Four researchers at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center have assumed new leadership roles. 

Shared resources at Vanderbilt-Ingram are designed to support and enhance cancer-relevant research and scientific interaction by providing access to cutting-edge technologies and services, as well as scientific expertise.

Scott Hiebert, PhD, emeritus professor of Biochemistry and the Hortense B. Ingram Chair in Cancer Researchat Vanderbilt University, led these shared resources in the Cancer Center from 2010 to 2025. With his retirement from Vanderbilt University, Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, director of Vanderbilt-Ingram, has appointed William Tansey, PhD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, as the next associate director for Shared Resources for Vanderbilt-Ingram.  

As associate director for Shared Resources, Tansey will oversee 10 resources, including animal and human imaging, bioanalytics and proteomics, chemical synthesis and high-throughput analytics, cell imaging, data science, flow cytometry, genome editing, genomic sciences, survey and biospecimen, and translational pathology. In addition to his leadership roles at Vanderbilt-Ingram, Tansey has an active research lab that focuses on transcriptional dysregulation in cancer cells. 

“Shared resources provide Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators access to technologies, expertise, and a collaborative infrastructure that would be impractical to have in their own laboratories. Our shared resources are world-class in every respect, and each of them are backed by experienced teams of professionals dedicated to advancing and accelerating cancer discovery. I am honored and excited to oversee this vital and vibrant part of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center mission,” said Tansey, who also serves as co-leader of the Genome Maintenance Research Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram. 

Translational Research, which is an essential component of Vanderbilt-Ingram and how findings in the lab are “translated” to clinical practice, was previously led by Park. With an ever-increasing number of opportunities to perform translational cancer research at Vanderbilt-Ingram, Douglas Johnson, MD, MSCI, professor of Medicine and the holder of the Susan and Luke Simons Directorship, has been named the next associate director for Translational Research.  

Johnson will oversee the implementation of emerging treatments and therapy advancements, such as cellular therapies, immunotherapies and targeted therapies. Johnson, who is clinical director of melanoma at Vanderbilt-Ingram, has expertise in this realm, having been an investigator on early clinical trials for immunotherapies and having recently implemented a tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy service line for patients. 

“Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center has incredible strengths in translating observations in the lab to the clinic, and from the clinic to the lab. I look forward to continuing to work with so many talented scientists and physicians in this role,” Johnson said. 

Douglas Kojetin, PhD, Ingram Associate Professor of Cancer Research and associate professor of Biochemistry, will join two other experts as co-leader of the Genome Maintenance Research Program. He joins Tansey and David Cortez, PhD, the Richard N. Armstrong PhD Professor of Innovation in Biochemistry, at the helm. The Genome Maintenance Research Program is focused on understanding how DNA is damaged, repaired, packaged, expressed and replicated. These are the processes that take place in carcinogenesis. 

“Dr. Kojetin will be an outstanding leader of the Genome Maintenance Program,” Cortez said. “His own research program is creative, rigorous and impactful. His thoughtfulness, enthusiasm and dedication to service will help our entire research community to make discoveries that reduce the suffering caused by cancer. I look forward to working with him.”  

Kristen Ciombor, MD, MSCI, has been named co-leader of the Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Research Program. She brings a wealth of knowledge to this role, having previously been co-leader of the Translational Research and Interventional Oncology Research Program. She is nationally and internationally recognized for her clinical research program and clinical expertise in colon cancer.

Ciombor also serves as the principal investigator for the NCI-funded National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS) grant at Vanderbilt-Ingram. Ciombor will join Cathy Eng, MD, who has led the GI Research Program for seven years, as she transitions away from this role over the next six months to focus more on her role as associate director of Strategic Relations and Research Partnerships and the Young Adult Cancers Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram.  

Park said the four researchers have established track records that make them the perfect choice for their new respective leadership roles. 

“Drs. Tansey, Johnson, Kojetin and Ciombor are all highly respected cancer researchers with the leadership skills to effectively lead these areas at Vanderbilt-Ingram,” Park said. “Cancer encompasses a myriad of complicated diseases, and our investigators are approaching it from many fronts. The research areas these scientists lead, and their ability to cultivate interactions across and between programs, are integral to our mission of advancing treatments and improving outcomes for people with cancer.” 

