Madison, Wis. –

Dr. Xiaofei Zhang, an associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, was awarded The Ride Scholarship on January 18, 2020 at the Wisconsin Hockey’s 4th Annual Face-off Against Cancer game for his exemplary discoveries in 2019. This award will help fund Dr. Zhang’s further studies aimed at improving treatment for pancreatic cancer at the University of Wisconsin Madison.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, one of the deadliest cancers, is difficult to treat because pancreatic cancer cells are buried in dense scar-like stroma that shield them from treatment and immune surveillance.

With funding from The Ride, Dr. Zhang will study whether certain types of chemotherapy administered before surgery can make pancreatic cells more accessible to the immune system. If this approach works, it could help enable pancreatic cancer patients to benefit from immunotherapy.

The Ride was created in 2016 and has generated over $1.2 Million towards the University of Wisconsin’s cancer mission. The Ride delivers 100% of all rider-raised funds towards cancer initiatives made possible by the generous support of its sponsors.

Participants have the ability to register for any of the five routes (3-mile, 17-mile, 34-mile, 63-mile, 102-mile) which feature the same start and finish location. The 3-mile route, which caters to adults and children will be solely contained within the American Family Insurance campus and will not utilize any public roads. In addition, the new site location and layout will offer increased participant on-site amenities such as parking, registration, packet pick-up, food and post-ride programming and entertainment.

Visit TheRideWI.org to learn more about the cycling benefit and how it drives critical cancer research and treatment programs at the University of Wisconsin.