Kucc beyond the bench by Theresa Jernigan

Beyond the

Bench 2017

On the cover: Joaquina Baranda, M.D., and Weijing Sun, M.D. Beyond the Bench is published annually to highlight research advances from The University of Kansas Cancer Center. Managing Editor Christine Wilson Editor Donna Peck Writer/Editor Pauline Horton Product/Art Direction Jessica Leib Design Theresa Jernigan Photography Elissa Monroe

From the Director I am pleased to present our annual publication, Beyond the Bench, which highlights some of The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s most exciting cancer research efforts over the past year. For some time, the KU Cancer Center has been on an exciting upward trajectory: offering cutting-edge clinical trials, advancing breakthrough lab discoveries and acquiring the brightest minds in research. As a result, we’ve helped to reduce the number of cancer deaths and advance the field while also laying the groundwork for the next leap forward in research and care. Last year, we highlighted Ciclopirox Prodrug, the first KU Cancer Center-invented cancer drug to move from bench to bedside. I am proud to announce that it will be moving into early phase first-inhuman clinical trials in early 2018. We also discussed our efforts in strengthening collaborations with Children’s Mercy. In July, Children’s Mercy became a National Cancer Institute (NC I)-approved Consortium Partner, joining existing member Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Together, our reach is broader, bench strength is deeper and efforts are amplified. We are more than 350 cancer researchers and physicians strong. Currently, pediatric cancer research receives only four percent of the NCI’s overall budget; this partnership bridges the gap, fortifying research and treatment efforts across the entire lifespan of our patients. In the pages that follow, Dr. Tom Curran, chief scientific officer and executive director of the Children’s Research Institute at Children’s Mercy, elaborates on what this alliance means to our community. You will also read about a one-of-a-kind registry that captures the nuances of triple-negative breast cancer in individual patients and how its data is helping to

inform research globally. You will learn about our investigator-initiated clinical trials, ideas born here at KU Cancer Center that are taken into the clinic and have the potential to change the standard of care. We also highlight efforts to connect with communities that often fly below the radar when it comes to cancer prevention and care. This research illustrates the future of cancer therapy and prevention: increasingly personalized, precise and innovative. The work recognized in these pages is testimony to our dedicated – and growing – team. We recently welcomed Dr. Weijing Sun, director of medical oncology and associate director for clinical research. His arrival is crucial to the success of our center, and I hope you enjoy learning more about him and his vision in the following pages. We are also in the process of filling four first-of-its-kind endowed chair appointments made possible by support from four individual donors and four foundations. The endowed chairs will work for Children’s Mercy and have joint faculty appointments with KU Cancer Center. The journey to a cancer-free Kansas and beyond is a labyrinthine one. But we are making progress. While this report reflects The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s recent accomplishments, it also serves as an indicator of a promising future. As I look ahead, I believe we are poised to make another surge forward in the war on cancer. With gratitude,

Roy A. Jensen, M.D. Director, The University of Kansas Cancer Center Director, Kansas Masonic Cancer Research Institute Beyond the Bench | 2017

A Bright Future, Bold Vision for KU Cancer Center This past September, The University of Kansas Cancer Center made a giant leap forward in its quest to further enhance its position as a national leader in cancer research and care. Weijing Sun, M.D., joined KU Cancer Center as division director of medical oncology and associate director for clinical research. As associate director for clinical research, Sun will be pivotal in further expanding our clinical research efforts, as well as charged with overseeing KU Cancer Center’s portfolio of support and infrastructure for clinical investigators. As medical oncology division director, Sun will oversee the growth and development of KU Cancer Center’s faculty and ensure they are ready to meet the daunting challenges posed by cancer in the 21st century.

A focus on research Prior to joining KU Cancer Center, Sun served as a professor of medicine in the division of medical oncology at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as director of the gastrointestinal cancers section of hematology-oncology and co-director of the UPMC Gastrointestinal Cancer Center of Excellence. Sun spent many years early on in his career doing research at the bench. As a fellow, he chose to focus on gastrointestinal cancer because at the time there was only one systemic therapy agent available for patients with this type of cancer.

This professorship was funded through a lead gift from the Sprint Foundation, with additional support from the Hall Family Foundation.

It was KU Cancer Center’s talented team, impressive drug discovery and clinical research programs, as well as clinical trial accruals, that ultimately swayed Sun to join the KU Cancer Center team. He intends to further strengthen and capitalize on these key attributes in his new role.

Roy Jensen, M.D., director of the KU Cancer Center, praises Sun as an internationally renowned gastrointestinal oncologist who has played a key role in defining the current approach to treating a range of GI malignancies.

Sun points out that in order to quickly move new therapies from bench to bedside, national pharmaceutical and drug development companies need to recognize the depth and breadth of KU Cancer Center’s resources.

“Dr. Sun did an outstanding job building a strong team focused on the multi-disciplinary care of patients with cancer during his time at the University of PittsburghHillman Cancer Center and University of PennsylvaniaAbramson Cancer Center. And his proven track record of mentoring young faculty is essential to the further growth of our cancer center,” Jensen says.

“We have a unique state-of-the-art facility, the Clinical Research Center, as well as a sophisticated drug delivery team,” Sun says. “We need to bring these drug developers to the center of the country so they can see what we are doing.” KU Cancer Center basic scientists and clinicians work closely together, bridging the gap between

the laboratory and application in the clinic. The path to market, Sun notes, is becoming increasingly streamlined, and KU Cancer Center makes for an ideal partnership with pharmaceutical companies. Building and strengthening the KU Cancer Center team is another initiative on Sun’s list. Researchers who also see patients in the clinic, called physician-scientists, must balance their time between providing patient care and performing research. “Not only do we follow and uphold the standard of cancer care, we also redefine and establish that standard. The research is what differentiates us,” Sun says. Therefore, it is important to grow a culture that empowers investigators to make the time for their research. “Research is an investment. If an investigator takes the time to write grants and proposals but doesn’t receive it, it should not be viewed as a loss. Failure can be a part of the research process towards success. We need to reward and protect these efforts.” Sun says. This kind of approach makes for loyal and passionate employees, who in turn can become KU Cancer Center’s best spokespeople. “We dedicate our lives to finding better ways to treat cancer. We are in the lab, in the clinic, at conferences, writing papers and serving on journal review boards. We are out there representing KU Cancer Center,” Sun says. Sun points out that this is another tactic in not just empowering people, but also elevating KU Cancer Center’s reputation locally and nationally. Sun’s vision, which includes fostering a researchfriendly environment, recruiting bright and talented physician-scientists and expanding clinical trial offerings, centers around one thing: the patient. “We are not just following standard of care at KU Cancer Center, we are creating the future standard of care,” Sun says. “Our patients deserve the very best.” 

| Weijing Sun, M.D.