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A colorectal cancer research team led by Robert Coffey, MD, has received a prestigious Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant renewal totaling $12.6 million from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for a five-year period.

The grant marks ongoing funding of the GI SPORE awarded to Coffey’s team, which dates back to its inception at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in 2002. Currently, Vanderbilt-Ingram is one of only four cancer centers in the United States with GI Cancer SPORE funding. The team has made numerous discoveries over the past 23 years, and it plans to build upon those achievements with the goal of “drugging the undruggable.”

Applications for SPORE funding are intensely competitive. SPORE grants are highly sought after because they show that a cancer center demonstrates scientific excellence, promotes collaboration, maintains robust research programs and merits substantial funding — factors that are key determinants for an NCI designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“Our success is built upon clinical and basic investigators working closely together with patient advocates,” said Coffey, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research, professor of Medicine and of Cell and Developmental Biology, and co-director of the Epithelial Biology Center.

Coffey, the grant’s principal investigator, is joined by clinical co-leaders, basic science co-leaders, and patient advocates in pursuing three projects that are aimed at targeting three mechanisms of colorectal cancer progression: immune exclusion, MYC activation, and Wnt pathway activation. Each project has an embedded patient advocate to ensure that each project is focused on its translational goal.

“Securing SPORE funding is an achievement to be recognized, but having a program funded for 23 years is truly outstanding,” said Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, the Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology and director of Vanderbilt-Ingram. “Congratulations go to Dr. Coffey, the principal investigator, and to the entire research team for a job well done. With this grant renewal, they are building upon years of rigorous and innovative research and are making great progress towards developing new therapies for gastrointestinal cancers that are recalcitrant to current treatment modalities.”

The team dedicated to the project of overcoming immune exclusion in microsatellite stable colorectal cancer includes clinical co-leader, Jordan Berlin, MD, associate director for Clinical Research at Vanderbilt-Ingram, Cornelius Abernathy Craig Professor of Medicine and director of the Division of Hematology and Oncology, along with basic science co-leaders Coffey and Ken Lau, PhD, professor of Cell and Developmental Biology and of Surgery and director of the Center for Computational Systems Biology.

Immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint blockade inhibitors have proven effective for a number of cancers, including a subset of colorectal cancer, but not for the 85% to 90% of colorectal cancers that are deemed microsatellite stable. The team will launch a clinical trial to see if an investigational drug can spur response in microsatellite stable colorectal cancers when combined with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab.

The investigators will also determine whether response can be tracked by monitoring proteins associated with plasma supermeres, novel nanoparticles discovered by the Coffey lab.

The team dedicated to targeting MYC is led by clinical co-leader, Kristin Ciombor, MD, MSCI, co-leader of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram, Ingram Associate Professor of Cancer Research and associate professor of Medicine. The basic science co-leader is William Tansey, PhD, associate director for Shared Resources and co-leader of the Genome Maintenance Research Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Cell and Developmental Biology.

Overexpression of the MYC gene is common in colorectal cancer, and the team will delve into whether a site on the protein WDR5 that plays a role inMYC action can be targeted for therapeutic benefit for patients with unresectable colorectal cancer. The investigators will lead a clinical trial to investigate the tolerability and antitumor efficacy of an experimental therapy developed by Stephen Fesik and Tansey in the last cycle of the SPORE award.

The team developing an inhibitor drug for the Wnt pathway is led by clinical co-leader, Cathy Eng, MD, co-leader of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram, David H. Johnson Professor of Surgical and Medical Oncology and professor of Medicine, along with basic science co-leaders Stephen Fesik, PhD, the Orrin H. Ingram II Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Chemistry, and Ethan Lee, MD, PhD, professor of Cell and Developmental Biology and of Pharmacology.

Activation of the Wntpathway is a characteristic of colorectal cancer and has been notoriously hard to target without adverse toxicities. The Wnt-focused team will be developing a first-in-class inhibitor that could revolutionize the landscape of treatment for colorectal cancer due to its dependence on Wnt activation for establishment and progression.

