Distinguished Speakers in Oncology
The UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Distinguished Speakers in Oncology is a monthly lecture series held during the academic year that brings nationally and internationally recognized luminaries from all disciplines of cancer research to discuss their vision of how their respective fields might unfold in the future and share their pathway to a fulfilling career in cancer research.
Register for the 2024-2025 Distinguished Speakers in Oncology series here.
| October. 29, 2024, 12–1 p.m. (virtual) | ||
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Lisa Newman, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S., F.A.S.C.O Chief of Breast Surgery Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine |
Join Zoom Meeting |
| November. 19, 2024, 12–1 p.m. (virtual) | ||
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Thomas Sellers, Ph.D., M.P.H Director, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute |
"Discovery without Experimentation? Epidemiology, Discovery and Translation" |
| February. 25, 2025, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Amy LeBlanc, D.V.M. Senior Scientist, NCI Molecular Imaging Branch |
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| March 25, 2025, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Joe Ramos, Ph.D. Louisiana Cancer Research Center Director |
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| April 29, 2025, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Ruth Carlos, M.D., M.S., F.A.C.R. Professor, Radiology Division of Abdominal Radiology, University of Michigan, Assistant Chair for Clinical Research, University of Michigan |
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| May 27, 2025, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Laura M. Heiser, Ph.D. Associate Professor & Vice Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Co-Leader, Knight Cancer Institute Quantitative Oncology Program, Associate Director, Complex Systems Modeling, Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR) |
"Multiscale systems approach to rationally identify effective therapeutic strategies" Join Zoom Meeting |
| June 24, 2025, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Jennifer Grandis, M.D. American Cancer Society Professor, Professor |
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| Oct. 11, 2022, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Robert W. Carlson, M.D. Chief Executive Officer, National Comprehensive Cancer Network |
"A Selective Overview of NCCN Programs and Opportunities" |
| Nov. 29, 2022, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Jeff Burgess, M.D., M.S., M.P.H. Director, Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research; Professor, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona |
"The Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study (FFCCS): Community-Engaged Research" |
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With Special Guest: Derek Urwin, Ph.D. Engineer, Los Angeles County Fire Department; Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles |
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| Jan. 31, 2023, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Beth Y. Karlan, M.D. Professor and Vice Chair, Women's Health Research; Director, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Director, Cancer Population Genetics, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles |
"Inherited cancer susceptibility, genetic testing and targeted therapy: Delivering on our discoveries" (Recording Available) |
| Feb. 28, 2023, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Lindsay Frazier, M.D., Sc.M. Institute Physician, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School in Health Disparities Research, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research |
"Germ Cell Tumors: A Lens on How to Innovate Care for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer" |
| March 28, 2023, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Gloria Coronado, Ph.D. Distinguished Investigator; Mitch Greenlick Endowed Investigator in Health Disparities Research, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research |
"Precision-directed Patient Navigation Program for Follow-up Colonoscopy Completion" |
| April 25, 2023, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Katherine Van Loon, M.D., M.P.H. Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Gastrointestinal Oncology; Director, Global Cancer Program, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco |
"Multidisciplinary Management of Pregnancy-Associated Cancers in a Post-Roe Era" |
| May 23, 2023, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Kavitha Ramchandran, M.D. Clinical Associate Professor, Oncology and Palliative Care; Medical Director, Cancer Care Services, Stanford Cancer Center |
"Developing Care Delivery Models that Incorporate Patient/Family/Care Giver Values" |
| June 27, 2023, 12–1 p.m. | ||
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Nicola Mason, BVetMed, Ph.D., DACVIM (Internal Medicine), FCPP, MRCVS Paul A. James and Charles A. Gilmore Endowed Chair Professorship; Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine |
"A Comparative Approach to Inform Next-Generation Cell-Based Therapies" |
| May 31, 2022 | ||
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Franklin Huang, M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco |
"Advancing Precision Oncology by Investigating the Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Disparities" |
| April 26, 2022 | ||
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Larry Norton, M.D. Senior Vice President, Office of the President; Medical Director, Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center |
"Rethinking the Nature of Neoplasia" |
| March 29, 2022 | ||
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Marcia Cruz-Correa, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry and Surgery, Centro Comprensivo de Cancer, Universidad de Puerto Rico |
“Molecular Diversity in Colorectal Cancer among Hispanics” (Recording Available) |
| February 22, 2022 | ||
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Charles M. Perou, Ph.D. The May Goldman Shaw Distinguished Professor of Molecular Oncology; Co-Director, Computational Medicine Program; Professor in the Department of Genetics, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
"Quantitative Medicine for Breast Cancer Patients" (Recording Available) |
| January 25, 2022 | ||
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Priyadip Ray, Ph.D. Staff Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
"Accelerated Growth of Artificial Intelligence in Oncology" (Recording Available) |
| November 30, 2021 | ||
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Ned Sharpless, M.D. Director, National Cancer Institute |
"Working Together to End Cancer as We Know It" (Recording Available) |
| October 26, 2021 | ||
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Melissa Bondy, Ph.D. Chair and Professor, Epidemiology and Population Health; Stanford Medicine Discovery Professor Associate Director, Population Sciences, Stanford Cancer Institute Co-Director, Center for Population Health Sciences, Stanford University |
"Epidemiology of Glioma: Insights from Molecular Epidemiology to Functional Validation" (Recording Available) |
| May 25, 2021 | ||
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Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Medicine, Professor of Surgery, and Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California Los Angeles, UCLA Director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center, UCLA |
“Emerging Therapeutic Strategies in Melanoma” (Recording Available) |
| April 27, 2021 | ||
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Marco Marra, O.B.C., Ph.D., F.R.S.C., F.C.A.H.S. Director, Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre at BC Cancer Professor and Head of the Department of Medical Genetics at University of British Columbia BC Node Leader for the Terry Fox Research Institute |
“Towards a Canadian National Program for Comprehensive Genomic Profiling of Treatment Resistant Cancers” (Recording Available) |
| March 30, 2021 | ||
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Primo Lara, M.D. Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center Codman-Radke Endowed Chair in Cancer Research Executive Associate Dean for Cancer Programs, School of Medicine Professor of Medicine University of California, Davis |
“Cancer Center Overview: Highlights from the NCI 2021 Site Visit” (Recording Available) |
| February 23, 2021 | ||
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Electra Paskett, Ph.D. Marion N. Rowley Professor of Cancer Research and Director, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine Professor, Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health Associate Director for Population Sciences and Community Outreach, Comprehensive Cancer Center Director, Center for Cancer Health Equity, Ohio State University |
“A Multi-Level Model to Address Cervical Cancer Disparities in Appalachia” (Recording Available) |
| January 26, 2021 | ||
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Robert Winn, M.D. Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center Professor, Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, VCU School of Medicine |
“Making Impact: Cancer Centers in the 21st Century” |
| November 17, 2020 | ||
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Ian Thompson, Jr., M.D. President and Regional Vice President, Oncology, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – Medical Center Professor Emeritus, University of Texas |
“Implications from Prostate Cancer Prevention Science on Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Cancer” |
| October 27, 2020 | ||
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Ryan Fields, M.D., FACS Professor of Surgery, Chief, Section of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Alvin J. Siteman Comprehensive Cancer Center Washington University School of Medicine |
“The Clonal Evolution of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer” |
| September 29, 2020 | ||
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H. Michael Shepard, Ph.D. 2019 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award 2006 Warren Alpert Prize from Harvard Medical School Chief Scientific Officer, Biooncology Consultants and Enosi Life Sciences
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“Walking from cancer to autoimmunity...Or, How I just can't seem to stay out of trouble” |