April 7, 2025:  

This month, the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium highlights Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center (IUSCCC) as our featured member. Misty Dawn Shields, MD, PhD, is an IUSCCC associate member of the Experimental and Developmental Therapeutics research program and assistant professor of clinical medicine.

Dr. Shields joined faculty at IUSCCC in August 2022 as a physician scientist with a focus in early phase trials, longitudinal liquid biopsies, and translational studies for novel therapeutics in acquired chemo-resistant small cell lung cancer (SCLC) as principal investigator of the Shields laboratory.

Additionally, Dr. Shields serves on the guideline panel for SCLC with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, local leadership board for American Lung Association, ASCO Scientific Committee for lung cancer, and the clinical trials advocate for IUSCCC’s End Lung Cancer Now. Dr. Shields is the founder of Small Cell SMASHERS, an advocacy group for SCLC in partnership with Lungevity Foundation.

Dr. Shields earned her PhD from UT Southwestern Medical Center and her MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. She completed her internal residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Hematology/Oncology fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center.

Outside of work, Dr. Shields enjoys her time as a pet owner and with her family. As an animal lover, she owns a husky, two cats, and two ferrets. Her favorite activity to do with her family is going figure skating.

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.