Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium Across the Consortium: August 2025

August 28, 2025: In this month’s Across the Consortium, the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium spotlights advances from our member institutions. From featuring groundbreaking research to innovative treatments and patient-centered care, these stories showcase the breadth of discovery driving progress across the Big Ten.

University of Illinois Cancer Center

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago are leading a project to re-examine data from two major prostate cancer trials with the support of a $1.2 million Department of Defense award. By applying machine learning, the team aims to reveal why some patients respond differently to standard therapies. Their findings will inform the design of a digital tool to help clinicians translate trial results into personalized treatment plans for men with metastatic prostate cancer.

Cancer Center at Illinois

Hong Chen, PhD, a researcher at the Cancer Center at Illinois, is investigating how gut microbes contribute to the rise of early-onset colorectal cancer. Her team’s recent study revealed that microbial imbalances and the chemicals they produce can worsen inflammation and increase cancer risk. Chen is now exploring how targeted probiotics and metabolites might help restore balance and reduce that risk.

Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center

Spyridon Bakas, PhD, is using artificial intelligence and advanced data science to transform cancer research and care. His team recently led a multi-institutional study that shows how AI can uncover patterns in imaging, health records, and molecular data that are difficult for humans to detect, helping accelerate diagnosis and precision treatment.

University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center

Researchers across the University of Iowa are tackling some of the state’s toughest cancer challenges. Epidemiologist Mary Charlton, PhD, is leading a statewide study through the Iowa Cancer Registry to uncover why Iowa’s cancer rates remain among the nation’s highest. In the Carver College of Medicine, James Byrne, MD, PhD, is developing new ways to shield healthy tissue during radiation, inspired by organisms that thrive in extreme conditions. Jill Kolesar, PharmD, dean of the College of Pharmacy, is pioneering a nanoparticle-based therapy that could transform treatment for ovarian cancer.

University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center

At the University of Maryland Medical Center, a multidisciplinary team of surgeons successfully removed two rare chordomas from a young patient, including one wrapped around her cervical spine, using a first-of-its-kind transorbital approach. Chordomas are rare tumors that grow slowly but can be aggressive and develop from leftover spinal tissue. The patient also received proton radiation therapy and spinal stabilization surgery. This complex case highlights the importance of innovative surgical techniques and coordinated cancer care in treating life-threatening tumors

University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Costas Lyssiotis, Ph.D., co-director of the Rogel and Blondy Center for Pancreatic Cancer at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, has been awarded a Stephenson Global Scholar Grant to advance research on pancreatic cancer. Lyssiotis’ work focuses on targeting metabolic vulnerabilities in KRAS-mutant pancreatic tumors using clinically relevant drugs, with preclinical models showing promising results. The grant is part of a $5.25 million initiative supporting cross-institutional research aimed at improving early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Michigan State University Cancer Research

Michigan State University researchers have shown that honeybees can detect chemical biomarkers linked to lung cancer in human breath. Led by Debajit Saha, assistant professor in the College of Engineering and MSU’s Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, the team trained bees to distinguish between healthy and cancer-associated breath samples. They also demonstrated that honeybees can differentiate between small cell and non-small cell lung cancer using only the odor of cultured cells. This work could lead to noninvasive tools that provide earlier detection of lung cancer.

Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota

Nicholas Zorko, MD, PhD, an oncologist and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, is leading early-phase clinical trials testing bispecific antibody therapy for men with recurrent prostate cancer. These therapies, which activate immune cells to target tumor cells, could offer new treatment options with side effect profiles that differ from standard surgery or hormone therapy. The trials, conducted at the M Health Fairview Clinical Research Unit, are among the first of their kind in the Midwest and aim to match patients with therapies aligned to their preferences for side effects.

Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center (University of Nebraska)

The 2025 Pediatric Cancer Research Group Symposium took place August 20 at the UNMC Truhlsen Event Center. The event brought together researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates to share the latest advances in pediatric cancer research, with a focus on hematological malignancies. Attendees discussed emerging therapies, collaborative research efforts, and strategies to improve outcomes for children with cancer.

Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University 

Peng Ji, MD, PhD, of Northwestern Medicine, is shedding light on how mutations in the DDX41 gene contribute to blood cancers such as myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. His team found that the gene normally protects red blood cell precursors by untangling DNA structures that, if left unresolved, trigger damaging inflammation. The discovery, published in Nature Communications, could guide new approaches to prevent or treat cancers linked to inherited DDX41 mutations.

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute

Pelotonia’s 2025 Gravel Day, set for Saturday, October 4, will bring together cyclists, runners, and hikers in Athens County, Ohio, to raise funds for cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. Matthew Old, MD, director of the OSUCCC – James Head and Neck Cancer Program, and David Cohn, MD, MBA, chief operating officer and chief medical officer at The James, are among the clinicians participating. Community members and researchers join the event to support innovative cancer research and patient care.

Penn State Cancer Institute

Penn State Health is advancing prostate cancer care through early detection, innovative treatments, and clinical trials. Joseph Trapasso, MD, urologic oncology surgeon at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, emphasizes the importance of screening for at-risk men and guiding patients through personalized treatment options.

Purdue University Institute for Cancer Research

Danzhou Yang, PhD, is exploring a natural molecular “brake” that regulates the c-MYC gene, a key driver of many blood cancers and solid tumors. Her team’s research reveals how the protein nucleolin binds to DNA G-quadruplex structures to temporarily halt uncontrolled cell division, providing a potential target for new cancer therapies.

Rutgers Cancer Institute

RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute have added the Elekta Unity MR-Linac to the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center. Joseph Contessa, MD, PhD, Chair of Radiation Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute, and Bruce Haffty, MD, MS, System Director of Radiation Oncology, highlight how this technology combines MRI imaging with precision radiation therapy to deliver personalized treatments for cancers, including pancreatic, liver, kidney, and prostate.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (University of Washington)
Researchers at Fred Hutch and UW Tacoma are part of the MorPhiC project, a large-scale effort to uncover the function of every protein-coding gene in the human genome. Using CRISPR gene editing, the team studies how turning off specific genes affects cellular processes linked to cancer. Their work aims to identify new gene functions and interactions that could inform future therapies.

University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center

Wei Xu, PhD, co-director of the Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanism Program and associate director of McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, is developing new precision treatments for metastatic breast cancer. Her team is targeting estrogen receptor positive, HER2-positive tumors using single-cell RNA sequencing to identify key drivers of treatment resistance. Preclinical studies suggest a combination of anti-HER2 therapy with Aurora A kinase inhibitors may improve outcomes, with plans underway for a clinical trial.

About the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium: The Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium was created in 2013 to transform the conduct of cancer research through collaborative clinical trials and observational studies that seek to improve the lives of cancer patients in the diverse communities we serve by leveraging the scientific and clinical expertise of Big Ten universities. The Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium creates a unique team research culture to drive science rapidly from ideas to treatment and prevention. Within this innovative environment, today’s research leaders collaborate with and mentor the research leaders of tomorrow. Since its founding, the Big Ten CRC has activated nearly 40 clinical trials across a wide range of cancer types, more than 1,000 participants have enrolled in Big Ten CRC studies, and more than 500 researchers have joined Big Ten CRC Clinical Trial Working Groups.

About the Big Ten Conference: The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional, and undergraduate teaching, and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness, and competitiveness. The broad-based programs of the 18 Big Ten institutions provide direct financial support for more than 11,000 participation opportunities on 350 teams in 42 different sports. The Big Ten sponsors 28 official conference sports, 14 for men and 14 for women. For more information, visit www.bigten.org.

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Across the Consortium: August 2025

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Maryland

Michigan

Michigan State

Minnesota

Nebraska

Northwestern

Ohio State

Penn State

Purdue

Rutgers

Washington

Wisconsin

UIC