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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Plant-based diets have become popular for their health and environmental benefits. 

However, these benefits may vary based on the quality of the plant foods and other foods that make up the diet. A recent study at VUMC analyzed the association of plant-based diet patterns with mortality in over 77,000 mostly Black and low-income participants in the Southern Community Cohort Study, which started in 2002.  

Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated, 89-item food frequency questionnaire. The investigators generated three measures to assess the association of diet and risk of premature death: an overall plant-based diet index (PDI) that included both healthy plant foods (such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables) and unhealthy plant foods (such as fruit juices, refined grains and potatoes); a healthy plant-based diet index (hPDI); and an unhealthy plant-based diet index (uPDI).  

The study follow-up was through 2022 with a median duration of almost 17 years. The investigators identified over 26,000 deaths during the duration of the study. The highest PDI and hPDI scores were associated with reduced mortality; while the highest uPDI scores were associated with elevated mortality. 

The findings were reported in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a journal of the American Society for Nutrition. They show a strong association between high quality plant-based diets and reduced mortality rate among low-income populations, suggesting that efforts to promote diets high in healthy plant foods and low in animal foods could improve health outcomes. 

Wei Zheng, MD, PhD, MPH, the Anne Potter Wilson Professor of Medicine and director of the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, is the corresponding author of the study. Fangcheng Yuan, a graduate student in the PhD Program in Epidemiology, is the first author. 

This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health (grant U01CA202979).

Guillermo Sanchez, PhD, is a staff scientist in the lab of Nick Zachos, PhD, associate professor of Surgery and Cell and Developmental Biology at Vanderbilt University.

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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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Walking fast for just 15 minutes per day reduced the risk of death in a large study group of mostly low-income participants. 

The research findings, published July 29 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, support promoting brisk walking as a strategy for improving health outcomes in all communities. 

Although the health benefits of walking are widely recognized, there has been limited research on the effect of factors such as walking pace on mortality, particularly in low-income and Black populations, said the study’s senior author, Wei Zheng, MD, PhD, MPH, the Anne Potter Wilson Professor of Medicine and director of the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center. 

“This is one of the few studies to quantify the effect of daily walking on mortality in a low-income and predominantly Black U.S. population,” said Zheng, who also directs the Division of Epidemiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “By demonstrating the benefits of fast walking — which is a low-cost and largely accessible activity — we provide direct evidence to inform targeted public health interventions and policies to improve health outcomes.” 

The study analyzed data from the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS), which enrolled about 85,000 participants ages 40-79 between 2002 and 2009. Most participants (86%) were recruited in collaboration with community health centers serving low-income populations across 12 southeastern states. Participants provided baseline information, including daily walking pace and time, demographic and lifestyle factors, and medical history, using structured questionnaires. 

The current study, led by first author Lili Liu, PhD, MPH, included data from 79,856 of the SCCS participants (racial groups: 66% Black, 30% white, 4% other). In the baseline survey, participants reported the average amount of time per day (in minutes) they typically spend “walking slowly (such as moving around, walking at work, walking the dog or engaging in light exercise)” and “walking fast (such as climbing stairs, brisk walking or exercising).”

The cohort was linked to the National Death Index to obtain vital status and cause of death information through Dec. 31, 2022. Over a median follow-up of 16.7 years, 26,862 deaths occurred. 

The researchers found that fast walking as little as 15 minutes per day was associated with a nearly 20% reduction in total mortality. Slow walking more than three hours per day was associated with a smaller reduction in mortality. The benefit of fast walking remained strong even after accounting for other lifestyle factors, such as leisure-time physical activity levels. 

In addition to reducing premature death from all causes, fast walking reduced death specifically from cardiovascular diseases — the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. The researchers suggested that fast walking might reduce cardiovascular mortality by improving the heart’s efficiency and output, and by reducing the prevalence of obesity and its associated cardiovascular risks such as hypertension and high cholesterol. 

“Brisk walking offers a convenient, accessible and low-impact activity that individuals of all ages and fitness levels can use to improve general health and cardiovascular health specifically,” Zheng said. 