Beyond the Bench | 2017

| Tom Curran, Ph.D., FRS

A New Chapter in Pediatric Cancer Research As physicians and scientists, we have a moral obligation to learn from every patient encounter to improve the care and outcome for the next child.

In 2017, the National Cancer Institute recognized Children’s Mercy as a formal consortium partner of The University of Kansas Cancer Center. Together, we are working to advance childhood cancer research. Tom Curran, Ph.D., FRS, chief scientific officer and executive director of Children’s Mercy Children’s Research Institute, discusses this alliance and what it means for the future of childhood cancer therapy.

Childhood cancer is the number one killer by disease among children. This year alone, an estimated 15,270 children and adolescents will be diagnosed with cancer and 1,790 will die of the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute. Despite these heartbreaking stats, only four percent of the National Institute of Health’s budget is dedicated to children’s cancer research. It is unacceptable that children have to wait until new approaches are pioneered or tested out on adults before they have access to those concepts and ideas. The only way we’re going to provide a brighter future for these children is through a robust translational research enterprise focused on developing groundbreaking treatments. Translational research embodies the entire continuum of care from bench to bedside and back. This includes basic research discovery, implementation of new approaches in clinical trials and disseminating new treatments into everyday practice. And we’re on the cusp of making great strides in translational research right here in our own backyard. In 2015, Children’s Mercy established the Children’s Research Institute dedicated to conducting pediatric translational research. While we support research broadly, we’re building on our strengths in clinical pharmacology, health services and outcomes research, innovation in health care delivery and genomic

medicine. Genome sciences is an exciting area in cancer research right now. If you look at all the genes in the genome, you can find one that is defective in cancer that allows for a treatment choice you wouldn’t have otherwise had. This is just one of the areas where we can make a difference. Communication is also paramount to the success of the program. Clinicians and scientists need to work in tandem, sharing information in real-time, not only within the Children’s Mercy organization, but with our peers here in Kansas City. That’s why we teamed up with KU Cancer Center to identify collaborative ways to explore medical innovations and increase pediatric research efforts that would benefit children with cancer. Last year, we combined our pediatric oncology departments. And this summer, KU Cancer Center announced the renewal of its National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation as well as the approval of Children’s Mercy as an official consortium partner. Together we want to support projects based on really strong science that are ready to make the transition to the clinic. That`s the hardest part of what we call translational cancer research. Translational cancer research translates scientific knowledge into medical advances. We are dedicated to becoming a leader in pediatric translational research and making Kansas City a worldclass research destination. It is this commitment that will lead to breakthroughs in treating, diagnosing and preventing complex childhood diseases. We have an opportunity to change the lives of children by conducting research that will deliver cures, understanding or diagnostics that go beyond the individual patient. So, in a sense, by treating one child here at Children’s Mercy, we may impact thousands elsewhere. My personal goal is to deliver medicines to children that take advantage of the very latest science. By learning from our patients, particularly those whose needs are not being met by the existing standard of care, we will constantly strive to move medicine forward. We owe it to our children to be the best, and to provide access to the latest science and technology. 

Beyond the Bench | 2017

Moving Homegrown Ideas into the Clinic Bringing new cancer therapies to the broader patient population is a multi-faceted process. Whether it’s a new therapy, revised method of surgery or novel combination of the two, it must always be first tested in humans before becoming approved standard of care. The majority of human trials are conducted by the pharmaceutical industry. Institutions across the United States including The University of Kansas Cancer Center support these clinical trials as patient sites, closely following the pharmaceutical company’s guidelines, administering the treatment and then monitoring the patient. All data is sent to the company for analysis. Not all clinical trials follow this path: a researcher with an idea can also design and initiate a clinical trial. Called an Investigator-Initiated Trial, or IIT, the idea is born and grown at academic medical institutions like KU Cancer Center. Pharmaceutical clinical trials typically test a new therapy for a specific issue; they do not investigate all potential uses for the new therapy. The goal of an IIT is not always to test a new therapy, but to find new or revised applications for already-approved products. IIT’s expand product knowledge, including safety. IIT’s are a niche academic area, and it takes a complex support system in order to execute the study conception, quality control and quality assurance, design and data analysis and interpretation. Qamar Khan, M.D., associate professor of medicine, has led seven breast cancer IIT’s in his career.

“The National Cancer Institute views IITs as an indicator of cutting-edge research. With an IIT, we come up with the idea, we design the trial and we obtain our own funding,” Khan says. “It is 100 percent our own.” Melissa Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, balances patient care with research. Her interest is in reducing overuse of radiation therapy in certain breast cancer subpopulations. “When I was in graduate school, I knew I wanted to conduct research and treat patients,” Mitchell says. “When you are in charge of your own clinical trial, you have the opportunity to change standard of care and therefore drastically change the outcome for an entire group of patients – not just the ones who walk through your clinic.” Observation leads to innovation For many physician-scientists, inspiration comes from their patients. “The research questions always come after my interactions with my patients in the clinic. You find the unmet need for that particular situation,” Khan says. For example, it is standard treatment for women with estrogen-receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cancer to undergo a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy treatment. “We wondered if these patients would benefit from treatment before surgery. Then we could study the biology of cancer, allowing us to personalize the treatment to the individual patient,” Khan says. This thought spurred a small clinical trial testing

