June 20, 2025: The Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium is pleased to announce John Hays, MD, PhD, as the new chair of the Steering Committee. Dr. Hays is an associate professor in the College of Medicine and member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. With a specialty in medical oncology, Dr. Hays brings a commitment to forward thinking and a wealth of experience as a successful leader and mentor.

The Big Ten CRC Steering Committee is composed of one researcher from each member institution. The Steering Committee meets on a regular basis to review activities of the consortium and decide matters of policy. The Steering Committee determines the criteria for approving concepts for development with the Big Ten CRC. 

As Dr. Hays transitions into his new role, he sets his sights on growth for the Big Ten CRC both in its impact and identity. Dr. Hays believes strides can be made on the institutional level as well as on the national stage.  

“The Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium offers a lot of opportunities for our investigators at the various institutions,” said Hays. “As support at the national level for some of the cooperative groups has waned, organizations like Big Ten can fill those unmet needs.” 

In an effort to increase the visibility of the consortium, Dr. Hays is committed to building rapport among faculty and research staff at current member institutions.  

“If you were to ask every medical, radiation, and surgical oncologist within all of our member institutions, a good portion would probably not know all of the resources available within the Big Ten CRC,” he said. 

Changing that is one of Dr. Hays’s top priorities.  

“When you (investigators) have a cool idea, you need to think about not only where you are going to get the funding from, but where you are going to open it,” he said. “So, if we can offer a much easier streamlined pathway to get those trials open, the concepts will keep coming in.” 

To Dr. Hays, collaboration across the member institutions is what will propel the consortium forward. 

Eager to expand the reach of the Big Ten CRC’s investigator-initiated, Dr. Hays has taken his new role in stride, ready to help guide the consortium steadily towards its goals.  

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.