OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

A portrait of a person smiling, wearing a suit and tie; to the left, text reads, "Brian Druker, M.D. America's Greatest Innovators FORBES 250"; A white OHSU logo is placed in the upper-left hand; a blue-white gradient background image showcasing the Knight Cancer Research Building is faded beyond the elements of the image

Congratulations to Dr. Brian Druker on being named to the @forbes.com 250 list of "America's Greatest Innovators!"

Dr. Druker helped develop Gleevec, the first medication that specifically targets cancer cells: https://bit.ly/461NAj9

Home HPV tests won't replace the ob-gyn Breast exams, birth control and family planning are just some of the reasons not to skip your annual ob-gyn appointment.

While HPV tests can now be done at home, Dr. Amanda Bruegl explains the benefits of annual OB-GYN visits (via @sciencenews.bsky.social): https://bit.ly/4snMrLx

Study finds stress-related nerves may fuel pancreatic cancer growth New research from OHSU points to an unexpected player in cancer research: nerves.

Researchers found that certain nerves, called sympathetic nerves, that play an integral role in the body’s “fight or flight” stress response, can support pancreatic tumor growth.

#OHSUResearch:

On this upcoming International Women's Day, join @lustgarten.org and @ohsuknight.bsky.social as we celebrate and highlight the critical role women play in driving advancements and innovation in the fight against cancer.

🗓️ Mar 10
⏰ 1pm
📍Knight Cancer Research Building
⤵️ #IWD26 https://bit.ly/4aiU4LO

Home HPV tests won’t replace the ob-gyn Breast exams, birth control and family planning are just some of the reasons not to skip your annual ob-gyn appointment.

“Someone should be talking about all the [other] basic health screenings, all the basic wellness things, every single year.”

- Dr. Amanda Bruegl on the benefits of annual OB-GYN visits (via @sciencenews.bsky.social): https://bit.ly/4snMrLx

Celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth by honoring the women shaping our world.🌎 Join our #InternationalWomensDay Symposium, The Power of Persistence — Women Transforming Cancer Research and Care, on 3/10. Stand with us to champion progress in cancer research.💜
www.lustgarten.org/IWD
@ohsuknight.bsky.social

Divya Sood, M.D., is a surgical oncologist who specializes in the care of patients with abdominal cancers. She has a particular focus on cancers that are metastatic or have spread. Meet OHSU's Dr. Divya Sood

“A cancer diagnosis can impact not just your whole body, but also your family and community.

The fact they've trusted us to take care of them is a real privilege."

Get to know Dr. Divya Sood, a surgical oncologist who specializes in caring for patients with abdominal cancers:

Margot Rocha (L) and Dr. Flavio Rocha (R) embrace for a hug as they pose for a photo outside with a forest in the background

“I believe in the care that we give here, so I brought my mother here to experience it.

She got such special care here that they actually diagnosed something else that other providers were not quite aware of.”

- Dr. Flavio Rocha on his mother receiving care at OHSU: https://bit.ly/3Opouof

A portrait of Dr. Hagen Kennecke wearing glasses and a suit in the middle of a graphic; Text on the graphic reads, "Hagen Kennecke, M.D., M.H.A., FRCPC"; the background image showcases a foggy morning sunrise set over Portland's South Waterfront.

Dr. Hagen Kennecke reviews studies guiding systemic therapy in advanced neuroendocrine tumors and shares how clinical trials have reshaped care with targeted medications everolimus and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy.

Learn more (via Targeted Oncology): https://bit.ly/4b5Amoe

A person stands on a step platform in a fitness room, surrounded by exercise equipment like a rolled-up mat and two blue dumbbells. The walls have motivational words, and there are exercise bars and mirrors in the background.

“We want to put that myth to bed, that older people can’t tolerate exercise during cancer treatment.

If exercise helps older patients tolerate more treatment, they have better clinical outcomes and maintain their quality of life. It’s a win-win.”

- Dr. Kerri Winters-Stone: https://bit.ly/46bjSs4

A collage of images; Brian Druker, M.D., CEO, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, is pictured upper left working in a research lab, and Jackie Shannon, Ph.D., associate director of community outreach and engagement at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and professor in the Division of Oncological Sciences (population science), is pictured lower right. In the upper right, a cancer screening sheet is showcased. In the middle is signage at OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute's Research Building with the saing, "Ending Cancer As We Know It."