The GI SPORE grant also cultivates future scientific advancement through the Career Enhancement Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram, which recruits young investigators and helps them develop into independent researchers. Participants can apply for seed funding — small grants that help them establish the basis for research achievements that merit additional funding.

These programs are led by Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD, associate director for Community Outreach and Engagement at Vanderbilt-Ingram, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Radiation Oncology, and Richard Peek, MD, the Mina Cobb Wallace Professor of Immunology and professor of Medicine and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology.

Overall, this grant is a large accomplishment that shows the importance of team science and collaboration of basic and clinical leaders together with patient advocates to propel advances in the diagnosis and treatment of GI malignancies.

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Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, a leader in research to better understand early-onset cancers and to address the unique challenges faced by younger patients, will be holding the VICC 2025 Young Adult Cancer Symposium on Nov. 15.

The symposium, which is a CME-accredited event, offers clinicians, patients, caregivers and advocates the opportunity to learn from internationally known experts focused on early-onset cancers.

The inaugural event will begin with a 7 a.m. breakfast and end at 3 p.m. at Listening Room Cafe, 618 4^th Ave. South, in Nashville. There will be a meet-and-greet the evening before the symposium, on Nov. 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Printing House Hotel, 501 3^rd Ave. South, in Nashville.

The symposium will focus on breast cancer, colorectal cancer and stem cell therapies, as well as discussions on other topics.

“The Vanderbilt-Ingram Young Adults Cancer Program is one of the first in the country.” said Cathy Eng, MD, the David H. Johnson Endowed Professor of Surgical and Medical Oncology, professor of Medicine and executive director of the VICC Young Adult Cancers Program. “Early-onset cancer is a global matter of concern.

“By 2040, early-onset cancer cases are projected to increase by approximately 14%, resulting in 1.15 million deaths. Colorectal cancer is expected to become the leading cause of cancer death by 2030, with about 49new cases daily. Breast cancer continues to rise, with approximately 35 new cases daily. Bloodborne cancers may result in the range of 50 to 75 new cases per day.”

To meet this challenge and to better serve younger patients, Vanderbilt-Ingram established the Young Adults Cancer Program in 2019.

“Since the program’s inception, referrals have increased by about 80%, leading to 1,250 individual, new patient visits in 2024,” Eng said. “Our goals are to empower young adult patients with the latest research and treatment updates; foster a community among patients, caregivers, and advocates; and address the unique psychosocial challenges faced by young adults navigating cancer care. We hope this event will inspire support for young adult cancer research and become an annual event.”

Guest speakers include:

• Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, interim chair of the Department of Medical Oncology and the co-founder and director of the Program for Young Adults with Breast Cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will speak on breast cancer.
• Terri Woodard, MD, professor of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center, will speak on fertility preservation.
• Neel Bhatt, MBBS, MPH, associate professor in the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and a hematologist-oncologist specializing in treating young adults with blood cancers, will speak about financial toxicity and the economic challenges that younger patients encounter.

Vanderbilt-Ingram cancer experts will address breast and colorectal cancer, hematologic malignancies, early-onset cancers, survivorship, and sexual health/sexual dysfunction/body image. The symposium will also feature patients and advocates who will share their perspectives.

Go here to register on Eventbrite.

Registration fees:

• Survivors, advocates and patients:
  • $55 (early registration) or $70 (as of 10/1).
  • Registration fees will be waived for the first 100 survivors/patients.
• Other healthcare providers:
  • $65 (early registration) or $77 (as of 10/1).
• Physicians:
  • $85 (early registration) or $100 (as of 10/1).

A $10 discount is available to Vanderbilt University Medical Center/VICC employees.

For additional information, please contact Hasani Bland, hasani.l.bland@vumc.org.

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A study led by researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center has discovered genetic susceptibilities that may shed light on why people of African ancestry are disproportionately affected by lung cancer.  

Prior research has shown that Americans of African ancestry have a higher risk of lung cancer compared to white Americans despite smoking fewer cigarettes, but the reasons for this difference are not fully understood, and studies that delve into genetic susceptibilities for lung cancer among this population group have been limited. New research published Aug. 18 in the American Journal of Human Genetics revealed a total of 10 genomic regions — four of which had never been previously reported — associated with lung cancer. 