a combination of two therapies in women with ER-positive breast cancer with the hope that they may be able to avoid chemotherapy while still effectively treating the disease. The trial has revealed encouraging results, and Khan is preparing for the next phase, which will take place at 10 centers across the United States. Siteman Cancer Center, an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, will analyze biopsy samples. KU Cancer Center will monitor and conduct the trial. “This next phase is a completely unique model – a large investigator-led, multi-center trial,” Khan says. “A collaboration of so many NCI-designated cancer centers participating in an IIT is unprecedented.” For Mitchell, it was remarks made by her patients that propelled her towards one of her investigatorinitiated trials. “Some patients are more fearful of radiation than any other component of their cancer care. Several of my patients who had no cancer left after chemotherapy questioned why they need radiation. It is standard of care to give radiation to anyone with breast cancer undergoing lumpectomy, as we know there is a survival benefit. However, in HER2-positive breast cancer patients, newer targeted agents have drastically improved outcomes, and studies have begun to question whether radiation is actually needed for these patients,” she says. Mitchell was cautious, but looked closely at the data. She was encouraged by what she saw and consequently initiated a trial that will study the effects of omitting radiation as part of overall therapy. “This is a first-in-kind trial,” Mitchell says. “No one else is doing this.” Every clinical trial has a long journey before it makes it to the broader patient population. But KU Cancer Center’s curious, passionate investigators are dedicated to developing the latest in cancer care. “We ask the questions that could lead to the next cutting-edge cancer therapy,” Mitchell says. “Our patients have the opportunity to receive the latest treatment before it’s even available to the broader patient population.” 

| Qamar Khan, M.D., and Melissa Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D.

Beyond the Bench | 2017

| Andrew Godwin, Ph.D., and Pryanka Sharma, M.D.

Deepening our Understanding of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Every cancer case is unique. As a cancer grows, new and different types of cancer cells are created within that same tumor. By the time it becomes detectable, the tumor can consist of millions of cells. Molecular and genetic information determines a cancer’s subtype. One such subtype of breast cancer is triple-negative, which medical oncologist Priyanka Sharma, M.D., has been studying her entire career. “We define triple-negative breast cancer by what it isn’t,” Sharma says. “It tests negative for the three most common factors that fuel breast cancer growth: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2.” About 15 percent of breast cancer cases are triplenegative. Depending on the stage of diagnosis, it can be particularly aggressive and more likely to recur than other subtypes. It has the lowest survival rate of all breast cancer subtypes. Triple-negative breast cancer is heterogeneous which means that at a biological level it has several variations and additional subtypes. The nuances that distinguish one case from another can be significant enough to require adjustments in treatment and inclusion/ exclusion from clinical trials. Looking beyond triple-negative as a subtype In 2011, Sharma established a triple-negative breast cancer registry with the goal of gathering more clinical information and accompanying biospecimen (blood and/ or tumor) samples from patients with this type of cancer. “I wanted to build a detailed landscape of the disease,” Sharma says.

With their consent, data is gathered from every patient regardless of cancer stage. About 900 patients have participated in the registry thus far. “Each patient holds unique information about their individual disease,” Sharma notes. “The majority of patients seen in breast cancer clinics do not participate in clinical trials either because they do not have access or the eligibility criteria are too narrow. Our registry does not have strict guidelines.” Institutions and investigators may collect blood samples from every patient who walks in their door. However, unlike KU Cancer Center’s registry, most don’t collect both blood and tumor specimens, along with wellcharacterized clinical information and prospective follow-up. Sharma is not aware of any similar prospective registries that exist. The most unique aspect of the registry, Sharma points out, is that it collects data from multiple institutions in a variety of settings. Several sites across Kansas participate, including a few Midwest Cancer Alliance partners in rural areas. The broad patient population gives researchers a panoramic view of the disease. “If a researcher has a question about a specific set of triple-negative patients, say, stage 3 patients who have undergone a mastectomy, the information is there,” Sharma says. The registry helps provide data needed to develop scientific questions that are clinically meaningful to patients and researchers. This in turn helps design clinical trials that are critical to furthering treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer.

Over time, Sharma hopes to utilize this information to study biological markers that predict which triplenegative cancers are less likely to be cured with standard chemotherapy and thus have the highest risk of recurring. That knowledge would allow researchers to devise clinical trials with novel agents for these particular patients. A key instrument in Precision Medicine KU Cancer Center deputy director and KU Medical Center director of molecular oncology Andrew Godwin, Ph.D., has worked closely with Sharma on developing this registry, which helps support the movement towards precision medicine, an approach that customizes treatment based on an individual’s genes, environment and lifestyle. “The information gleaned from these patients can be used to establish new therapeutic approaches for subpopulations of triple-negative breast cancer patients and help us better predict how a specific patient may respond to a given therapy. Our goal in precision medicine is to expand this type of approach to other diseases so we can provide the best possible care to patients in our region,” Godwin says. The first published finding to come out of the registry involved testing the prevalence of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation in patients. Women with this mutation have a risk of breast cancer that is about five times the normal risk. Researchers found that 15 percent of triplenegative patients have this mutation. “This finding demonstrates that testing may better predict chances of developing triple-negative breast cancer. This has the potential to alter genetic testing guidelines, including its coverage by insurance,” Sharma notes. Two grants and 14 high-impact publications from Sharma and Godwin have come out of accessing information and samples from this registry, and there are more to come. Sharma is at the end of a two-arm platinum-based therapy clinical trial utilizing registry data. Next, she will be studying an immunotherapy treatment. “Every finding from this registry leads to a better understanding, which will hopefully lead to improved treatment,” Sharma says. 

Beyond the Bench | 2017

Honoring sacred traditions

A Tailored Approach to Minority Tobacco Cessation Programs The adage, “cancer does not discriminate,” can be misleading. It often seems that cancer incidence and death is random and unpredictable. Sometimes that is the case. However, cancer rates and trends across all populations clearly indicate that some groups are affected more than others. Many racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S. have higher death rates from cancer than whites. A host of factors attribute to these disparities including awareness of prevention strategies and access to screenings and care. The University of Kansas Cancer Center established its Cancer Control & Population Health research program to identify better ways to bring cancer control efforts to such high-risk and underserved communities. Kansas has a diverse population that includes African Americans, American Indians, Latinos and people in rural areas. KU Cancer Center researchers are working to bridge the gap in cancer prevention and care, reaching out to communities that often fly under the research radar. Researching and developing culturally-tailored tobacco cessation strategies is one of the program’s primary areas of focus. Decades-long collaboration connects researchers with patients African Americans usually smoke fewer cigarettes and start smoking at an older age. Yet they are more likely to die from smoking-related diseases, including cancer. Lisa Sanderson Cox, Ph.D., research associate professor, and Nikki Nollen, Ph.D., associate professor, are looking at ways to customize tobacco cessation treatment plans for African Americans.

