Dr. Sujuan Ba, Ph.D

Episode #18: What If You Could Know Your Breast Cancer Risk at 25?

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:27:11 -0700

Most of us don’t think about breast cancer until we have to. But Dr. Funmi Olopade, a pioneering oncologist at the University of Chicago, wants to change that — and she’s spent 30 years building the tools to make it possible.

In the latest episode of All Things Cancer, Dr. Olopade sits down with host Dr. Hali Hartmann to talk about a field she calls “preventive oncology” — the idea that we should be identifying cancer risk long before any symptoms appear. With advances in AI, whole genome sequencing, and blood-based biomarkers, she believes that’s no longer a distant dream.

One of the most powerful parts of the conversation? Dr. Olopade’s take on disparity. As a Black woman herself, she pushes back hard on the idea that Black women die from breast cancer at higher rates because of race. The real culprit, she argues, is access to clinical trials, to cutting-edge treatments, to care that meets patients where they live. She shares stories of Stage 4 patients who beat the odds simply because they were able to reach the right doctor at the right time. And she’s determined to make sure that it shouldn’t require crossing a bridge to Chicago.

About Dr. Funmi...Read More

All Things Cancer Episode #17: How Kathy Giusti Transformed a Diagnosis Into a Movement

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:29:26 -0800

From Fatal to Fearless
When Kathy Giusti was diagnosed with multiple myeloma at 37, she was told she had three years to live. What happened next changed cancer research forever.
In this episode of All Things Cancer, host Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Kathy — founder of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and author of Fatal to Fearless: 12 Steps to Breaking Cancer in a Broken Medical System — for an honest, inspiring conversation about urgency, leadership, and what it truly takes to put patients first.
Kathy shares how she turned a devastating diagnosis into one of the most effective nonprofit models in oncology, building a collaborative network of academics, pharmaceutical companies, regulators, and patients that has contributed to 15+ approved therapies and pushed the five-year survival rate for multiple myeloma from 32% to over 62%.
In this episode with Kathy Giusti, you’ll hear:
The founding story of the MMRF and the funding model that set it apart
Why giving up intellectual property was key to accelerating drug development
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All Things Cancer Episode #16: Dr. Michele Carbone on How Research Impacts Communities

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:52:32 -0800

What does it look like when scientific discovery moves beyond the lab and changes the course of entire communities?
In the latest episode of All Things Cancer, Dr. Sujuan Ba speaks with physician-scientist Dr. Michele Carbone about a journey that began in small villages in Cappadocia, Turkey, and ultimately saved lives across continents.
Dr. Carbone was invited to visit villages where nearly half the population was dying from mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lung lining. What he uncovered was far more complex than environmental exposure alone. Through years of persistence, skepticism from peers, and relentless follow-up, he identified a hereditary mutation in the BAP1 gene that dramatically increases cancer risk.
But discovery was only the beginning.
Dr. Carbone worked directly with government leaders to relocate entire villages away from exposure to carcinogenic minerals. He later helped identify similar risks in North Dakota, leading to new safety regulations that protect families to this day.
His work has since opened new clinical trials and continues to explore a critical question: Why do patients with BAP1 mutations respond to cancer...Read More

All Things Cancer Episode #15: We’re Drowning in Cancer Data And Still Missing Cures

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:12:04 -0800

In the latest episode of All Things Cancer, Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Dr. Anna Barker, one of the most influential architects of modern cancer research, for a wide-ranging conversation about where the field is headed and what’s standing in the way of real progress.
At the heart of the discussion is a simple but uncomfortable truth: cancer research has more data than ever before, but we are not fully equipped to use it. Advances in genomics, imaging, clinical records, and multi-omics have created a data tsunami, yet gaps in data quality, standardization, and analytical expertise continue to slow discovery.
Dr. Barker emphasizes that artificial intelligence has enormous potential in cancer research, but only if it is built on high-quality, well-contextualized data. AI is not a shortcut or a silver bullet. In the near term, it may be better at predicting toxicity than treatment efficacy, and it won’t instantly make drug development cheaper. But over time, AI could fundamentally change how trials are designed, how drugs are screened, and how care reaches patients, especially those in underserved communities.
Another major theme is convergence. Dr. Barker argues...Read More

In Memory of Dr. Brian Leyland-Jones: A Legacy of Breakthrough Cancer Research, Patient Advocacy, and Leadership

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:08:32 -0800

The National Foundation for Cancer Research mourns the loss of Dr. Brian Leyland-Jones, a leading figure in global cancer research, a tireless patient advocate, and a cherished member of the NFCR family for more than two decades.A renowned breast cancer oncologist and translational research leader, Dr. Leyland-Jones played a pivotal role in advancing some of the most important cancer therapies of our time, including Herceptin (trastuzumab) and Taxol (paclitaxel). Over the course of his career, he served as principal investigator on more than 100 clinical studies, authored hundreds of scientific publications, and led two major cancer centers in North America, McGill University Comprehensive Cancer Center and Winship Cancer Center of Emory University. His scientific contributions helped move cancer research from discovery to real-world impact, always with urgency and purpose.
Yet what set Dr. Leyland-Jones apart was not only what he accomplished in laboratories and boardrooms, but what he did quietly, consistently, and often unseen. For more than two decades, Dr. Leyland-Jones made himself available to patients who reached out to NFCR in moments of fear and uncertainty. He offered his expertise pro bono, answering calls from families desperate for help, guiding them through diagnoses, treatment options, referrals, and next steps. He helped patients both inside the clinic and far beyond its walls, driven by a deep belief that no one facing cancer should feel alone or unheard.
Dr. Leyland-Jones served NFCR in numerous leadership roles, including as Chief Medical Officer and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board, offering steady counsel, scientific rigor, and an unwavering moral compass. Dr. Brian Leyland-Jones’s impact on NFCR was felt at every level of the organization. He continually challenged all of us to think bigger and act faster, to identify the...Read More