The researchers performed genome-wide association studies on 6,490 people of African ancestry that included 2,390 with a diagnosis of lung cancer and a control group of 4,100 for comparison. 

The authors confirmed that a well-known genetic region on chromosome 15 plays a major role in lung cancer risk across populations. The authors also discovered four additional genetic regions (on chromosomes 3, 8, 14 and 18) that had not been linked to lung cancer before. When their findings were combined with results from European and Asian populations, a total of 17 genetic regions were associated with lung cancer risk. Several genes in these regions are involved in biological processes such as lung function, cell growth and DNA repair.  

“Our work provides a critical advance in lung cancer by improving our limited understanding of genetic susceptibility in African ancestry populations and offers insights that may guide future treatment efforts,” said the study’s corresponding author, Melinda Aldrich, PhD, MPH, professor of Medicine, Thoracic Surgery and Biomedical Informatics at Vanderbilt.  

Aldrich and Jacklyn Hellwege, PhD, research assistant professor of Medicine, are the study’s senior authors. 

“This work was uniquely positioned to make use of advances in statistical modeling and genetic ancestry information to ultimately make new insights into the genetic architecture of lung cancer in this at-risk population,” said Hellwege. 

VUMC researchers received support from National Institutes of Health grants (U01CA253560, U01CA202979, R01CA141769, R01ES006717, P30CA022453 and P30CA068485) for the study. 

Other VUMC authors on the study are Michael Betti, PhD, James Jaworski, MPH, Shilin Zhao, PhD, and Eric Gamazon, PhD, MS. 

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In a collaboration between Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, investigators have received a $2.5 million grant to develop a head-mounted augmented reality system that can guide surgeons in ensuring complete tumor removal in head and neck cancer surgery and potentially reduce the recurrence rate of tumors. 

The National Institutes of Health grant was awarded to primary investigator Jie Ying Wu, PhD, assistant professor of Computer Science, with secondary appointments in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University. Wu also has an appointment in the Department of Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 

Co-investigators include Michael Miga, PhD, director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering and the Harvie Branscomb Professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, as well as Michael Topf, MD, associate professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and Matthew Weinger, MD, professor of Anesthesiology and Biomedical Informatics. 

“I am delighted to receive this award to transform surgical care for head and neck cancer,” said Wu. “This funding will allow us to build novel deformation models for heterogeneous tissue shrinkage and ensure the augmented reality software design is intuitive for surgeons and fits within the clinical workflow.” 

The development of the technology stems from a deficit Topf noticed in surgical oncology. While three-dimensional scanning has become part of the norm for other aspects of patient care, from same-day dental crowns to prosthetic limbs, Topf was troubled by the lack of application for 3D scanning in oncologic surgery. Topf implemented a protocol to create 3D models of resected cancers for surgeons, pathologists and oncologists to reference. 

“We came up with a way to 3D scan a surgical specimen in real time in less than 10 minutes prior to processing and not interfere with all the other important things that are going on in the pathology lab,” said Topf. “Encouragingly, this is a widely transferable practice and would be applicable to most cancer surgeries, from orthopaedic oncology to breast cancer.” 

Weinger, who is a faculty member of the Center for Research and Innovation in Systems Safety (CRISS) at VUMC, expressed the organization’s eagerness to support the research. 

“CRISS is excited to contribute to this important project, applying advanced engineering to ensure the user interface of this technology guides surgeons to safely and effectively treat cancer patients,” said Weinger, who holds the Norman Ty Smith Chair in Patient Safety and Medical Simulation. 

Safety and effectiveness are at the core of the research. As Miga explained, the 3D mapping technology will allow surgeons to rely less on a fallible mental construction of the resection plane, thereby reducing the risk of human error affecting the procedure. 

“When it comes to cancer surgery, surgeons often say, ‘We think we got it all,’” said Miga. “What many don’t realize is that every operation requires the surgeon to construct a mental spatial map, linking the visible surgical field to their internal understanding of the tumor’s extent. It’s an incredibly complex task, and sometimes, despite best efforts, reoperations are necessary. 

