Science Says
Precision oncology and the cancers you care about
Join us to hear from scientists and clinicians who are shaping groundbreaking treatment approaches that are as unique as the people who need them.
Every cancer is different, from its molecular makeup to the supportive microenvironment it creates. Precision oncology seeks to understand the seemingly infinite factors that distinguish each person’s disease and use that knowledge to personalize risk-reduction and treatment strategies. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is applying our research expertise in both immunotherapy and cellular biology to advance this rapidly evolving field — an endeavor that has been accelerated by a recent $78 million gift to establish the Stuart and Molly Sloan Precision Oncology Institute and plan for the construction of a new research building on our South Lake Union campus named in their honor.
Our panelists will discuss precision oncology’s potential for personalizing treatments to each person living with cancer, how it could revolutionize risk-reduction strategies, and what it will take to design and build a robust data science infrastructure to support it.
Speakers
Dr. Thomas J. Lynch Jr.
Dr. Thomas J. Lynch Jr. is a distinguished health care leader and lung cancer doctor. He is also a precision medicine pioneer, having been on the research team that identified the role of mutations in the EGFR gene, which is linked to certain forms of lung cancer. He joined Fred Hutch as president and director in February 2020 and he has kept cancer research moving forward while leading a robust scientific response to the pandemic and guiding the evolution of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. He holds the Raisbeck Endowed Chair.
Dr. Christina Baik
Dr. Christina Baik is a physician and researcher at Fred Hutch and UW Medicine who treats patients with thoracic and head and neck malignancies. Working collaboratively with patients and researchers, she looks for more targeted therapies (and immunotherapies), including for patients whose tumors have become resistant to the current standard of care.
Dr. Sujata Jana
Dr. Sujata Jana focuses on bladder cancer as a post-doctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Andrew Hsieh, who is a physician-scientist at Fred Hutch and UW Medicine who treats patients with prostate and bladder cancer. In partnership with patients and clinicians, the lab has helped develop a rapid autopsy program to collect samples from metastatic bladder cancer patients, which can be interrogated to find the root cause of the cancer and identify precise treatments.
Dr. Jeff Leek
Dr. Jeff Leek, our new vice president and chief data officer, leads efforts to shape and implement an integrated data science enterprise and fosters partnerships in our region's data science and technology ecosystem. His goal is for researchers to be able to access field-leading computational resources to advance their science. He also works with faculty to create tools and services to improve how data is collected, managed, used, and shared, all while preserving patient confidentiality. Jeff, a biostatistician, holds the J. Orin Edson Foundation Endowed Chair.
Dr. Colin Pritchard
Dr. Colin Pritchard director of the Genetics and Solid Tumors Laboratory at UW Medicine, focuses on next-generation cancer risk assessment and precision treatment. He partners closely with other providers on his patients’ care team to best tailor genetic testing to their specific situation and needs.