SEATTLE – Dec. 8, 2025 – Below are summaries of recent Fred Hutch Cancer Center research findings, patient stories and other news.
The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is December 9-12 and Fred Hutch experts will be presenting on the latest advances in treating and screening for HER2 and triple-negative breast cancer. If you’re interested in speaking with a breast cancer expert, please reach out to Heather Platisha at hplatisha@fredhutch.org.
The holiday season can be a difficult time for cancer patients and their caregivers and families. Fred Hutch scientists, providers and patients share their advice on navigating the holidays following a cancer diagnosis. Social psychologist Megan J. Shen, PhD, also shares insights for managing grief during the holidays. Contact media@fredhutch.org to set up interviews.
Blood cancers and transplant
For many blood cancer patients, CAR T-cell therapy is game-changing
In this episode of the From Bench to Bedside and Beyond podcast, Mazyar Shadman, MD, MPH, explains his recent study published in Transplantation and Cell Therapy showing that only 15-20% of eligible patients are able to access CAR T-cell therapy. Shadman discusses these barriers and what patients and providers should know to access this potentially curative therapy. Shadman is a blood cancer specialist and medical director of cellular immunotherapy at Fred Hutch and holds the Innovators Network Endowed Chair.
Media contact: Molly McElroy, mcwmcelro@fredhutch.org
‘I can’t remember the last time I saw someone with bad gut GVHD’: BMT expert reflects on recent lifesaving successes
Geoffrey Hill, MD, FRACP, FRCPA, bone marrow transplant (BMT) and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) expert, shares how a new approach, post-transplant cyclophosphamide, has impacted the BMT landscape, as well as where new research is headed. Hill holds the Leonard and Norma Klorfine Endowed Chair for Clinical Research.
Media contact: Molly McElroy, mcwmcelro@fredhutch.org
Gene therapy research
Scientists see foam as starting point of a path to bedside gene therapy
New research published in Molecular Therapy Methods & Clinical Development shows that a foam developed by Matthias Stephan, MD, PhD, and team, when combined with a method to extract and concentrate bone marrow stem cells, can efficiently deliver targeted gene therapy vectors. Stephan hopes to develop new outpatient gene therapies that can correct genetic defects in bone marrow stem cells.
Media contact: Molly McElroy, mcwmcelro@fredhutch.org
Oncology clinical care
Oncology Insights with Dr. Petros Grivas - Episode 3
Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, and Rachael Safyan, MD, discuss advancements in gastrointestinal oncology through pancreatic cancer research, clinical trials and collaboration between Fred Hutch and community oncologists. The conversation highlights germline testing and the value of clinical trials, community engagement and the future of GI oncology.
Media contact: Claire Hudson, chudson@fredhutch.org
Oncology Insights with Dr. Petros Grivas - Episode 2
Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, and Cristina Rodriguez, MD, discuss head and neck cancer, patient care and clinical trials and HPV’s impact on cancer incidence. Their conversation highlights the need for streamlined patient care and ongoing research to improve outcomes.
Media contact: Heather Platisha, hplatisha@fredhutch.org
Delivering the best possible cancer care
In this episode of the From Bench to Bedside and Beyond podcast, Chief Medical Officer Tom Purcell, MD, MBA, shares the importance of the patient experience and Fred Hutch’s focus on improving patient access, clinical care model and capacity.
Media contact: Heather Platisha, hplatisha@fredhutch.org
Improving patient care and access
Value in Cancer Care Summit reimagines cancer care
The annual Value in Cancer Care Summit examined practical solutions for patient and provider challenges, including burnout, symptom management and financial toxicity. Experts Veena Shankaran, MD, MS, and Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD, led the event and announced a new Expanding Clinical Trials initiative to bring cancer care delivery research studies to community oncology programs in Washington state. Ramsey and Shankaran co-direct the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR).
Media contact: Claire Hudson, chudson@fredhutch.org
Infectious diseases
The benefits of HIV research? Let us count the ways
Work in HIV has helped shape the FDA and other health systems globally. In honor of World AIDS Day, Fred Hutch HIV experts including Daniel Reeves, PhD, and Holly Janes, PhD, share the many ways that HIV science, funding and awareness have benefited people around the world, even those without the disease.
Media contact: Claire Hudson, chudson@fredhutch.org
Viral immunologist taps ‘incredible potential’ of immune system
Viral immunologist Paul Thomas, PhD, joined Fred Hutch as a professor, program head of the Immunology and Vaccine Development Program and Bezos Family Distinguished Scholar in Viruses and Vaccines. Thomas’ work combines computational and empirical methods to gain new insight into the immune system. He hopes to develop new strategies for diagnosing and treating cancer and infectious diseases.
Media contact: Claire Hudson, chudson@fredhutch.org
STEM education
How can you use a math major to forward science?
Fred Hutch received continued funding for the SeattleStatGROWS program, which supports undergraduate students in statistics and data science research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded two R25 grants totaling $770,000 for the program, funding it throughout Summer 2028. Program Director Megan Othus, PhD, describes the program and its impact on the next generation of researchers.
Media contact: Kat Wynn, kwynn@fredhutch.org
Awards and recognition
Washington Research Foundation awards $5.2M to establish new clinical trials program
A new $5.2 million grant from the Washington Research Foundation will develop a new clinical trials program between Fred Hutch and Seattle Children’s Research Institute. The program follows first-in-human studies of new therapeutics developed by both institutions against rare cancers and diseases impacting adults and children. Fred Hutch’s Folashade “Shade” Otegbeye, MBChB, MPH, and Mignon Loh, MD, from Seattle Children’s lead the program. Otegbeye holds the Fleischauer Family Endowed Chair in Cell and Gene Therapy Translation.
Media contact: Molly McElroy, mcwmcelro@fredhutch.org
Fred Hutch researchers receive prestigious R01 research grants
Fred Hutch researchers Katrina Ortblad, ScD, MPH, and Jingyi Jessica Li, PhD, earned coveted, multi-year R01 grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Ortblad’s research optimizes HIV prevention care in Kenya; Li is developing a computational tool for use in biostatistics. Li holds the Donald and Janet K. Guthrie Endowed Chair in Statistics.
Media contact: media@fredhutch.org
Science spotlight
Science Spotlight is a monthly installment of articles written by postdoctoral fellows that summarize new research papers from Fred Hutch scientists. If you’re interested in learning more or covering these topics, contact media@fredhutch.org
- Reducing inequities in cancer care through shared identities
- Probing the predictive power of precision diagnostics
- House of cards: therapeutic vulnerabilities in the tumor microenvironment
- New clinical trials to target HER2 positive solid cancers
- Rebuilding a stem cell incubator: a fetal liver co-culture fosters the rarest blood cells
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Fred Hutch Cancer Center
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.