“Now imagine if, while the patient is still on the table, we could detect the margin in real time, and then, using a holographic overlay, highlight the precise region that needs further attention. Through our collaboration, that’s the kind of transformation we’re seeking to make commonplace with this research.” 

Collaboration has been consistent over the last few years between the Medical Center and the University, said Wu. She hopes research into the technology will eventually support a clinical trial, a sentiment shared by Eben Rosenthal, MD, Barry and Amy Baker Professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 

“Improving surgical outcomes is of the utmost importance, especially when it comes to ensuring total tumor removal and reduced risk of recurrence for cancer patients,” said Rosenthal. “The research supported by this grant will help us perfect this technology as we seek practical applications for patient care, including clinical trials and, eventually, everyday use in the operating room.” 

This study is supported by NIH grant R01EB037685. 

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Susan Morrow kept too busy to be bored, whether she was teaching deaf children to speak, starting new business ventures or confronting cancer.

Ovarian cancer crept into her life the way it most often does — unsuspected and without warning. The first symptom occurred in 2020 when she noticed herself gasping for breath during a trip to the North Carolina mountains and thought she might have COVID-19.

After receiving the cancer diagnosis, she met the challenges with heroic stamina and analytical reasoning. She sought emerging treatment options, volunteered to raise awareness about the disease, and chronicled her journey with meticulous emails.

Two years after her death, her story continues. The Susan Morrow Legacy Foundation has made a generous donation to support ovarian cancer research at Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

“She was an incredibly driven, incredibly interesting person and the light of my life,” said her husband, Ron Morrow, who has filled the seat on the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Board of Advisors that she once held.

Vanderbilt-Ingram was where she received her initial treatment and surgery. The gift in her honor will support studies that are evaluating new microbubble imaging strategies and other molecular studies being developed by Todd Giorgio, PhD, professor of Biomedical Engineering and of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, to detect the earliest cancer or precancer lesions within the fallopian tubes.

Morrow’s tenacity and energy left an impression with Ronald Alvarez, MD, MBA, chair and clinical service chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This support will continue her legacy and help other women facing this disease.

“Past attempts to develop effective ovarian cancer screening strategies have been unsuccessful. The research we have asked the Morrow Foundation to support will hopefully provide preliminary evidence in preclinical models that this novel imaging strategy may be an effective ovarian cancer screening approach,” said Alvarez, the Betty and Lonnie S. Burnett Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, director of Vanderbilt-Ingram, said Susan Morrow was an engaged and energetic member of the Board of Advisors.

“Beyond this generous gift, Ron and Susan Morrow have both been valuable to our mission by volunteering to serve on our board,” said Park, the Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology and professor of Medicine. “We appreciate the leadership that Susan provided and the continuing commitment from Ron to advance cancer care and research.”

The daughter of a U.S. Army colonel, Susan Morrow spent her early years wherever her father was stationed, but she grew up in El Paso, Texas, following his retirement. After graduating from the University of Texas and then receiving a Master of Education from Harvard University, she taught speech to children with profound deafness, worked in the investment business and then transitioned into an entrepreneurial career, establishing an executive search firm as well as direct sales company for women’s clothing. When she moved to Park City, Utah, she met Ron Morrow, and the couple married in 2006.

He changed the name of the family’s charitable foundation to honor her following her death on Sept. 28, 2022.

“Medical issues became extremely important, and we made ovarian cancer a focus because often a woman doesn’t know she has it until it’s Stage 3 or maybe Stage 4,” Morrow said. “That was certainly the case with Susan. She had no cancer in her family at all, ever.”

Awareness about ovarian cancer and improving early detection is a focus for the foundation, which will host the Susan Morrow Drive to Survive Golf Tournament at the Old Tabby Links course in Spring Island, South Carolina, on Oct. 6.

Morrow said she left him a gift of peace that he and his family would like to keep giving.

