TheoryLab

Andras Heczey’s research focuses on directing the immune system to attack cancer cells in pediatric patients. He was the first to show that natural killer T cells could be used, once modified, to attack neuroblastoma cells.

Dr. Heczey—assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital—talked about his ongoing clinical trial, the challenges of taking research out of the lab and into the clinic to benefit patients, and what message he would share with cancer patients and their families.

"If you're a cancer patient today, you don't want tomorrow's solutions. You want today's solutions."

That's why Bob Crutchfield is leading the American Cancer Society's efforts to drive the best ideas to market faster, so cancer patients can benefit from less invasive – and more successful – treatments.

Mr. Crutchfield is the Managing Director of BrightEdge, the Philanthropic Impact Fund of the American Cancer Society, which invests in for-profit companies in order to advance the speed of commercial adoption of novel and innovative therapies, diagnostics, devices, and technologies.

"If you're a cancer patient today, you don't want tomorrow's solutions. You want today's solutions."

That's why Bob Crutchfield is leading the American Cancer Society's efforts to drive the best ideas to market faster, so cancer patients can benefit from less invasive – and more successful – treatments.

Mr. Crutchfield is the Managing Director of BrightEdge, the Philanthropic Impact Fund of the American Cancer Society, which invests in for-profit companies in order to advance the speed of commercial adoption of novel and innovative therapies, diagnostics, devices, and technologies.

Radiation has long been a common treatment for cancer patients, but in recent years, notes Dr. Charlie Benson of Georgia State University, it has been understood that, “besides the direct ability of radiation to kill cancer cells, it also has the ability to actually prime the immune system to recognize things that are different about cancer cells and to better attack and kill these cancer cells.”

In this conversation, Dr. Benson talks about how radiation makes cancer cells better targets for the immune system (7:00). She also explains, given that low-dose radiation can enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy, what research needs to happen for it to become the standard of care for patients (9:45).

Finally, she talks movingly about being an African American female scientist; what it was like to grow up without seeing examples of minority females in science; and why she visits communities “to give people the image and the idea that there’s no particular way you have to look to be a successful scientist (17:15).”

Radiation has long been a common treatment for cancer patients, but in recent years, notes Dr. Charlie Benson of Georgia State University, it has been understood that, “besides the direct ability of radiation to kill cancer cells, it also has the ability to actually prime the immune system to recognize things that are different about cancer cells and to better attack and kill these cancer cells.”

In this conversation, Dr. Benson talks about how radiation makes cancer cells better targets for the immune system (7:00). She also explains, given that low-dose radiation can enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy, what research needs to happen for it to become the standard of care for patients (9:45).

Finally, she talks movingly about being an African American female scientist; what it was like to grow up without seeing examples of minority females in science; and why she visits communities “to give people the image and the idea that there’s no particular way you have to look to be a successful scientist (17:15).”

Most people who die of cancer, die of metastasis. Approximately 90% of cancer deaths are from metastasis. It’s essentially when a tumor cell leaves the place it originally started, goes to another tissue, and builds a new colony.

It’s an incredibly complex process, but two experts in the field have recently published work that brings the problem of metastasis into focus.

Danny Welch, Professor and Associate Director of Education at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, and Doug Hurst, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, scoured the scientific literature—reviewing more than 10,000 publications—and defined the hallmarks of metastasis:

1. Motility and invasion

2. Modulation of the microenvironment

3. Plasticity/adaptability

4. The ability to colonize

In this conversation they explained each of the hallmarks and what it all means for cancer patients.

Most people who die of cancer, die of metastasis. Approximately 90% of cancer deaths are from metastasis. It’s essentially when a tumor cell leaves the place it originally started, goes to another tissue, and builds a new colony.

It’s an incredibly complex process, but two experts in the field have recently published work that brings the problem of metastasis into focus.

Danny Welch, Professor and Associate Director of Education at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, and Doug Hurst, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, scoured the scientific literature—reviewing more than 10,000 publications—and defined the hallmarks of metastasis:

1. Motility and invasion

2. Modulation of the microenvironment

3. Plasticity/adaptability

4. The ability to colonize

In this conversation they explained each of the hallmarks and what it all means for cancer patients.

"My lab studies pathways that are involved in drug response. We've gotten very interested in why drugs work and why they don’t work in the context of mainly solid tumors."

So says Dr. Rolf Brekken, the Effie Marie Cain Scholar in Angiogenesis Research at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

A two-time American Cancer Society grantee, Dr. Brekken talked about his collaboration with an oncologist and new clinical trial, why basic science research is critical in the age of personalized medicine, and...pitching washers?

"My lab studies pathways that are involved in drug response. We've gotten very interested in why drugs work and why they don’t work in the context of mainly solid tumors."

So says Dr. Rolf Brekken, the Effie Marie Cain Scholar in Angiogenesis Research at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

A two-time American Cancer Society grantee, Dr. Brekken talked about his collaboration with an oncologist and new clinical trial, why basic science research is critical in the age of personalized medicine, and...pitching washers?

What role does the American Cancer Society play in cancer research? How is ACS working to move cancer research forward? Where will the Society's research program be in five years?

William Phelps thinks about these questions every day. As the American Cancer Society's Senior Vice President of Extramural Research, he oversees the largest private, not-for-profit source of cancer research funds in the United States.

In this conversation, Dr. Phelps provides insight into how the American Cancer Society is trying to maximize its impact on cancer research now and in the future.