The authors acknowledge that self-reported data on daily walking may have included other types of physical activity, which could introduce misclassification errors. Also, the physical activity data was only collected at baseline, so changes over time could not be considered. The study’s long follow-up and large sample size contribute to “robust and reliable estimates,” they noted. 

Other VUMC co-authors are Guochang Jia, PhD, Martha Shrubsole, PhD, Wanqing Wen, MD, MPH, and Staci Sudenga, PhD. The research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (grant U01CA202979).

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The first class has completed the VERTICAL Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, which provides medical and graduate school preparation for aspiring oncologists and cancer researchers.

The program was established in 2023 with financial support from the American Cancer Society, and Vanderbilt-Ingram had an inaugural class of four fellows. This was followed by the enrollment of another fellow in 2024.

“This is a two-year program that gives trainees a robust mentored research experience,” said Kimberly Dahlman, PhD, associate professor of Medicine, who is the assistant director of Research Education at Vanderbilt-Ingram. “In addition to being embedded in a cancer research laboratory, fellows also participate in professional development and cancer education activities, including career-path, lunch-and-learn sessions and cancer biology coursework.

“They are also involved in community service projects related to cancer. This program gives them dedicated time to prepare for their medical school or graduate school applications, in addition to their research experiences.”

In August, another class of four fellows will start the VERTICAL Program, which is kept small so it can be tailored to individual development plans. The participants do not receive credits toward graduate degrees, but they do become more competitive for acceptance into medical and graduate school programs.

“The VERTICAL Program gave me the final push I needed to pursue a PhD,” said Asia Miller, a member of the inaugural class from Indiana, who has a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in Biological Sciences “I was not confident in my identity as a researcher before the program, despite having done research in all four years of college. This was the best professional and personal development experience I have ever had.”

Bryan Hernandez, another inaugural class member who has a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from The University of Texas at El Paso, said he is looking forward to a career as a physician-scientist.

“The VERTICAL Program provided me with the perfect combination of structured mentoring and independent guidance throughout my two years in the program,” Hernandez said. “This dynamic exposed me to more robust career-building opportunities in areas of cancer research and medicine I was not previously familiar with. Thanks to my time in the VERTICAL Program, I was able to progress into the next formative step in my intended career path as a physician-scientist with a newfound outlook on the field of science and medicine I had been interested in.”

VERTICAL is an acronym for Vanderbilt Education Research and Training in Cancer and Leadership Program. It is open to individuals with bachelor’s degrees from nationally accredited colleges or universities who desire to pursue doctoral degrees and careers in science or medicine with a focus on cancer. Participants are paid a living wage.

“We also pay for MCAT preparation for fellows who want to take the MCAT for medical school applications,” said Dahlman, who is also co-director of the third- and fourth-year undergraduate medical education curriculum at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

VERTICAL fellows at Vanderbilt-Ingram are also offered the opportunity to do clinical shadowing and are provided financial support to attend one conference a year to present their research.

Vanderbilt-Ingram was selected as one of the five initial pilot locations for the postbaccalaureate fellows program, which was started by the American Cancer Society. Each of the pilot institutions has its own name for the program. Debra Friedman, MD, MS, holder of the E. Bronson Ingram Chair in Pediatric Oncology and deputy director of Vanderbilt-Ingram, serves as assistant director of the VERTICAL Program. Caroline Hartford is the senior program manager of VERTICAL.

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A new prospective clinical trial with updated data on COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths among patients with cancer confirms the importance of vaccination and sheds light on which conditions put patients most at risk. 

Patients who had been vaccinated had a 50% reduction in risk of hospitalization, according to data from the National Cancer Institute COVID-19 in Cancer Patients Study (NCCAPS) published July 17 in JAMA Oncology.

Death incidence was highest in patients with lymphoma, intermediate in patients with acute leukemia and lung cancer, and lowest in patients with other solid tumors or with blood cancers other than lymphoma. Patients who had undergone chemotherapy or who had a history of stroke, atrial fibrillation and pulmonary embolism were at higher risk for hospitalization. 