“When we were married, I didn’t think she was an extremely religious person,” he said. “She obviously believed in God, but we didn’t go to church every week. It was something that was in our life, but it didn’t encompass us. As she was dying, she had read a book called ‘Proof of Life.’ And as she was dying, I was holding her, and she looked off into the distance and looked up, then looked over to me and said, ‘It’ll be OK.”

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Stand Up to Cancer, a one-hour, commercial-free special promoting the life-saving advances of cancer research, and to raise funds for new treatments and cures, was broadcast Friday Aug. 15 on more than 30 participating media platforms, including national TV networks ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX.

Viewers saw performances by host Sheryl Crow, as well as the Jonas Brothers, Noah Cyrus, Gavin DeGraw, Marcus King, Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi, Jelly Roll, Dan + Shay and CeCe Winans (joined by Nashville Community Gospel Choir).

During the telecast, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) was highlighted and mentioned several times. During a segment on the role of artificial intelligence in cancer diagnosis and treatment, Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, director of VICC, and Tae Hyun Hwang, PhD, professor of Surgery, both were among those featured. In addition, Brothers Osborne asked everyone from VICC who was in attendance to stand up for a round of applause, and, in a taped segment, Keith Urban mentioned VICC and Vanderbilt Health.

The full telecast is now available for viewing on YouTube at this link:

The one-hour broadcast special was taped at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville on Aug. 9. Before taping the show, a pre-taping party was attended by approximately 1,000 VUMC and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center physicians, nurses and staff and their guests. Pictures from that event are here.

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Kaille Meguiar, DO, MPH, an oncologist in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, has been awarded a $100,000 Hyundai Hope on Wheels Impact Award to research the psychosocial and neurocognitive outcomes of survivors of pediatric, adolescent and young adult cancers.

Hyundai Hope on Wheels, which includes funding from Hyundai Motor America and local dealerships, has awarded more than $2 million in funding to pediatric cancer researchers at Monroe Carell since 2007.

Every year, more than 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer. Thanks to advancements in treatments, approximately 85% of these children now survive five years or longer. However, there is an increasing need to address the long-term challenges survivors face beyond physical health, including higher rates of anxiety and depression; impaired task efficiency and memory; and long-term problems with attention and executive functions.

With the latest grant award to Monroe Carell, Meguiar’s work will focus on understanding how cancer and its treatment impact survivors’ mental and cognitive well-being, as well as how to better support them and their caregivers.

After completing her DO degree and internal medicine and pediatric residencies at Corewell Health/Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Meguiar joined Monroe Carell as a Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellow. During her fellowship, she developed a research project to identify the risk factors for negative psychosocial outcomes in childhood cancer survivors. Her work earned a National Institutes of Health training grant. With the support of the Hyundai Impact Award, she will expand her research by creating a cohort to study neurocognitive outcomes and develop interventions to improve survivors’ quality of life.

“I am honored to receive this award, which will allow me to continue my work focused on improving the lives of childhood cancer survivors and their families,” said Meguiar, who joined the Vanderbilt faculty in July 2025. “I look forward to advancing our understanding of these challenges and finding ways to make a meaningful difference. Thank you to Hyundai and the local dealerships for supporting this important work to enhance the comprehensive long-term care for childhood cancer survivors.”

Representatives from Hyundai and local dealerships presented a check and an honorary lab coat to Meguiar during a special celebration at Monroe Carell. The event also included patient Greta Ford, 4, and her dad, Adam, and mom, Rachel Modhal, who shared their daughter’s cancer journey with leukemia and described Meguiar as their “rock” through it all.

The event was followed by a “handprint” ceremony where cancer patients dipped their hands in paint and put their handprints on a white Hyundai Palisade, with each handprint representing their personal stories of hope and courage.

“This is about the families who inspire us every day — and the scientific pioneers, like those here today, who are leading innovative and lifesaving research,” said Scott Harrison, senior sales manager for Hyundai Motor America Southern region. “Their breakthroughs are pushing the boundaries of medicine and providing kids with treatments that were unthinkable five or 10 years ago. Because of this, more children are surviving this disease. More kids can play sports, make friends, graduate from high school, build a life for themselves and find their place in the world. More kids have a second chance at life. This is the beating heart of everything we do.”

