July 15, 2025: In this month’s Across the Consortium, the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium highlights examples of discovery and impact from our member institutions. From grant-funded studies and groundbreaking therapies to new cancer center openings and community health outreach, this issue reflects the variety and depth of work advancing cancer research across the Big Ten.
University of Illinois Cancer Center
UIC researcher Takeshi Shimamura, PhD, is tackling drug resistance in lung cancer by studying a new dual-targeting molecule. The compound helps overcome resistance and shrinks tumors in preclinical models. This approach could pave the way for effective treatments for cancers that are hard to treat.
Read more: https://today.uic.edu/two-in-one-treatment-targets-undruggable-lung-cancer/
Cancer Center at Illinois
Professor Paul Hergenrother’s Antibiotic Platform Licensed for Clinical Development University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chemistry professor Paul Hergenrother, PhD, has developed a new class of antibiotics that targets gram-negative bacteria while sparing beneficial gut microbes. The lead compound, lolamicin, showed strong efficacy in animal models, and the technology has been licensed by Flightpath Biosciences, which plans to advance it toward human clinical trials.
Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
Indiana University cancer researcher Heather O’Hagan, PhD, is leading a study aimed at improving treatment outcomes for patients with BRAF-mutant colorectal cancer. Her team discovered that standard therapies increase a specific cell type linked to resistance, and that targeting an epigenetic protein called LSD1 may help prevent this adaptation. The findings, published in Molecular Cancer, suggest this research could improve outcomes of cancer treatments.
Learn more: https://medicine.iu.edu/news/2025/04/ohagan-colorectal-cancer-research
University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
Planning is underway for a new Cancer Research Building at the University of Iowa. This space will unite researchers from across UI’s health sciences colleges and support collaborative cancer research. The new facility will strengthen the university’s role as a leader in cancer innovation.
Read more: https://now.uiowa.edu/news/2025/04/cancer-research-building-will-pave-way-significant-discoveries-ui
University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center
A research team co-led by the University of Maryland School of Medicine has identified the gene ZNFX1 as a potential biomarker for predicting treatment response in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Published in Cancer Research, the study found that higher levels of ZNFX1 were associated with improved survival and better response to therapies.
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Andrew Wood, MD, MS, of the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, joins the Cancer Aware podcast to discuss focal therapy, a treatment option for localized prostate cancer that targets only the cancerous portion of the prostate. Dr. Wood discusses who might benefit from this therapy and how it compares to traditional surgery and radiation.
Michigan State University Cancer Research
Four Michigan State University researchers have been awarded more than $3 million in grants from the American Cancer Society to advance cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. Todd Lucas, PhD, is leading a $1.7 million project to improve colorectal cancer screening among African Americans; Bryan Smith, PhD, received $792,000 to develop a targeted nanotherapy for breast cancer; Eran Andrechek, PhD, was awarded $297,000 to study how breast cancer spreads; and Olivia Aspiras, MPH, received $217,000 to improve HPV vaccine messaging for cervical cancer prevention.
Read more: https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2025/american-cancer-society-grant-fuels-msu-research
Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota
Carla Rothlin, PhD, an internationally recognized immunologist, will join the Masonic Cancer Center as co-leader of the Immunology Program in August 2025. Her research focuses on immune regulation and cancer immunotherapy, bringing new energy to Masonic Cancer Center’s efforts in tumor-immune science.
Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center (University of Nebraska)
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is hosting a six-week public education series on cancer research and care, in partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The course, led by experts from the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, covers advances in prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship.
Read more: https://www.unmc.edu/newsroom/2025/06/17/unmc-cancer-experts-offering-public-education-series/
Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
Throat cancer survivor Paula Ruska inspired Northwestern Medicine’s Laila Gharzai, MD, to launch a new study on improving survivorship care. The research, published in Supportive Care in Cancer, highlights key mental health needs to lingering side effects faced by head and neck cancer survivors and explores more effective, patient-centered strategies.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
A mobile lung cancer screening unit from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute is expanding access to early detection in underserved areas across Ohio. The mobile unit uses a quick, low-dose CT scan to catch cancer early and connects patients with follow-up care. This initiative is part of their broader effort to bring prevention and care to the communities that need it most.
Read more: https://health.osu.edu/health/cancer/lung-cancer-screening-saves-ohio-mans-life
Penn State Cancer Institute
Michael McShane, MD, assistant professor at Penn State College of Medicine, recently gave a TED Talk highlighting his work with the LION Mobile Clinic, a student-led initiative that delivers healthcare to underserved rural communities. His talk emphasized the importance of collaboration, community engagement, and innovative approaches to addressing health disparities.
Read more: https://pennstatehealthnews.org/2025/04/tedxpsu-the-future-of-healthcare-is-mobile/
Purdue University Institute for Cancer Research
Sandro Matosevic, PhD, a researcher at Purdue University and faculty member of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, is investigating a new antibody-based immunotherapy that helps the immune system better target glioblastoma. His team’s innovation offers new hope for treatment-resistant cancers.
Rutgers Cancer Institute
RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute have officially opened the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, New Jersey’s only freestanding, comprehensive cancer hospital and one of just 13 in the nation. Located in New Brunswick, the facility brings research and clinical care together, offering treatment, clinical trials, and care for patients.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (University of Washington)
Two new studies from the lab of Sita Kugel, PhD, at Fred Hutch Cancer Center have identified a powerful biomarker combination that distinguishes between the two main subtypes of pancreatic cancer. This discovery allows for faster, more cost-effective diagnosis and opens the door to targeted therapies.
Read more: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2025/06/kugel-pancreatic-cancer-biomarker.html
University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
Researchers at UW Carbone are studying cancer-related cachexia, a condition that causes severe weight and muscle loss that can hinder treatment. By identifying early signs through imaging and understanding how tumors disrupt metabolism, they aim to develop targeted therapies to improve patient outcomes. Their work is supported in part by the Roll & Stroll for Pancreas Cancer fundraiser.
Read more: https://www.uwhealth.org/news/seeking-better-treatment-options-for-cachexia-in-pancreatic-cancer
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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