“This plan helps guide our research to implementation priorities, from early detection to new therapies.

When science and community needs move in the same direction, we can make strides in reducing cancer’s toll.”

- Dr. Brian Druker on the Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan: https://bit.ly/4qMabaQ

Drs. Sanjay Malhotra (L) and Shivaani Kummar (R) pose for an image while wearing their white research lab coats inside an OHSU facility.

📣 Save the Date | Oregon Drug Discovery Symposium (ODDS) 2026

The symposium takes place April 8–9, 2026, and will feature scientific talks, discussions, and a poster session, providing a forum for knowledge exchange across disciplines.

Register: https://bit.ly/4qbMRU0

Persistence in cancer research is rooted in purpose — and a shared commitment to making a difference for patients. 💜
Join us 3/10 for the #InternationalWomensDay Symposium, The Power of Persistence—Women Transforming Cancer Research and Care.
Register: www.lustgarten.org/IWD
@ohsuknight.bsky.social

Margot Rocha (L) and Dr. Flavio Rocha (R) embrace for a hug as they pose for a photo outside with a forest in the background

Margot Rocha, mother to Dr. Flavio Rocha, traveled from Chicago to Portland to receive treatment at OHSU for meningioma.

It was the right decision, as Dr. Huan Vo uncovered another form of cancer hiding in the shadows.

This is Margot's story: https://bit.ly/3Opouof

A collage of images; Brian Druker, M.D., CEO, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, is pictured upper left working in a research lab, and Jackie Shannon, Ph.D., associate director of community outreach and engagement at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and professor in the Division of Oncological Sciences (population science), is pictured lower right. In the upper right, a cancer screening sheet is showcased. In the middle is signage at OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute's Research Building with the saing, "Ending Cancer As We Know It."

Led by @ohsuknight.bsky.social and @orhealthauthority.bsky.social, the 2025 Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan identifies five priority cancer areas of focus: liver, breast, colorectal, and lung cancers, and emphasizes the importance of increasing the HPV vaccination rate: https://bit.ly/4qMabaQ

A person stands on a step platform in a fitness room, surrounded by exercise equipment like a rolled-up mat and two blue dumbbells. The walls have motivational words, and there are exercise bars and mirrors in the background.

New national guidelines dispel any myth that physical activity is too risky for older cancer patients and survivors.

Exercise is essential during treatment, throughout recovery, and beyond, for cancer survivors older than 65, according to leading experts: https://bit.ly/46bjSs4

Blue-green gradient graphic with white text reading, "We are so grateful to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for supporting our research. Our project tackles a hard-to-treat form of pediatric leukemia. We urgently need better ways to target gene changes driving this cancer. This grant will help us explore a new target and whether drugs focused there can slow leukemia." Julia Maxson, Associate Professor of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine

The awards are part of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation's Accelerated Grants program, which funds innovative and collaborative pediatric cancer research.

Learn more: bit.ly/4bYpd9L

Blue graphic featuring a professional photo of Dr. Julia Maxson smiling. Text on the graphic reads, "Julia Maxson, PH.D., Childhood Cancer Grant, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation." An OHSU logo appears in the upper-left-hand corner. Julia Maxson, Associate Professor of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine

Congratulations to Dr. Julia Maxson on receiving a #ChildhoodCancer Grant from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation!

Dr. Maxson’s project seeks to identify epigenetic vulnerabilities in difficult-to-treat forms of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, a rare childhood blood cancer.

Dr. Shereef Elnahal (L) and Dr. Brian Druker (R) speak to the media inside OHSU's newest hospital building, Vista Pavilion.

A mural of Oregon's wilderness is painted along one of the walls inside Vista Pavilion, depicting a waterfall cutting through a forest of trees.

A mural of Oregon's wilderness is painted along one of the walls inside Vista Pavilion, depicting Crater Lake framed between two tall trees; a computer workstation is visible in the foreground.

An outside view from Vista Pavilion depicting the Portland skyline and Portland Aerial Tram.

Earlier this week, Drs. Shereef Elnahal and Brian Druker invited media members for a tour of Vista Pavilion.

