News and Events

Aligned Blog: Diversity = Better Science

Welcome to the inaugural blog post of Aligned: Moving Forward Together, from our Office of Equity and Inclusion. In this first issue, Shauna Clark, Ph.D., CCR's Diversity Advisor, explores the increased emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) throughout society and why DEI is paramount to successful science.

New Milestones publication now available

Every year, CCR makes remarkable contributions to the understanding, detection, treatment and prevention of cancer. This issue of our annual publication, Milestones, features 14 of our top scientific advances from the past year. These discoveries include basic research to understand cancer cells, promising advances in immunotherapy for solid tumors, precision oncology for selecting the best treatment for a patient and new insights into the role of the tumor microenvironment and the microbiota in cancer treatment. Other major advances include new technology development achieved through interdisciplinary teamwork, health disparities research relating to prostate cancer and studies that led to several Food and Drug Administration approvals.

First-in-human clinical trial evaluates drug for pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors

Christine Alewine, M.D., Ph.D., a Lasker Clinical Research Scholar in the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, is leading CCR participation in a first-in-human trial to evaluate a drug for therapy of pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors. The drug aims to attack a physical barrier that helps to hide the tumor from the body’s immune system.

Steven Pavletic named Top Ten Clinical Research Achievement awardee

Steven Z. Pavletic, M.D., M.S., Senior Clinician in the Immune Deficiency Cellular Therapy Program, has been named a Top Ten Clinical Research Achievement awardee by the Clinical Research Forum for his study “A randomized phase 2 trial of pomalidomide in subjects failing prior therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease.”

Clinical trial studies combination therapy for relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphomas

Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma are fast-growing cancers, and new therapies are needed for adults whose disease is not effectively treated with chemotherapy alone. Investigators at CCR are studying a combination therapy as a potential treatment for people with these aggressive cancers.

Following the fellowship experience with CCR fellow Martha Teke, M.D.

Martha Teke, M.D., is a research fellow in the Surgical Oncology and Cancer Immunotherapy Research Fellowship Program. In this Q&A, she shares her experience as a clinical fellow at CCR and what impact she hopes to leave in the world of science.

Living with and learning about neuroendocrine tumors: A conversation with Dr. Jaydira Del Rivero

Jaydira Del Rivero, M.D., Assistant Research Physician in the Developmental Therapeutics Branch, studies neuroendocrine tumors – a rare group of malignant neoplasms that originates from neuroendocrine cells and affects almost any part of the body. In this Q&A, Dr. Del Rivero and a natural history trial participant discuss an ongoing neuroendocrine study and their experiences at NIH.

Following the fellowship experience with CCR fellow Bailey Johnson

Bailey Johnson is a postbaccalaureate fellow in the Laboratory of Cell Biology. For this Black History Month Q&A, we asked her about her research journey, personal goals and advice for the next generation of students of color.

Clinical trial evaluates drug for treatment of neurofibromatosis type 1 and atypical neurofibromas

Up to half of the people with neurofibromatosis type 1 develop plexiform neurofibromas (PNs), tumors that grow along nerves. Over time, PNs may transform into atypical neurofibromas (ANFs) and then into cancerous tumors. Andrea Gross, M.D., Assistant Research Physician in the Pediatric Oncology Branch, is leading a study of a drug, abemaciclib, to treat ANFs in children.

Clinical trial compares interval dosing of two immune checkpoint inhibitors

William D. Figg Sr., Pharm.D., Deputy Chief of the Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, is leading CCR’s efforts in a multi-institution, international study comparing methods of dosing nivolumab and pembrolizumab. This study is intended for people who have advanced or metastatic cancer that has not been previously treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor.

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