News — SEATTLE — Oct. 8, 2024 — Below are summaries of recent Fred Hutch Cancer Center research findings, patient stories and other news.
October is the awareness month for and cancers. Reach out to [email protected] if you’re looking for experts.
Advancements at Fred Hutch
Four NCI-designated cancer centers — the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins — have joined forces to create the Cancer AI Alliance (CAIA). With funding from the tech industry, CAIA will apply AI to collective data to unlock insights that will transform cancer research and care. Fred Hutch, which spearheaded the formation, will serve as the alliance’s coordinating center.
Media contact: [email protected]
Fred Hutch has added over 300,000 square feet of research, lab and adaptable space through an agreement through an acquisition and joint partnership of three buildings. The investment replaces plans for a new building funded by gifts from Stuart and Molly Sloan and the Bezos family.
Media contact: Kat Wynn, [email protected]
Clinical research
Nearly two-thirds of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa occur in women, with (BV) raising this risk. BV is the overgrowth of bacteria in the vaginal microbiome. Published in , Fred Hutch scientists and a team of global organizers discovered 14 BV-associated bacteria causing the highest risk of HIV infection. Microbiologist , says these findings can support providing individuals identified at a higher risk with intervening treatments.
Media contact: Claire Hudson, [email protected]
Research published in has identified a substantial increase in pharmaceutical industry-sponsored clinical trials. The data, also presented at the , show that industry-sponsored trials enrolled over eight times more patients than federally sponsored trials, and 10 times more for adult-specific trials. According to , federally-funded trials play a critical role in promoting demographic diversity and covering a broader set of clinical research.
Media contact: Claire Hudson, [email protected]
New research grants
Adrianne Wallace-Povirk, PhD, and Anderson Frank, PhD, have each received a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship. Wallace-Povirk won a two-year fellowship to find new drug targets and anticipate potential drug resistance combatting a particularly aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. Frank won a three-year fellowship to better understand a complex cellular mechanism that helps cells properly divide.
Media contact: Molly McElroy, [email protected]
Fred Hutch researchers received $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to study five rare liver cancers. and will use this funding to study the molecular biology of rare liver tumors, which will be shared publicly through the program which Gujral directs. Data generated by the aims to accelerate the development of possible drugs and therapies.
Media contact: Molly McElroy, [email protected]
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Last month Fred Hutch, led by , launched the , an online resource with over 380 scientists to foster community and mentorship opportunities. A showed that while the proportion of Hispanic and Latinx individuals in STEM fields rose from 11% to 15% from 2011 to 2021, 2022 data showed only . According to Termini, the atlas is a step towards advancing representation in the scientific community.
Media contact: Claire Hudson, [email protected]
The received a $1.35 million, five-year grant earlier this year from the . The award will launch a science education and training program called Reducing Inequities by Promoting Participatory Learning Experiences in Sciences (RIPPLES). RIPPLES aims to encourage underrepresented middle and high school students to pursue STEM fields and advance health disparities research. , is the program’s principal investigator.
Media contact: Kat Wynn, [email protected]
This episode of Fred Hutch’s ’s podcast features Andrea Suzuki, patient navigator, and Lucy Echevarria, bilingual clinical trial specialist with the . Suzuki and Echevarria share resources and discuss common questions and misconceptions around clinical trials.
Media contact: Kat Wynn, [email protected]
Volunteer stories
During treatment for , piano teacher Michelle Park vowed to play piano at Fred Hutch. Park’s treatment involved a bone marrow transplant and Phase 1 clinical trial recommended by , holder of the Miklos Kohary and Natalia Zimonyi Kohary Chair. Despite contending with when she first began, Park has been playing piano as a volunteer for over six years.
Media contact: [email protected]
Bill Conquergood is one of a dozen volunteer drivers that transport out-of-state patients to and from the airport. Conquergood, a retired contract negotiator, shared some of his many stories with Fred Hutch patients and their families.
Media contact: [email protected]
Every Friday Kalisa Owens and her mother Marlo Burkey volunteer at the Fred Hutch gift shop. Owens was diagnosed with colon cancer seven years ago at age 30 and Burkey was her caretaker. Owens is currently receiving her follow-up care at Fred Hutch. The pair reflect on their connections with patients and visitors.
Media contact: [email protected]
Stefanie LeJeunesse, a volunteer patient advocate currently receiving care for stage 4 breast cancer, has been a community organizer since childhood. Today she hosts a podcast, attends events and runs a Breast Cancer Care — a van providing information and support. According to LeJeunesse’s medical oncologist , patient advocates have been pivotal in advancing research.
Media contact: [email protected]
Tasia Baldwin works as a (SVTU) , a Fred Hutch-based program that focuses on preventive and observational HIV studies. The SVTU was formed to find ways to prevent and cure HIV. For nearly a decade, Baldwin has helped educate her communities about these efforts and how they can get involved, acknowledging that HIV disproportionately impacts Black, Brown and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Media contact: [email protected]
Science spotlight
is a monthly installment of articles written by postdoctoral fellows that summarizes new research papers from Fred Hutch scientists. If you’re interested in learning more or covering these topics, contact [email protected]
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Fred Hutch Cancer Center unites individualized care and advanced research to provide the latest cancer treatment options while accelerating discoveries that prevent, treat and cure cancer and infectious diseases worldwide.
Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is an independent, nonprofit organization and the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington. We have earned a global reputation for our track record of discoveries in cancer, infectious disease and basic research, including important advances in bone marrow transplantation, immunotherapy, HIV/AIDS prevention and COVID-19 vaccines. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services. Fred Hutch also serves as UW Medicine’s cancer program.
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