The finding that patients with lymphoma had the highest risk of death suggests a potential detrimental effect of B-cell-depleting therapy on COVID-19 outcomes, the study stated, but the authors noted that this hypothesis was confounded by the inherent immunosuppression in patients with lymphoma. 

“These results are important because they represent the only prospective clinical trial in patients with a recent diagnosis of COVID and an active cancer undergoing therapy,” said the study’s lead author Brian Rini, MD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and Thomas F. Frist Sr. Professor of Medicine. 

Rini is one of two principal investigators of NCCAPS. The other is Lorissa Korde, MD, with NCI’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, who is the study’s senior author. Patients were accrued for the study between 2020 and 2022, and the statistical analysis took place between September 2024 and April 2025. 

The study involved 1,572 adult patients who had a COVID-19 diagnosis within 14 days while receiving active treatment for cancer or had a prior stem cell transplant or CAR-T cellular treatment therapy. In addition to outcomes, investigators analyzed COVID-19 therapies patients received and disruptions in cancer treatment. The most common type of disruption was a delayed cancer treatment. 

The majority of patients had already been accrued for analysis before the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization for the antiviral treatment nirmatrelvir with ritonavir, which is most commonly known by its brand name, Paxlovid. Of the patients who enrolled in the study after the first COVID-19 vaccine received FDA emergency use authorization, 41.5% were fully vaccinated. 

“These data provide a road map to protect the most vulnerable cancer populations not only from COVID, but from potential future pandemics,” Rini said. 

Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 within 90 days of enrollment accounted for 18.4% of the study group. Among the hospitalized patients, 23.4% were admitted to an intensive care unit.  

The study was funded in part by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and also by the National Cancer Institute National Clinical Trials Network, Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network, and Community Oncology Research Program grants via the U10 funding mechanism.  

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Susan G. Komen has awarded $10.8 million in new research grants that will help propel innovative science and deliver hope to those facing breast cancer. The grant recipients include three researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The grants support 25 cutting-edge projects at 17 institutions — marking a powerful commitment to improving outcomes for people living with breast cancer today and in the future.

“We are proud to support these exceptional researchers who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in breast cancer science,” said Paula Schneider, president and CEO of Susan G. Komen. “Research saves lives, and now more than ever, we must invest in science that brings hope to patients — especially those facing the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.”

The three VUMC researchers were each awarded Komen Leadership Grants of $400,000. The Komen Leadership Grant Program supports innovative, hypothesis-driven breast cancer research that aligns with Komen’s mission to save lives and improve personalized care and outcomes for all. Open to Komen’s Scientific Advisors and to Komen Scholars, the program funds bold, high-risk/high-reward projects with the potential to significantly advance the field of breast cancer research.

The VUMC recipients are Tuya Pal, MD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Medicine; Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology and professor of Medicine; and Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Biochemistry.

Through this research investment, Komen is prioritizing the most pressing challenges facing patients, including metastatic breast cancer, optimal health for all and the need for more precise, personalized treatment strategies to improve care and outcomes for everyone impacted by breast cancer.

“Komen’s commitment to breast cancer research comes at a pivotal time and will drive meaningful advances in our understanding of the disease and care of patients,” said Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, Chief Scientific Advisor for Komen. “By fueling science that is both innovative and inclusive, we’re accelerating progress where patients need it most — while building a foundation for individualized care for all.”

Komen is the largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer research outside the U.S. government, investing nearly $1.1 billion since its inception. Unlike many research institutions, Komen’s work is powered entirely by the generosity of individual donors, corporate partners and community supporters.

“Investing in top scientific talent is one of the most powerful ways we can drive progress,” said Pietenpol, PhD, Chief Scientific Advisor for Komen. “Komen’s commitment, especially to early-career researchers, cultivates a vibrant ecosystem where bold ideas and pioneering research can thrive, accelerating our path toward the cures we urgently seek.”

Pietenpol holds the Brock Family Directorship in Career Development at VUMC. Park is director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and a member of the Komen Scientific Advisory Board. Pal is a Komen Scholar.

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