78 (1): 55–62. ISSN 0006-4971. PMID 2070060. Wikidata Q41675626.
  • Christian W Scharenberg; Michael A Harkey; Beverly Torok-Storb (15 January 2002). "The ABCG2 transporter is an efficient Hoechst 33342 efflux pump and is preferentially expressed by immature human hematopoietic progenitors". Blood. 99 (2): 507–12. doi:10.1182/BLOOD.V99.2.507. ISSN 0006-4971. PMID 11781231. Wikidata Q28214940.

Awards

  • 2013 Community Service Award[4][16]
  • 2018 Seattle Association for Women in Science Award[17]
  • 2018 Oliver Press Award for Extraordinary Mentorship[18]
  • 2021 Hutch's first Humanity in Science Leadership Award[19]

References

  1. ↑ 1937-2012. Die Geschichte der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hämatologie und Onkologie im Spiegel ihrer Ehrenmitglieder. - "Verweigerte Ehre". Dokumentation zu Hans Hirschfeld. DGHO. 2012. p. 55. ISBN 9783000394874. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Spotlight on Beverly Torok-Storb". Fred Hutch. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  3. ↑ Beverly Torok-Storb, PhD | Clinical Research Division | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, retrieved 2022-11-08
  4. 1 2 "Profiles | PA State System of Higher Education". www.passhe.edu. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  5. ↑ "Beverly Torok-Storb, Ph.D." Fred Hutch. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  6. ↑ "Scientists discover new process shaping red blood cell development". Fred Hutch. 2019-10-21. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  7. ↑ Simmons, Paul J.; Przepiorka, Donna; Thomas, E. Donnall; Torok-Storb, Beverley (1987). "Host origin of marrow stromal cells following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation". Nature. 328 (6129): 429–432. doi:10.1038/328429a0. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 2886914. S2CID 4329862.
  8. ↑ "NHLBI Awards $170 Million to Fund Stem Cell Research". National Institutes of Health (NIH). 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  9. ↑ Hayes, Brian; Fagerlie, Sara R.; Ramakrishnan, Aravind; Baran, Szczepan; Harkey, Michael; Graf, Lynn; Bar, Merav; Bendoraite, Ausra; Tewari, Muneesh; Torok-Storb, Beverly (2008). "Derivation, characterization, and in vitro differentiation of canine embryonic stem cells". Stem Cells. 26 (2): 465–473. doi:10.1634/stemcells.2007-0640. ISSN 1549-4918. PMID 18065395. S2CID 21404978.
  10. ↑ "Co-Operative Center for Excellence in Hematology". Fred Hutch. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  11. ↑ Thakur, Jitendra (2016-10-28). "Meet our mentor: Dr. Beverly Torok-Storb". Hutch United Blog. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  12. ↑ "'We look for that spark'". Fred Hutch. 2015-06-30. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  13. ↑ "Beverly Torok-Storb, Ph.D." Fred Hutch. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  14. ↑ "Good News: Hutch internship program widens educational clout; outpatient clinics open in Uganda; Dr. Stefan Radtke earns DGTI award". Fred Hutch. 2016-10-06. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  15. ↑ Mapes, Diane. "Fred Hutch pioneer Dr. Beverly Torok-Storb dies". Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  16. ↑ "Facts: Points of Pride | PA State System of Higher Education". www.passhe.edu. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  17. ↑ "Drs. Beverly Torok-Storb, Colleen Delaney receive Seattle AWIS Awards". Fred Hutch. 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  18. ↑ "Dr. Beverly Torok-Storb wins mentorship award". Fred Hutch. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  19. ↑ "Fred Hutch announces recipients of inaugural diversity, equity and inclusion awards". Fred Hutch. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
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