Feb. 1, 2015:

A conversation with Anas Al-Janadi, MD, medical director of the Michigan State University Breslin Cancer Center, which is a member of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium.

Q: What does the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Breslin Cancer Center’s membership in the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium mean for the patients you and your colleagues serve?

Cancer is a devastating disease, and the fight against cancer can only be won by teaming up to fight this merciless enemy. Our patients now can have the cutting edge research that is expected to be created and launched by the consortium members. The diversity and unique strength of each institution will now come together in order to deliver on the promise to our patients who can now find the most promising clinical trials in their own community. The MSU Breslin Cancer Center always has and continues to partner with communities throughout the state. Through our membership in the Big Ten CRC, we can also extend the offerings of clinical trials to all of our partners. Read More

Jan. 1, 2015:

A conversation with Robert A. Winn, MD, interim director of the University of Illinois Cancer Center, which is a member of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium.

Q: What kind of impact do you see the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium having on cancer clinical trials?

On our own, we each have characteristics that demonstrate who we are individually and in the context of our institution. In the context of the Big Ten CRC, our consortium harnesses the clinical expertise of 12 leading cancer centers specifically related to breast, GI, GU, GYN, hematologic, melanoma, and thoracic malignancies. Additionally, this is a fascinating time to be conducting cancer clinical trials: there have been many advances in molecularly driven therapeutics, and these have led to the evolution of adaptive and basket-designed trials. This presents an incredible opportunity for us to build greater collaborations that otherwise wouldn’t exist. I think it goes beyond looking at ideas from other institutions. It’s looking at what each institution is actually doing and how are we going to work with them or find a way for them to work with us. This includes diversifying the populations we bring to clinical trials that the Big Ten communities serve, and diversifying the education that we can provide for our students. We each have this niche and whether it’s being able to bring in a specific population, or exploring cancer from a different perspective that we have in the past, or gaining access to a technology that we simply don’t have – this is the benefit of these relationships and the collaboration that comes with a consortium. It allows us to continue doing what we are doing, but to also expand that to our network and see what else can be brought to the table and what can benefit this research that we might not be thinking of. Someone else might have that one piece of the puzzle. Read More

Dec. 1, 2014:

A conversation with George Weiner, MD, director of Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa and the C.E. Block Chair of Cancer Research and professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa. Dr. Weiner has led a statewide collaborative to reduce the burden of cancer in Iowa, served on committees within the National Cancer Institute, and just began a two-year term as president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI), which comprises 92 leading cancer research centers in the United States.

Q: What kind of impact do you see the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium having on cancer clinical trials?

Every one of our institutions has an outstanding group of experts from a variety of specialties who work together to develop and test new ideas related to cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. Can you imagine the difference we can make if we partner together? We will be able to share and test ideas quicker. It is imperative for us to do so. Research advances have demonstrated that cancer is much more complex at the molecular level than previously imagined. In essence, every cancer is unique and even the most “common” cancers are really rare cancers. This is both exciting and challenging. It is exciting because we are learning the best way to take care of cancer patients. It is challenging because finding enough patients who have the same molecular makeup to test new and promising treatments will be more difficult. To design better treatments in the future, scientists have to collaborate more than ever to assess our ideas. Working together, to partner on studies is going to be key to advance cancer medicine. Different from many other study consortia, the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium will allow these multicenter trials to be done with a nimble organizational structure for optimal efficiency and scientific input. Read More

Nov. 1, 2014:

A conversation with Douglas Yee, MD, director of the Masonic Cancer Center, which is a member of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium.

Q: What strengths does the Masonic Cancer Center bring to the consortium?

At the University of Minnesota and at the Masonic Cancer Center, there is a very collaborative atmosphere. We act collectively with the goal to change cancer outcomes, versus looking to finish a task solely on our own. The leadership here will bend over backwards to help each other because that ultimately helps patients.