“Underserved communities have reduced access to tobacco treatment. Their disease burden related to tobacco is much higher than the general population,” Cox says. “They are a very important group to reach out to.” Complicating matters, African Americans are underrepresented in clinical trials. “These trials are designed to identify effective courses of tobacco cessation. The clinical trial participants need to represent the actual patients who may follow the course of treatment,” Nollen says. Cox adds that this gap can be problematic, noting that of the hundreds of tobacco cessation trials that have been conducted, only a handful have exclusively studied African Americans.

American Indians have the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking, approximately 30 to 40 percent, compared to all other groups in the United States. Won Choi, Ph.D., professor, and Christine Daley, Ph.D., MA, SM, professor and director for the Center for American Indian Community Health (CAICH), have worked with American Indians for about 15 years to address this challenge. Factors influencing their higher rate of cigarette smoking include socio-economic issues and a lack of effective culturally tailored programs. Similar to African Americans, American Indians are seldom exclusively studied when it comes to tobacco research. In response to this, a program developed specifically for American Indians called “All Nations Breath of Life” was established by KU Medical Center’s CAICH researchers and regional American Indian communities. It is the first scientifically tested culturally tailored smoking cessation program designed for this group. Tobacco is viewed as a sacred plant, and All Nations Breath of Life promotes honoring it rather than abusing it recreationally. The American Indians who take part in the program research are more than participants – they are partners. This approach, called community-based participatory research, gives all stakeholders an equitable part in decision-making and ownership.

Results from these studies help direct the best ways to treat patients, so it is important that the recommended treatments are effective for a variety of people.

“Traditionally, the scientist drives the research. Here, it’s the community. They remain an equal teammate at every step,” Choi says.

To tackle this issue, Cox and Nollen have helped foster a 20-year relationship with Swope Health Services Central, a Federally Qualified Health Center located in Kansas City, Missouri. More than 85 percent of Swope’s patient population is African American.

Most recently, Choi and Daley partnered with tribal colleges to target college smokers. Funded by a National Institutes of Health RO1 grant, the five-year study will examine the effect of an internet-based All Nations Breath of Life program on participants.

Several funded tobacco cessation trials have taken place with this group. Most recently, Cox and Nollen worked with more than 1,000 African American smokers to evaluate the effect of a non-nicotine and nicotine replacement medication for tobacco use treatment.

While focusing on underserved populations can lead to unique challenges, KU Cancer Center researchers are committed to bridging the gap in treatment.

Through this partnership with Swope, more than 3,100 African American smokers to date have received no-cost medication or counseling to improve health behaviors.

“It takes time to establish these partnerships, but we have found that if you develop relationships within the community and establish a trusting space, people will participate in research,” Cox says. “It is possible to overcome barriers.” 

| Won Choi, Ph.D., Lisa Sanderson Cox, Ph.D., and Nikki Nollen, Ph.D.

Beyond the Bench | 2017

| Bill Hall of the Hall Family Foundation

“I don’t think any of us expected it to happen as quickly as it did. It’s a tribute to a lot of people,” Hall says.

A Driving Force in the Community

The journey to NCI designation was not without obstacles. According to Hall, each of these was met head-on, with Dr. Jensen at the helm. “He never quit,” Hall says. “The most important function of the Foundation is to find the right people and invest in them. He was the right person, and he assembled the right team.” KU Cancer Center’s next chapter

It’s been about 15 years since the University of Kansas Medical Center set its sights on achieving National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation. Since this goal was initially declared, and then achieved in 2012, it has served as the impetus to many other milestones. Something this ambitious isn’t possible without committed supporters. Over the years, leaders within the institution and broader Kansas City community have helped take on the bold challenge, advocating and guiding at every step. Bill Hall has been one of those stalwart figures in KU Cancer Center’s evolution. The Hall Family Foundation’s early backing has not only made a significant impact to the institution, but also rippled through the region, transforming Kansas City’s biomedical community. Filling in the pieces of the puzzle The journey to NCI designation began with a conversation with leaders at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. “They said that in order for their institute and the greater community to stay competitive in the biomedical industry, we first needed a local NCI-designated academic partner,” Hall says. This unmet need was the perfect fit for the Hall Family Foundation, which views its primary function as that of a catalyst. It supports innovative initiatives while striving to create permanent solutions to community needs. Buy-in from the University of Kansas was one early hurdle. Robert Hemenway, who was Chancellor at the time, made NCI designation the institution’s number one priority.

“At a university where there are so many important initiatives, he stood his ground. That’s a tough thing to do. Chancellor Hemenway deserves a lot of credit for putting his shoulder behind this,” Hall says. Like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, the Hall Family Foundation and other supporters began to assemble the necessary components of the center. One of the most important pieces to the puzzle? A visionary leader. “When Roy Jensen visited we saw his passion,” Hall reflects. “We were convinced we had the right person in order to have a chance at achieving NCI designation.” Other pieces fell into place, including the passing of the Johnson County Education Research Triangle one-eighth-cent sales tax, which funded the KU Clinical Research Center (CRC) that houses early-phase clinical trials. In 2010, the Hall Family Foundation committed $18 million to KU Cancer Center, with $12 million earmarked to recruit scientists and researchers. The remainder financed the CRC. The Hall Foundation also played an integral role in bringing Truman Medical Center on as an active and collaborative partner of the Midwest Cancer Alliance, the cancer center’s outreach arm. “Truman is a fixture in the community, and it was imperative that we work with Kansas City’s primary public hospital,” Hall says. When news broke in 2012 that KU Cancer Center had received NCI designation – one of only 69 centers in the United States to have such a designation – Hall recalls being “pleasantly surprised.”

Last summer, in addition to KU Cancer Center’s NCI renewal, Children’s Mercy became an official recognized member of the Consortium, joining existing partner Stowers Institute for Medical Research. The Hall Foundation is among a group of donors that are funding four first-of-their-kind endowed chair positions that will share appointments at both KU Cancer Center and Children’s Mercy. The endowed chair positions focus on genomics, health outcomes, hematological malignancies and immunotherapy. These positions help to further integrate pediatric research efforts while providing enhanced clinical care for children. Assembling the top research entities in Kansas City to create one powerhouse has helped position the region as a burgeoning biomedical hub. The Hall Foundation has been a driving force for KU Cancer Center’s success, but for the community as well. “We’ve created a triangle: KU Cancer Center, Stowers and Children’s Mercy,” Hall says. “What’s happening between these three institutions is incredible, and it’s positioning our city to become an even more significant player in the biomedical field.” 

