Friday, October 2, 2026
7:30 AM- 2:30 PM CT

Big Ten Conference Headquarters | 5440 Park Place, Rosemont, IL 60018

 

Audience

  • Senior and junior faculty and fellows involved in clinical oncology research
  • Basic scientists involved in drug discovery and translational research
  • Cancer center leadership and administration
  • Industry leaders and medical science liaisons
  • Patient advocates

 

Cost

  • Big Ten CRC Member Institution
    Faculty, Staff, Researchers, Fellows: Free
  • Patient Advocates: Free
  • Industry Attendees: TBD

 
Additional Company Options: Contact Jonathan Ang at jang@hoosiercancer.org for information on the following limited opportunities.

  • Pipeline presentation
  • Lunch sponsorship
  • Commercial booth

 

 

Hosted By

Thank you to the University of Illinois Cancer Center for hosting the 2026 Big Ten CRC Summit!
 

Registration

 

Agenda

  • 7:30-8:15 AM: Check-In and Breakfast
  • 8:15-8:30 AM: Opening Remarks Welcome to New Members
    • Jan Kitajewski, PhD – Director, University of Illinois Cancer Center
    • Mark Burkard, MD, PhD – Director, University of Iowa Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • 8:30-9:30 AM: Host Research Spotlight: University of Illinois Cancer Center
    • Pamela Ganschow, MD – Director, Cancer Prevention and Survivorship Clinical Programs
    • Yu Gao, PhD – Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences; Associate Member, Translational Oncology Research Program
    • Paul Rubenstein, MD – Member, Translational Oncology Research Program; Associate Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology; Stewart D. Fordham Professor in Lymphoma
  • 9:30-10:00 AM: Community Care
    • Heather Grey – CEO & Co-Founder, Elixir Trials
    • Karriem Watson, DHSc, MS, MPH – Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director,
      UI Health Mile Square Health Center; Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community-Based Practice, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, University of Illinois Chicago
  • 10:00-10:15 AM: Industry Presentation: Jazz Pharmaceuticals
  • 10:15-10:30 AM: Break
  • 10:30-11:15 AM: Big Ten CRC Studies Spotlight
    • Stuthi Perimbeti, MD – Penn State Cancer Institute
    • Mingjia Li, MD – The James at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
    • Natalie Callander, MD – University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center

 

  • 11:15-11:30 AM: Industry Presentation: Ataraxis AI
    • Jan Witowski, CEO
  • 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM: Lunch and Networking
  • 12:15-1:15 PM: Keynote Speaker
    • Alison Haislip – Actor, Cancer Survivor, and Host of Big C Energy Podcast
  • 1:15-1:45 PM: Investigator Panel: Basic Science
    • Zeynep Madak-Erdogan, PhD – Professor of Nutrition, Sylvia D. Stroup Scholar; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    • Joanna Burdette, PhD – Associate Dean for Research, Retzky College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois Chicago; Co-Leader, Cancer Biology Program, University of Illinois Cancer Center
  • 1:45-2:20 PM: Funding Award Updates
    • Roberto Benzo, PhD – The James at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
    • Kyle Nolla, PhD – Northwestern University
    • Min-Ae Song, PhD – The James at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
    • Sharon Manne, PhD – Rutgers Cancer Institute
  • 2:20-2:30 PM: Pat Loehrer Award
  • 2:30 PM: Recognitions and Closing Remarks
    • Jan Kitajewski, PhD
    • Mark Burkard, MD, PhD

 


Accommodations

Book your stay at one of these nearby hotels:

 

Questions?

Contact Jonathan Ang at jang@hoosiercancer.org.