For example, I work mainly on breast cancer, and a colleague of mine focuses on HIV. He has studied mechanisms of resistance to HIV therapy and noticed that mechanisms involved in HIV drug resistance might also be implicated in the breast cancer mutational process. After confirming the similarities, and specifically a role for APOBEC3B, we received additional funding for further work on the role for this protein in the development of endocrine resistant breast cancer. Collaborating with colleagues in medicinal chemistry, we are developing small molecule inhibitors of APOBEC3B. If we can develop a drug to target this enzyme, then the consortium would be an ideal place to conduct the clinical trial validation. Everyone on this campus, no matter the center or school, thinks about how they can contribute to curing cancer. Read More

Oct. 1, 2014:

A conversation with Timothy L. Ratliff, PhD, Robert Wallace Miller Director of the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, which is a member of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium.

Q: What kind of impact do you see the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium having on cancer clinical trials?

The collaborative interactions among Big Ten cancer centers will enable more rapid testing of new therapeutics. In truth, the whole is greater than the parts. By combining forces, multiple institutions will participate in clinical studies, patient accrual will occur more briskly and, therefore, outcomes will be determined more rapidly. Read More

Sept. 1, 2014:

A conversation with Howard Bailey, MD, interim director of the UW Carbone Cancer Center, which is a member of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium. Dr. Bailey, a professor of medicine, is a medical oncologist who specializes in gynecologic oncology and cancer prevention. He has led the development of three different state- and nation-wide clinical research networks to expand the access of “cutting edge” treatment for patients.

Q: What kind of impact do you see the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium having on cancer clinical trials?

Without a doubt, the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium will offer accelerated advancement when moving science into groundbreaking clinical trials. The consortium forms a strong collaboration because of the cancer advances each Big Ten institution has already made and the research infrastructures in place at each location. And we know the consortium will leverage and grow the existing relationships among cancer centers in development of clinical trials. This is a win-win for all of these institutions and more importantly, for all cancer patients that will be affected by the novel treatments of tomorrow. Read More

Aug. 1, 2014:

A conversation with Raymond J. Hohl, MD, PhD, director of Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, which is a member of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium. Dr. Hohl joined Penn State Hershey from the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, where he held the Holden Family Chair/associate chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, as well as associate director for clinical and translational research. At Penn State, he will hold academic appointments as professor in the departments of Medicine and Pharmacology.

Q: What kind of impact do you see the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium having on cancer clinical trials?

The Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium allows investigators from Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute and the other Big Ten institutions to more rapidly advance their concepts to active clinic trials. Because the trials will be developed and performed by a more tightly knit group of like-minded investigators, it is expected that the time from idea to completion of the trial will be substantially shortened as compared to the national clinical trials network’s current approach. For the principal investigators, this will mean more rapid advancement of their careers. For our patients with cancer, this will result in even more therapies and treatment options. Read More

July 1, 2014:

A conversation with Patrick J. Loehrer, Sr., MD, director of the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, which is a member of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium:

Q: What kind of impact do you see the Big Ten CRC having on cancer clinical trials?

Individual cancer centers do terrific things, but collectively, we can do even more. We’re developing collaborative IRB agreements, regulatory mechanisms to facilitate rapid opening and completion of trials. Ultimately, if a Big Ten consortium trial is approved in Indiana, the same trial could be immediately opened up at Michigan, Iowa or Nebraska. If we are looking at a cancer with a rare molecular marker, we will have the ability to conduct a trial of 20 or 30 patients very rapidly because of a large pool of patients. Thus, the consortium should lead us to more rapid discoveries. Read More

June 1, 2014:

A conversation with Ken Cowan, MD, PhD, director of Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, which is a member of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium:

Q: What kind of impact do you see the Big Ten CRC having on cancer clinical trials?

Researchers can work together to turn ideas into potential new treatments. The clinical trials developed will link to molecular diagnostics, enabling researchers to understand what drives the cancers to grow and what might be done to stop them. Read More

May 1, 2014:

A conversation with Robert S. DiPaola, MD, director of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, which is a member of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium (CRC):

Having integrated last year with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey is no stranger to collaboration when it comes to advancing scientific discoveries and developing innovative new treatment options for cancer patients. But as Dr. Robert S. DiPaola explains, being part of a consortium enables a wealth of expertise and resources to accomplish this very important mission. Read More