Please consider making a donation to The University of Kansas Cancer Center today. Every gift—no matter the size—helps us prevent, treat, and cure cancer. Your support moves us further down the path to discoveries that will end cancer. Visit www.kuendowment.org/cancer to make a gift online, or contact Randall Roberts, KU Endowment, for more information at 913-562-2702. Beyond the Bench | 2017

Awards and Recognition

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dward Ellerbeck, M.D., MPH, co-director, cancer control & population health, received the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award. The award, better known as “The Jayhawk,” is the Executive Dean’s most prestigious mentoring award. The Jayhawk acknowledges the exceptional efforts of professors who ensure junior faculty achieve their full potential in areas of service, research and teaching. Ellerbeck leads the institutional career development core for the Frontiers Center for Clinical and Translational Research, which is designed to support the development of translational research across Kansas and the surrounding region.

imber Richter, Ph.D., MPH, professor of preventive medicine and public health, received a 2017 University Scholarly Achievement Award, which recognizes significant scholarly or research achievement for scholars in the middle of their careers. She has conducted studies among many underserved, high-risk populations including people with substance use disorders, the homeless and rural smokers. Richter’s research has expanded the population-wide reach of tobacco treatment in hospitals and substance use treatment facilities. Richter is the founder and clinical director of UKanQuit, a hospital bedside smoking cessation service that serves more than 1,500 smokers each year.

yron J. Gajewski, Ph.D., director of KU Cancer Center’s biostatistics & informatics shared resource, has been elected as a fellow of the American Statistical Association (ASA). Each year, only one-third of one percent of ASA members receive this honor. Gajewski was recognized by ASA for his groundbreaking work developing and applying innovative statistical methods to outcomes research; for development and application of Bayesian adaptive clinical designs; for outstanding teaching and mentoring; and for service to the profession. The ASA is the largest professional association for statisticians in the world.

Cancer Center Director’s Awards This awards program was launched in 2016 by The University of Kansas Cancer Center director Roy Jensen, M.D., and recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in the past year to its mission of reducing the burden of cancer in our region. The 2017 award recipients are: • Basic Science: Linheng Li, Ph.D., co-leader, cancer biology program • William Jewell Team Science: Andrew Godwin, Ph.D., deputy director, and Priyanka Sharma, M.D., medical oncologist • Civic Leadership & Philanthropy: Bill Hall, Hall Family Foundation • Clinical Science: Joseph McGuirk, D.O., and the Bone Marrow Transplant team • Clinical Trial Accrual: Qamar Khan, M.D., medical oncologist • Closing Disparities: Christine Daley, Ph.D., MA, SM, director, Center for American Indian Community Health • Community Clinical Trial Accrual: Manana Elia, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine • Legislator: Kathy Wolfe-Moore, Kansas House Representative

cott Weir, Pharm.D., Ph.D., associate director, translational research, and director, Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation (IAMI), was formally invested as the Kelly Family Foundation IAMI Professor in Cancer Drug Discovery and Development. Weir has more than 25 years of drug development experience and has been instrumental in the development of IAMI, KU Cancer Center’s drug development arm. The professorship was established by the Kelly Family Foundation with a match from the Hall Family Foundation.

hrikant Anant, Ph.D., associate director, prevention and cancer control, received the 2017 Chancellors Club Research Award. Much of Anant’s research focuses on cancer biology, RNA-binding proteins and the discovery and evaluation of products for cancer prevention and therapy, especially in the field of colon cancer. The Chancellors Club, formed in 1977 by KU Endowment, recognizes both donors of major gifts designated for specific purposes on any of KU’s campuses and annual donors to the Greater KU Fund.

anny Welch, Ph.D., associate director of basic science, has served as a Susan G. Komen scholar for five years. His term was renewed through 2018. Welch has devoted his career to finding out what causes cancer to metastasize and how the spread of cancer can be prevented or predicted. Komen Scholars are an advisory group of 60 distinguished scholars and leaders in breast cancer research and advocacy from around the world. Beyond the Bench | 2017

Key Recruits and Faculty Appointments

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ineo Khabele, M.D., FACOG, FACS, joined KU Cancer Center as new director of the gynecologic oncology division. Khabele is a physician and surgeon who specializes in treating women diagnosed with ovarian and other gynecologic cancers. She is a productive scientist and one of very few clinically active gynecologic oncologists who also leads an ovarian cancer translational research program. Khabele is committed to raising awareness about women’s cancers and cancer health disparities, and she is actively involved in mentoring and training the next generation of physicians and scientists.

ara Lin, M.D., was appointed to the role of medical director for KU Cancer Center’s Clinical Trials Office. Lin succeeds Stephen Williamson, M.D., who has served in the role for the last four years. As part of her five-year plan, Lin will focus on working closely with investigators across the disease working groups to bring novel therapies to KU Cancer Center’s patients. A key area for growth is investigator-initiated research, taking ideas from clinicians and basic scientists and translating those ideas into clinical trial treatments. She plans to expand the Clinical Trials Office collaboration with Cancer Center Consortium partners, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and Children’s Mercy.

oaqina Baranda, M.D., joined KU Cancer Center as associate director for the early-phase program. A physician-scientist specializing in GI cancers, Baranda will continue to build on the center’s early-phase clinical research efforts, including first-in-human phase I studies, proof-of-concept for phase I and II studies and clinical pharmacology. Positioning KU Cancer Center as an educational resource for the scientific and patient communities is a key priority. In 2017, Baranda, with earlyphase director Stephen Williamson, M.D., planned KU Cancer Center’s first immune oncology-focused symposium.

omoo Iwakuma, Ph.D., M.D., and Kristi Neufeld, Ph.D., received Frank B. Tyler professorships to support their cancer research. Frank B. Tyler was a 1947 University of Kansas graduate who died in 2003, leaving a gift to advance cancer research efforts. Iwakuma’s research focuses on targeting the p53 pathway, a key tumor suppressive pathway in cells, for suppressing cancer progression. He currently concentrates efforts on osteosarcoma, head & neck squamous cell carcinoma and liver cancer. This professorship allows him to expand his research to encompass other cancer types.

