Dr. Sujuan Ba, Ph.D

Episode #22: How a Biologist and a Mathematician Are Rewriting the Future of Breast Cancer Research

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:16:31 -0700

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

Combining four different anti-cancer therapies in a breast cancer model
Why basic science funding matters now more than ever
What AI can — and can’t — actually do for cancer treatment

What do weather prediction models have to do with breast cancer? In the latest episode of All Things Cancer, cancer biologist Dr. Lisa Coussens and computational scientist Dr. Elana Fertig break down their unlikely NFCR-funded collaboration — and why it’s changing how researchers understand breast cancer.

Coussens’ path wound through art school, marine biology, and an early stint at Genentech before she became a leading voice in cancer immunology. Fertig came at science from the opposite direction — a lifelong puzzle-solver who applied advanced math to weather prediction before turning those same tools toward biology.

Episode #21: Cancer Caregiver Tom Clark on Honoring His Wife

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:04:31 -0700

Main Takeaways From This Episode:

Tom Clark shares the story of his wife Bernadette’s diagnosis and death from glioblastoma (GBM). In this episode, he shares:

The early, easy-to-miss symptoms of her brain tumor
Her diagnosis and treatment challenges
Her decision to stop treatment and move to hospice care at home
Why he reached out to NFCR after her death

Tom and Bernadette Clark met as teenagers working summer jobs at a grocery store in Wildwood, New Jersey — she was the cashier, he was the bagger. They started dating in 1966 and stayed together for the next 52 years, through marriage, kids, and Bernadette’s second career as a nurse, where she was later voted Nurse of the Year at Christiana Care.

So when Bernadette started acting out of character — stumbling on a hiking trail in Cuba, struggling to get ready in the morning, growing uncharacteristically frustrated — Tom knew something was wrong long before any doctor did. And so did Bernadette. Drawing on her own nursing instincts, she told Tom plainly: “I have a tumor.” She was right. It was glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain cancers.

In this episode of All Things...Read More

Episode #20: The Cancer That Has No Symptoms with Dr. Ron Shore

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 07:34:11 -0700

Main Takeaways From This Episode:
1. Melanoma is often silent until it’s advanced.
Unlike many cancers, early-stage melanoma usually doesn’t itch, hurt, or bleed. Because it often has no warning signs, routine skin exams are essential for catching it before it spreads.
2. Professional skin screenings can save lives.
Dr. Ron Shore’s 34-year screening program has demonstrated the power of early detection, identifying thousands of skin cancers—including more than 200 melanomas—when they were most treatable. Regular screenings are especially important for people at higher risk.
3. Prevention and early action go hand in hand.
Protecting your skin from UV exposure, knowing your personal risk factors, and seeing a dermatologist if you notice a new or changing spot are simple steps that can make a lifesaving difference.
Why regular skin cancer screenings could save your life
Most cancers give us warning signs: A persistent cough. A lump. Pain. Unexplained weight loss.
But melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is often different. In its earliest stages, melanoma typically doesn’t itch. It doesn’t bleed. It doesn’t hurt. It often develops quietly, without symptoms, giving people little reason to think...Read More

Dr. Michele Carbone Awarded 2026 Szent-Györgyi Prize for Pioneering Cancer Research

Thu, 21 May 2026 11:52:47 -0700

Rockville, MD — The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) is proud to announce that Dr. Michele Carbone of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center is the recipient of the 2026 Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research.
Dr. Michele Carbone receives the 2026 Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research, awarded by a blue-ribbon committee of 13 leading cancer researchers and clinicians, for his groundbreaking discovery that susceptibility to mesothelioma — a rare and lethal cancer of the lining of the lungs and abdomen — can be transmitted through families in a Mendelian fashion, driven by inherited mutations in the gene BAP1. Working for more than a decade in villages in Cappadocia, Turkey, where residents were heavily exposed to erionite, a carcinogenic mineral fiber, and where half of all residents died of mesothelioma, Dr. Carbone demonstrated that genetic predisposition, not environmental exposure alone, determined who developed the disease. He then identified germline BAP1 mutations as the cause of a novel cancer syndrome, characterized by mesothelioma alongside eye and skin melanoma, renal, breast, bladder, and other cancers. His subsequent elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of BAP1Read More

Episode #19: The Accidental Discovery That Changed Cancer Research Forever

Fri, 15 May 2026 07:12:02 -0700

Back in 1979, a scientist made an accidental discovery involving a simple tumor virus. That breakthrough eventually led to more than 80 FDA-approved cancer drugs used around the world today.
That scientist is Dr. Tony Hunter. In the latest episode of All Things Cancer, he joins us to share the full story.
Dr. Hunter didn’t plan on ending up at the Salk Institute. He moved to San Diego with his first wife, happened upon a lab focused on tumor viruses, and ended up staying. There, he discovered tyrosine phosphorylation, which showed for the first time how rogue enzymes can hijack normal cell growth signals and cause cancer. This accidental discovery was quickly accepted by the scientific community.
But this episode offers more than just a history lesson. It’s a rare opportunity to hear Dr. Hunter speak openly about his discovery and the big challenges facing cancer research today. He talks about the funding crisis affecting labs across the country, the “valley of death” where promising discoveries get stuck...Read More

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