In celebration of Hope on Wheels’ 27th anniversary, Hyundai will award $27 million in grants to institutions across the country, including Monroe Carell. HHOW has donated more than $277 million in grants since its inception in 1998.

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Stand Up to Cancer, a one-hour, commercial-free special promoting the life-saving advances of cancer research, and to raise funds for new treatments and cures, will air simultaneously on Friday night, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m., CDT on over 30 participating media platforms, including national TV networks ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX.

The one-hour broadcast special was taped at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville on Aug. 9. Before taping the broadcast, a pre-taping party was attended by approximately 1,000 VUMC and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center physicians, nurses and staff and their guests.

All four major U.S. broadcast networks will carry the show, with broadcasters donating prime time slots to support the cause. The telecast will also be available to watch on-demand across multiple digital and streaming platforms, ensuring broad and flexible access to this one-night-only event.

Those who made their way inside for the taping saw performances by the Jonas Brothers, Noah Cyrus, Gavin DeGraw, Marcus King, Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi, Jelly Roll, Dan + Shay and CeCe Winans (joined by Nashville Community Gospel Choir), as well as the host for the event, Sheryl Crow.

For more details about the show and about Stand Up to Cancer, go here.

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A two-drug combination for treating advanced kidney cancer had sustained and durable clinical benefit in more than five years of follow-up, according to a study published Aug. 1 in Nature Medicine. 

The study reports final clinical data and biomarker analyses from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-426 trial, which compared the drug combination pembrolizumab plus axitinib versus the single drug sunitinib for patients with previously untreated advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common type of kidney cancer.

“KEYNOTE-426 was the first trial to combine a PD-1 inhibitor immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) with a VEGF receptor inhibitor antiangiogenic drug (axitinib) in the first-line setting for advanced renal cell carcinoma. It therefore has the longest follow-up duration among the various trials comparing these types of drug combinations,” said Brian Rini, MD, a medical oncologist at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and the study’s lead and corresponding author. 

Immunotherapy drugs like pembrolizumab stimulate the immune system to kill tumor cells. VEGF receptor inhibitors like axitinib and sunitinib block angiogenesis — the development of blood vessels that tumors need to grow and spread. Pembrolizumab plus axitinib and other immunotherapy-antiangiogenic drug combinations are now standard first-line treatments for advanced kidney cancer. 

“Before the development of antiangiogenic drugs and immunotherapies, advanced renal cell carcinoma had a very poor prognosis. These drug combinations have dramatically improved treatment options and outcomes for patients,” said Rini, Thomas F. Frist Sr. Professor of Medicine. 

The first interim analysis of outcomes from KEYNOTE-426, published Feb. 16, 2019, in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated that trial participants treated with pembrolizumab plus axitinib had longer overall and progression-free survival, and higher objective response rates compared to those taking sunitinib. The median follow-up was 12.8 months. 

Now, with a median follow-up of 67.2 months, the current analysis confirms and extends the interim analysis and provides valuable information about biomarkers that could help guide treatment decisions. 

The study in Nature Medicine reports that pembrolizumab plus axitinib had longer overall survival (47.2 months versus 40.8 months for sunitinib) and longer progression-free survival (15.7 months versus 11.1 months for sunitinib). The objective response rate was 60.6% for pembrolizumab plus axitinib and 39.6% for sunitinib. 

The researchers reported a variety of associations between the expression of biomarkers and outcomes (overall survival, progression-free survival, objective response rate). The biomarkers they evaluated included an 18-gene T-cell-inflamed expression profile, angiogenesis signature, and PD-1 ligand expression. 

“There is an unmet need for biomarkers that are predictive of patient outcomes following treatment with available first-line therapies for advanced renal cell carcinoma,” Rini said. “Although our analysis showed potential clinical utility of some RNA signatures in identifying patients who are likely to benefit the most from each treatment, further prospective clinical studies are needed.” 

Pembrolizumab plus axitinib is a first-line treatment option for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma regardless of biomarker subtypes, he noted. 

The research was supported by the pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, which played a role in the study design and conduct.

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