The funding will also support Neufeld’s research which aims to define the underlying mechanisms for growth control of normal intestinal tissue, explaining how disruption of this normal state leads to tumor formation. These studies will focus on a specific tumor suppressor gene, APC, which mutates at early stages of colorectal cancer development.

In Memory: Thomas Yankee, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Dr. Yankee was a gifted teacher, researcher and colleague. He was a beloved member of KU Cancer Center’s community for several years, touching many lives through his research and teaching. His investigations into T cell development and anti-cancer immunotherapy were carried out with colleagues at KU Cancer Center and Children’s Mercy. We will greatly miss our kind and passionate colleague. Beyond the Bench | 2017

Why Cancer Research Matters

Research is the foundation of progress. Investment in cancer research has led to major breakthroughs in treatment, including: Immunotherapy uses the power of your bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immune system to fight cancer cells.

1 in 4 Americans will develop cancer in their lifetime. By 2030, new cancer cases diagnosed each year in the United States will increase by about 45%.

Precision medicine treatment is tailored to your own unique genetic code.

Efforts to reduce the burden of cancer are starting to show.

There were 15.5 million cancer survivors in the U.S. in 2016.

Cancer death rates have dropped 23% in 21 years.

Nearly 90 new cancer drugs have been approved in last five years.

KU Cancer Center is Helping Shape the New Landscape In 2016, 570 patients were enrolled in therapeutic clinical trials, a

700% increase over the last decade.

With industry, academia, government and philanthropic partners, KU Cancer Center has advanced

19 new cancer therapies into the clinic since 2009.

The KU Cancer Center has enrolled more than

20,000 individuals in clinical trials in the last five years.

Investigator-Initiated Trials Translating our research from bench to bedside is a key strength of The University of Kansas Cancer Center. The following are some of KU Cancer Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s currently open investigator-initiated trials, categorized by disease working group. Breast Study # 00002440 Pilot Study of the Effect of DuaveeÂŽ on Benign Breast Tissue Proliferation in Peri- or Post-Menopausal Women at Moderate Risk for Development of Breast Cancer/Principal Investigator: Carol Fabian, M.D. Study # 00002972 Femara (Letrazole) Plus Ribociclib (LEE011) or Placebo as Neo-adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Women with ER-positive, HER2-negative Early Breast Cancer/ Principal Investigator: Qamar Khan, M.D. Study # 00003357 Qigong Exercise for Breast Cancer Survivors with Complaints of Decreased Cognitive Function 3357/ Principal Investigator: Jamie Myers Ph.D., RN Study # 00004575 Feasibility of High Levels of Energy Expenditure from Physical Activity during a Weight-loss Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors/Principal Investigator: Carol Fabian, M.D. Study # 00140673 Randomized Trial of Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy with or without Metformin for HER2-positive Operable Breast Cancer, The HERMET Trial/Principal Investigator: Qamar Khan, M.D. Study # 00141304 Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy for Patients with Breast Cancer Receiving Regional Nodal Irradiation/ Principal Investigator: Melissa Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D.

GI Study # 00140206 Phase II Single-Blind Randomized Trial Comparing Morbidity and Mortality of Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) using Mitomycin-C versus Melphalan for Colorectal Peritoneal Carcinomatosis/Principal Investigator: Mazin Al-kasspooles, M.D., FACS Gynecology Study # 00141468 Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Primary Ovarian Cancer Patients/Principal Investigator: Andrea Jewell, M.D. Leukemia/Myeloid Study # 00004137 A Pilot Study of Low-Dose Daunorubicin in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Acute Leukemia/Principal Investigator: Tara Lin, M.D. Study # 00002857 An Exploratory Trial to Estimate the Proportion of Patients with Tumor Cell-contaminated, Flow Positive Leukapheresis Products Collected with and without Bortezomib as In-vivo Purging prior to Autologous Stem Cell Harvest for Multiple Myeloma/Principal Investigator: Siddhartha Ganguly, M.D., FACP Other Study # 00002769 Vaccines in Correctional Settings for Cancer Prevention (VCCaP)/Principal Investigator: Megha Ramaswamy, Ph.D., MPH Study # 00003591 Ovarian Tissue Freezing For Fertility Preservation in Women Facing a Fertility-threatening Medical Diagnosis or Treatment Regimen/Principal Investigator: Courtney Marsh, M.D.

Study # 00140211 Central Adiposity and Cognitive Change in Men with Prostate Cancer Receiving Androgen Deprivation Therapy/ Principal Investigator: Sally Maliski, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Study # 00140348 Perioperative Hypogonadism in Men undergoing Radical Cystoprostatectomy for Bladder Cancer/ Principal Investigator: Jeffrey Holzbeierlein, M.D. Study # 00140761 Task-Evoked Pupillary Response (TEPR): Cognitive Effort for Breast Cancer Survivors/Principal Investigator: Jamie Myers Ph.D., RN Prevention Study # 00001774 Changing the Default for Tobacco Treatment/Principal Investigator: Kimber Richter, Ph.D., MPH Study # 00002654 Rural Engagement in Primary Care for Optimizing Weight Reduction (RE-POWER)/Principal Investigator: Christie Befort, Ph.D. Study # 00004095 Smoking Cessation and Brain Activation: How Practice Changes the Brain/Principal Investigator: Laura Martin, Ph.D. Sarcoma/Melanoma Study # 00140148 Pilot Study of 1cm versus 2cm Margins for the Surgical Treatment of cT2N0M0 Melanoma/Principal Investigator: Joshua Mammen, M.D., FACS Study # 00002217 Phase I Study of Vaccine Enriched, Autologous, Activated T-Cells Redirected to the Tumor Marker GD2 in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Melanoma/ Principal Investigator: Gary Doolittle, M.D. Supportive Care Study # 00004205 Staying Strong and Healthy during Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Latino Men/Principal Investigator: Sally Maliski, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Study # 00141060 Weight-loss for Obesity-driven Biomarkers of Prostate Cancer Progression/Principal Investigator: Jill Hamilton-Reeves, Ph.D., RD, CSO Beyond the Bench | 2017