All Things Cancer Episode #14: A Conversation with Shereen and Isabella Pavlides

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:32:49 -0800

Turning Personal Loss Into Action
Cancer becomes real long before statistics or research headlines. For Shereen and Isabella Pavlides, it became personal through their family’s experience caring for Isabella’s grandmother, Esther, during her seven-year journey with pancreatic cancer. That experience shaped not only how they view cancer, but how they choose to respond to it.
In the latest episode of All Things Cancer, NFCR President and CEO Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Shereen and Isabella for a heartfelt conversation about caregiving, community, and what it means to turn personal loss into meaningful action.
Isabella, now one of NFCR’s Community Ambassadors, has emerged as a powerful example of next-generation leadership. From leading Play4TheCure efforts through Bucknell University athletics to launching her growing Dine & Donate initiative, she has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars to support cancer research. Her work demonstrates how young people can mobilize their communities, create accessible fundraising models, and make a real impact at a time when research funding is under increasing pressure.
At the center of their story is Esther, whose determination...Read More

Monica Bertagnolli on the Future of Cancer Research and AI in Patient Care

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 06:39:21 -0800

In a new episode of All Things Cancer, NFCR President and CEO Dr. Sujuan Ba interviews Dr. Monica Bertagnolli—former Director of both the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health. Their conversation touches on the state of U.S. cancer research, the challenges facing today’s scientific workforce, and how artificial intelligence may reshape patient care.

From Rural Roots to National Leadership
Growing up on a Wyoming cattle ranch, Dr. Bertagnolli learned firsthand how limited access to healthcare affects rural communities. That experience continues to guide her commitment to equity and to ensuring that innovations in cancer research reach every patient, regardless of geography.

Protecting the Future of Cancer Science
She expresses deep concern about unstable federal funding, noting its impact on labs, young scientists, and long-term discoveries. While there is bipartisan recognition of NIH’s importance, she stresses that philanthropy remains essential for sustaining cancer research during uncertain times.

AI in Medicine: Promise With Responsibility
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All Things Cancer Episode #12: Can CAR-T Therapy Finally Conquer Solid Tumors?

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 08:18:49 -0700

“What’s next for cancer research?”
In this special conversation, two generations of cancer researchers come together to explore how far we’ve come—and how bold collaboration is shaping what’s next.
From Chemotherapy to Cell Therapy: A 50-Year Journey
For Dr. Brian Leyland-Jones, NFCR’s longtime medical advisor and one of the most respected oncologists in the field, the evolution of cancer care has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Throughout his decades-long partnership with NFCR, Dr. Leyland-Jones has witnessed the organization’s pivotal role in advancing early-stage discoveries—funding the kind of high-risk, high-reward science that traditional agencies often overlook. “NFCR funds the impossible dream,” he says, “supporting brilliant people and ideas that move the field forward.”
A New Generation Pushing the Boundaries of Immunotherapy
Representing the next wave of innovation is Dr. Avery Posey, an NFCR-supported scientist at the University of...Read More

Artificial intelligence takes the lead in revolutionizing cancer research explored at NFCR’s 2025 Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research and Entrepreneurship.

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 06:12:08 -0700

The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) hosted its 2025 Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship on October 24 at the National Press Club, in Washington, D.C., gathering many of the most forward-thinking minds in oncology, cancer research, technology, patient care, and biomedical innovation.
This year’s summit centered on a defining theme: how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the entire ecosystem of cancer research and patient care, from laboratory discovery to bedside decision-making.
The Next Frontier: AI’s Expanding Role in Cancer Research
The day opened with a keynote address from Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D., Senior Fellow in Healthcare Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and 17th Director of the National Institutes of Health. In her talk, “Cancer at the Community Level,” Dr. Bertagnolli...Read More

AIM-HI Accelerator Fund Announces Winners of the 2025 Venture Competition

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 06:50:39 -0700

In its mission to accelerate transformative cancer innovations and drive cures forward, the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 AIM-HI Venture Competition: ResNovas Therapeutics, co-founded by Nobel Laureate Carolyn Bertozzi, Ph.D., Michelle Arkin, Ph.D., CTO Ian Churcher, Ph.D., and CEO Gabriele Sulli, Ph.D.; and Chiara Biosciences, co-founded by National Academy of Inventors Fellow Francis Barany, Ph.D. and CEO Kirsten Flowers, MBA.
The 2025 AIM-HI Venture Competition Committee reviewed more than 80 applications from early-stage oncology companies representing 18 countries. The process was overseen by three committees—Selection, Judging, and Investment Due Diligence—each composed of world-class key opinion leaders, life sciences experts, investors, and entrepreneurs. Unlike traditional investment funds, the AIM-HI Venture Competition is building an ecosystem where every applicant receives meaningful feedback, either in writing or through a one-on-one meeting.
The AIM-HI Venture Competition is a first-of-its-kind program that provides critical funding, mentorship, and global networking opportunities to oncology startups. Both ResNovas Therapeutics and Chiara Biosciences were recognized as enterprises poised to make meaningful advances against some of the most challenging cancers. The competition highlights companies that combine strong scientific and clinical merit with the potential for transformative business and patient impact.
About the Winners