Scheduled to open on April 7, Vista Pavilion is a 14-story tower on Marquam Hill that will add 128 new inpatient hospital beds dedicated to cancer treatment.

📹 (KGW): https://bit.ly/4azNjoU

On this upcoming International Women's Day, join @lustgarten.org and @ohsuknight.bsky.social as we celebrate and highlight the critical role women play in driving advancements and innovation in the fight against cancer.

🗓️ Mar 10
⏰ 1pm
📍Knight Cancer Research Building
⤵️ #IWD26 https://bit.ly/4aiU4LO

Blue-green gradient graphic with white text reading, “This investment in the Moran Lab will directly support our research efforts to improve immunotherapy treatment outcomes for prostate cancer patients. Thank you for supporting innovative research, as this is where we believe progress is possible!” Amy Moran, Associate Professor of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine

Dr. Moran uses the most advanced research tools to understand the interaction between prostate cancer cells and the body's immune T-cells, how the cancer evades the T-cells, and then how the T-cells can be induced to attack the cancer.

Learn more: bit.ly/4aHJ1wV

Blue graphic featuring a professional photo of Dr. Amy Moran smiling. Text on the graphic reads, "Amy Moran, PH.D., Prostate Cancer Research Award, The Hollander Foundation." An OHSU logo appears in the upper-left-hand corner.

Congratulations to Dr. Amy Moran on receiving The Hollander Foundation's annual #ProstateCancer Research Award! 🏆

Dr. Moran's work focuses on how hormones and the immune system—especially T cells—interact to influence cancer growth and treatment response.

🎉We’re excited to announce Dr. Claymore Kills First & Dr. Lisa Tachiki as our latest Cancer Research Fellows!

Launched in 2024, the Fellows award provides $300K in unrestricted funds over 2 years—empowering bold, innovative researchers to accelerate cancer innovation.

🔗Learn more at bit.ly/4ahMFMy

✨ Registration is open! ✨
Join us March 10 for the #InternationalWomensDay Symposium, in partnership with the @ohsuknight.bsky.social. The Power of Persistence celebrates women transforming cancer research and care. The Lustgarten community can register to join us online. 💜
👉 www.lustgarten.org/IWD

"Our job is to make them comfortable, understand that we can handle it, we can take care of them, and we can hopefully give them the ability to have a longer life and be cured.”

On #WorldCancerDay, get to know hematologist-oncologist Dr. Richard Maziarz: https://bit.ly/4rQUAIb

Increasing options for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: in a 38-patient RCT, low intensity vibration was safe, well adhered-to, and improved neuropathy + function:

ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/... #oncsky @jco-asco.bsky.social @ohsuknight.bsky.social

The award enables scientists to develop an eye drop that detects the fluorescent signal of a protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

When combined with a noninvasive scanner, the project could result in a low-cost, widely accessible screening tool to detect the earliest stages of the disease.

OHSU scientist Lei Wang, Ph.D., (pictured) is smiling while standing in a research lab and is part of a new federally funded initiative to develop an eye scan to detect early screening for Alzheimer’s disease. Wang, an organic chemist by training, is collaborating with OHSU imaging expert Yifan Jian, Ph.D. If the research initiative succeeds, it could result in a low-cost and widely accessible screening tool. (OHSU/Erik Robinson)

“The goal is to develop population-level screening involving a simple eye drop and a quick scan.”

- Dr. Lei Wang on a new federally funded Alzheimer’s screening project that is considered high-risk, high-reward

‘Into the Unknown’: Portland filmmaker’s documentary chronicles his cancer journey | OHSU Foundation A week after being diagnosed with appendix cancer, filmmaker Matthew Ross began filming. His ensuing film documents how OHSU saved his life.

“The second I talked to Dr. Sood, it was just calm. I had someone with answers. I have this rare appendix cancer — how lucky am I that there’s this specialist 15 minutes from my house?”

- Matthew Ross, who underwent HIPEC surgery to treat appendix cancer, which spread aggressively into his abdomen:

Mark your calendars for April 10, 2026! 🗓️

Join us for the annual OHSU Knight Cancer Symposium in Portland, Oregon.

Stay updated on the latest advancements in cancer care, research, and programs.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from experts!

Register today: https://bit.ly/4rH8ygm