High Impact Publications Thota PN, Vennalaganti P, Vennelaganti S, Young P, Gaddam S, Gupta N, Lieberman D, Sampliner R, Falk GW, Mathur S, Kennedy K, Cash BD, Moawad F, Bansal A, Spaander MC, Bruno MJ, Vargo J, Sharma P. Low Risk of High-Grade Dysplasia or Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Among Patients With Barrett’s Esophagus Less Than 1 cm (Irregular Z Line) Within 5 Years of Index Endoscopy. Gastroenterology. 2017;152(5):987-92. Epub 2016/12/19. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2016.12.005. PubMed PMID: 27988383. Jackson JM, Witek MA, Kamande JW, Soper SA. Materials and microfluidics: enabling the efficient isolation and analysis of circulating tumour cells. Chemical Society reviews. 2017. Epub 2017/06/21. doi: 10.1039/c7cs00016b. PubMed PMID: 28632258. Lee MM, Gao Z, Peterson BR. Synthesis of a Fluorescent Analogue of Paclitaxel that Selectively Binds Microtubules and Sensitively Detects Efflux by P-Glycoprotein. Angewandte Chemie (International ed in English). 2017. Epub 2017/05/10. doi: 10.1002/ anie.201703298. PubMed PMID: 28485901.

B, Palomero MI, Gonzalez Del Val R, Cortes J, Fuentes Rivera H, Bretel Morales D, Marquez-Rodas I, Perou CM, Wagner JL, Mammen JM, McGinness MK, Klemp JR, Amin AL, Fabian CJ, Heldstab J, Godwin AK, Jensen RA, Kimler BF, Khan QJ, Martin M. Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Carboplatin plus Docetaxel in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Combined Analysis of Two Cohorts. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. 2017;23(3):649-57. Epub 2016/06/16. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-0162. PubMed PMID: 27301700; PMCID: PMC5156592.

Children’s Oncology Group trials, AAML03P1 and AAML0531. Blood. 2017. Epub 2017/07/05. doi: 10.1182/ blood-2017-01-762336. PubMed PMID: 28674028.

Whitaker AM, Smith MR, Schaich MA, Freudenthal BD. Capturing a mammalian DNA polymerase extending from an oxidized nucleotide. Nucleic acids research. 2017. Epub 2017/04/28. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkx293. PubMed PMID: 28449123.

De Kumar B, Parker HJ, Paulson A, Parrish ME, Pushel I, Singh NP, Zhang Y, Slaughter BD, Unruh JR, Florens L, Zeitlinger J, Krumlauf R. HOXA1 and TALE proteins display cross-regulatory interactions and form a combinatorial binding code on HOXA1 targets. Genome research. 2017. Epub 2017/08/09. doi: 10.1101/ gr.219386.116. PubMed PMID: 28784834.

Zook P, Pathak HB, Belinsky MG, Gersz L, Devarajan K, Zhou Y, Godwin AK, von Mehren M, Rink L. Combination of Imatinib Mesylate and AKT Inhibitor Provides Synergistic Effects in Preclinical Study of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. 2017;23(1):171-80. Epub 2016/07/03. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-0529. PubMed PMID: 27370604; PMCID: PMC5203981.

Martín M, Chan A, Dirix L, O’Shaughnessy J, Hegg R, Manikhas A, Shtivelband M, Krivorotko P, Batista López N, Campone M, Ruiz Borrego M, Khan QJ, Beck JT, Ramos Vázquez M, Urban P, Goteti S, Di Tomaso E, Massacesi C, Delaloge S. A randomized adaptive phase II/III study of buparlisib, a pan-class I PI3K inhibitor, combined with paclitaxel for the treatment of HER2- advanced breast cancer (BELLE-4). Ann Oncol. 2017 Feb 1;28(2):313-320. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdw562. PubMed PMID: 27803006.

Tsai KL, Yu X, Gopalan S, Chao TC, Zhang Y, Florens L, Washburn MP, Murakami K, Conaway RC, Conaway JW, Asturias FJ. Mediator structure and rearrangements required for holoenzyme formation. Nature. 2017. Epub 2017/02/28. doi: 10.1038/nature21393. PubMed PMID: 28241144.

Sharma P, Lopez-Tarruella S, Garcia-Saenz JA, Ward C, Connor CS, Gomez HL, Prat A, Moreno F, JerezGilarranz Y, Barnadas A, Picornell AC, Del Monte-Millan M, Gonzalez-Rivera M, Massarrah T, Pelaez-Lorenzo

Guest EM, Aplenc R, Sung L, Raimondi SC, Hirsch BA, Alonzo TA, Gerbing RB, Wang YJ, Kahwash SB, HeeremaMcKenney A, Meshinchi S, Gamis AS. Gemtuzumab ozogamicin in infants with AML: results from the

McLennan R, Bailey CM, Schumacher LJ, Teddy JM, Morrison JA, Kasemeier-Kulesa JC, Wolfe LA, Gogol MM, Baker RE, Maini PK, Kulesa PM. DAN (NBL1) promotes collective neural crest migration by restraining uncontrolled invasion. The Journal of cell biology. 2017. Epub 2017/08/16. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201612169. PubMed PMID: 28811280.

Lamba JK, Chauhan L, Shin M, Loken MR, Pollard JA, Wang YC, Ries RE, Aplenc R, Hirsch BA, Raimondi SC, Walter RB, Bernstein ID, Gamis AS, Alonzo TA, Meshinchi S. CD33 Splicing Polymorphism Determines Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin Response in De Novo Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Report From Randomized Phase III Children’s Oncology Group Trial AAML0531. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 2017;35(23):2674-82. Epub 2017/06/24. doi: 10.1200/jco.2016.71.2513. PubMed PMID: 28644774; PMCID: PMC5549451. Taub JW, Berman JN, Hitzler JK, Sorrell AD, Lacayo NJ, Mast K, Head D, Raimondi S, Hirsch B, Ge Y, Gerbing RB, Wang YC, Alonzo TA, Campana D, Coustan-Smith E, Mathew P, Gamis AS. Improved outcomes for myeloid leukemia of Down syndrome: a report from the Children’s Oncology Group AAML0431 trial. Blood. 2017;129(25):3304-13. Epub 2017/04/09. doi: 10.1182/

