USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute has named Simon Grelet as the recipient of the 2025 Mayer Mitchell Award for Excellence in Cancer Research, the institute’s highest internal distinction.
The award was established in memory of University of South Alabama trustee and MCI founding champion Mayer Mitchell. The honor includes $10,000 in research support made possible by the generosity of the Mitchell family.
“Dr. Grelet’s work exemplifies the mission and momentum of the Mitchell Cancer Institute — accelerating knowledge that changes how cancer is detected, understood and treated,” said Natalie Fox, CEO of USA Health. “His discoveries in cancer neuroscience are generating new pathways for therapies and elevating the visibility of MCI on the world stage.”
Grelet is an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology for USA’s Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine. His research is dedicated to understanding how the tumor microenvironment shapes cancer progression, with a particular emphasis on the interplay between cancer cells, the nervous system and cellular metabolism.
Recently, Grelet’s laboratory demonstrated that mitochondria are transferred from nerves to cancer cells to fuel metastasis, reframing how tumor spread is understood, a discovery published in the scientific journal Nature.