Annual Scientific Symposium
This symposium occurs in the spring of each academic year, and centers around a timely theme in cancer discovery and translation. Internal and external speakers join in opportunities to learn about and collaborate on future projects.
Advancing Collaboration in Cancer Research
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center sponsors an annual scientific symposium that promotes collaboration and scientific dialogue across an interdisciplinary cancer research community, including senior investigators, junior faculty, and trainees.
Each year, the symposium centers on a scientific theme selected by trainee co-chairs in partnership with VICC Research Program Leaders. The program features presentations by distinguished external speakers and VICC investigators, along with a poster session showcasing more than 120 research initiatives. An awards ceremony recognizes outstanding trainees through the Student of the Year and Postdoctoral Fellow of the Year honors. The symposium also includes a patient-centered session in which a cancer survivor shares their personal journey and the meaningful impact of research on their life.
The symposium brings together faculty, staff, and students from Vanderbilt University, Meharry Medical College, and Tennessee State University. The event also engages members of the VICC Research Advocacy Program and representatives from local advocacy organizations and community partners, including the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Gilda’s Club, and the American Cancer Society.
27th Annual Scientific Symposium
Cancer and Environment at Every Scale
May 13, 2026
Graduate Student of the Year: Yash Pershad, PhD
Yash defended his PhD studying clonal hematopoiesis in Alex Bick’s lab in the Human Genetics program. He has authored nearly a dozen first‑author publications in premier journals including Blood, JAMA Oncology, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Nature Communications, and JAMA Cardiology, with additional contributions to Science, Nature Genetics, and Nature Aging. His research has fundamentally advanced the understanding of clonal hematopoiesis, its progression toward malignancy, and opportunities for cancer interception.
As an aspiring physician-scientist guided by a deep commitment to patient care, Yash aims to help close the loop between genetic discovery and clinical action. He led the development of a novel clinical algorithm to identify patients at risk for diabetes undertreatment due to common G6PD variants and has helped drive multi‑institutional efforts to bring genomic screening into routine care.
Mentor: Alex Bick, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow of the Year: Youngmin Kwon, PhD
Dr. Kwon has authored 22 peer-reviewed publications to date, with additional manuscripts in progress. His scholarship appears regularly in leading journals such as Health Services Research and JAMA Health Forum.
Dr. Kwon is currently supported by a competitive AHRQ T32 fellowship and has demonstrated outstanding promise as an independent investigator through his successful submission of a K99/R00 award to the National Cancer Institute, which received a first percentile score on initial review.. He is widely recognized as an exceptional collaborator, mentor, and educator, contributing across institutions and disciplines while generously supporting trainees and colleagues.
Mentor: Stacie Dusetzina, PhD
Past Scientific Symposiums
Each year, a graduate student and postdoctoral fellow of the year are chosen and awarded at the Annual Scientific Symposium.
2026
Cancer and Environment at Every Scale
Graduate Student: Yash Pershad, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow: Youngmin Kwon, PhD
2025
Artificial Intelligence in Cancer Research and Clinical Care
Graduate Students: Xiaopeng Sun, PhD, from Balko Lab and Candace Grisham, PhD, MS from Rosenthal Lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Guochong (Damon) Jia, PhD, MPH from Zheng lab
2024
Hereditary Cancers
Graduate Student: Mirazul Islam, PhD, from Coffey lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Jackie Bader, PhD, from J. Rathmell lab
2023
Emerging Technologies in Cancer Research
Graduate Student: Wenjun Wang, PhD, MEng, from Reinhart-King lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Wenpeng Liu, PhD, from Cortez lab
2022
Advances in Lung Cancer Research
Graduate Student: Ben Brown, from Meiler lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Kavi Mehta, PhD, from Cortez lab
2021
Genitourinary Cancers
2020
Impact of the Obesity Epidemic on Cancer
Graduate Student: Margaret Axelrod, MD, PhD, from Balko lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Dennis Jeppesen, PhD, from Coffey lab
2019
Signal Transduction in Cancer Initiation, Progression, and Treatment
Graduate Student: David Elion, PhD, from Cook lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: April Weissmiller, PhD, from Tansey lab
2018
Microbiome and Cancer
Graduate Student: Chloe Snider, PhD, from Gould lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Lang Wu, PhD, from Zheng lab
2017
Cancer Epigenetics: From Mechanisms to Therapies
Graduate Students: Kami Bhat, PhD, from Cortez lab and Timothy Shaver, PhD, from Pietenpol lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Elwood Mullins, PhD, from Eichman lab
2016
At the Crossroads: Metabolism and Oncogenic Signaling
Graduate Student: Jean-Nicolas Gallant, MD, PhD, from Lovly lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Huzefa Dungrawala, PhD, from Cortez lab
2015
The New Age of Tumor Immunology in Precision Medicine
Graduate Student: Alex Walsh, PhD, from Skala lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Anna Vilgelm, MD, PhD, from Richmond lab
2014
Predictive Oncology
Graduate Student: Katherine Hutchinson, PhD, from Pao lab
Postdoctoral Fellow: Jennifer Noto, PhD, from Peek lab
2013
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Graduate Students: Stephen Deppen, PhD, from Grogan lab, and Caitlyn Barrett, PhD, from Williams lab
Postdoctoral Fellows: Anne Powell, PhD, from Coffey lab and Matthew Reskin, MD, MPH, from Penson lab
2012
New Horizons in Lung Cancer Research
2011
Systems Biology