Grant Highlights blood-2017-01-764324. PubMed PMID: 28389462; PMCID: PMC5482102. Vujkovic M, Attiyeh EF, Ries RE, Goodman EK, Ding Y, Kavcic M, Alonzo TA, Wang YC, Gerbing RB, Sung L, Hirsch B, Raimondi S, Gamis AS, Meshinchi S, Aplenc R. Genomic architecture and treatment outcome in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia: a Children’s Oncology Group report. Blood. 2017;129(23):3051-8. Epub 2017/04/16. doi: 10.1182/ blood-2017-03-772384. PubMed PMID: 28411282; PMCID: PMC5465840. Liu Y, Yuelling LW, Wang Y, Du F, Gordon RE, O’Brien J, Ng JMY, Robins S, Lee EH, Liu H, Curran T, Yang ZJ. Astrocytes promote medulloblastoma progression through hedgehog secretion. Cancer research. 2017. Epub 2017/10/08. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-171463. PubMed PMID: 28986380. Vivian CJ, Brinker AE, Graw S, Koestler DC, Legendre C, Gooden GC, Salhia B, Welch DR. Mitochondrial genomic backgrounds affect nuclear DNA methylation and gene expression. Cancer research. 2017. Epub 2017/07/01. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-171473. PubMed PMID: 28663334. Demark-Wahnefried W, Schmitz KH, Alfano CM, Bail JR, Goodwin PJ, Thomson CA, Bradley DW, Courneya KS, Befort CA, Denlinger CS, Ligibel JA, Dietz WH, Stolley MR, Irwin ML, Bamman MM, Apovian CM, Pinto BM, Wolin KY, Ballard RM, Dannenberg AJ, Eakin EG, Longjohn MM, Raffa SD, Adams-Campbell LL, Buzaglo JS, Nass SJ, Massetti GM, Balogh EP, Kraft ES, Parekh AK, Sanghavi DM, Morris GS, Basen-Engquist K. Weight management and physical activity throughout the cancer care continuum. CA Cancer J Clin. 2017 Nov 22. doi: 10.3322/caac.21441.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center researchers have received over $350,000,000 in research funding since 2011. Following is a list of some of the new grants KU Cancer Center received in 2017. Yong Zeng, Ph.D., Andrew Godwin, Ph.D., and Glenson Samuel, M.D., FAAP, Drug Discovery, Development and Experimental Therapeutics program, were awarded a $1,200,294 NCI R33 grant (CA214333-01) to support their project “Integrated exosomes profiling for minimally invasive diagnosis and monitoring of cancer.” Jill Hamilton-Reeves, Ph.D., RD, LD, Cancer Prevention and Survivorship program, was awarded a $725,000 American Cancer Society grant for her project “Weight loss for obesity-driven biomarkers of prostate cancer progression.” Andrew Godwin, Ph.D., Anuradha Roy, Ph.D., and Frank Schoenen, Ph.D., Drug Discovery, Development and Experimental Therapeutics received a $1,924,767 NCI R01 grant (CA214545-01) to advance their work in “Targeting Kinesin Family Member 15 for the Treatment of Cancer.” Tomoo Iwakuma, M.D., Ph.D., Cancer Biology program, and Katherine Chastain, M.D., Drug Discovery, Development and Experimental Therapeutics program, received a $1 million grant from Braden’s Hope to develop new therapies to target osteosarcoma. Roy Jensen, M.D., and Shrikant Anant, Ph.D., Cancer Prevention and Survivorship program, were awarded $1.5 million in funding by the Department of Defense’s

Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) to explore triple-negative breast cancer prevention therapies using natural compounds. Called the Breakthrough Award, this grant funds work that supports promising research with the potential to lead to or make breakthroughs in breast cancer. Fariba Behbod, Ph.D., PharmD, Cancer Prevention and Survivorship program, received a $1,728,783 NCI R01 grant (CA207445-01A1) for her project “Identifying the molecular and cellular basis of invasive phenotype in human DCIS.” Ann Davis, Ph.D., MPH, ABPP, Cancer Control and Population Health program, was awarded a $1,999,135 NINR R01 grant (NR016255-01A1) to support her project “Rural disparities in pediatric obesity: The IAMHEALTHY intervention.” Blake Peterson, Ph.D., Drug Discovery, Development and Experimental Therapeutics program, received a $1,645,740 NCI R01 grant (CA211720-01) to fund his project “Synthetic lethal targeting of growth factor receptors.” Wen-Xing Ding, Ph.D., Cancer Biology program, received a $1,721,250 NIAA U01 (AA024733-01A1) to support his project “Autophagy in Alcoholic Pancreatitis.” Sue Jaspersen, Ph.D., Cancer Biology program, was awarded a $1,295,252 NIGMS R01 (GM121443-01A1) grant to support her project “Assembly and regulation of yeast spindle poles.”

Beyond the Bench | 2017

KU Cancer Center in the Community The journey to a cancer-free Kansas and beyond extends past the walls of our laboratories. This year, KU Cancer Center employees were out in full force â&#x20AC;&#x201C; assisting with cancer screenings, participating in cancer awareness run/walks and forging meaningful partnerships with community members and leaders. Each and every interaction is an opportunity for KU Cancer Center staff to support and educate community members, and vice versa.

Beyond the Bench | 2017

The Next Generation It is an exciting time to be in cancer research. Decades of patient, measured steps have led to thrilling breakthroughs recently. To keep this momentum, we must look to the next generation, those who are at the edge of the next wave in cancer treatment. At The University of Kansas Cancer Center, we are energized and inspired by our up-and-coming researchers. Pictured here are some of those talented scientists who have shown great promise and steely determination early in their career. We look forward to witnessing their contributions to cancer research. Watch out, cancer.

Left to right: Jill Hamilton-Reeves, Ph.D., RD, CSO; Eugene Lee, M.D.; Crystal Lumpkins, Ph.D.; Joan Lewis-Wambi, Ph.D.; Devin Koestler, Ph.D.; | Erin Guest, M.D.; Sufi Thomas, Ph.D.; Neil Dunavin, M.D., MHS; Yong Zeng, Ph.D.; Christy Hagan, Ph.D.

Beyond the Bench | 2017

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ÂŠ2017 The University of Kansas Cancer Center