Director, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Welcome to Synthesis magazine. Once again, we have put together a vibrant new issue that reflects the heart of our mission: advancing cancer care through innovation, compassion and community.
One of the most exciting developments is the arrival of new cancer experts at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. Meet the exceptional talent joining our team and learn how they are rising to address the needs of our patients.
You’ll read about a striking scientific revelation: A single genetic mutation may explain why humans are more vulnerable to cancer than our primate cousins. It’s a discovery that deepens our understanding of cancer’s origins and underscores the urgency of continued research at UC Davis.
Speaking of innovation, artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the practice of medicine. Because we want to ensure AI improves diagnostic accuracy while streamlining workflows, we are helping lead a groundbreaking $16 million study on AI-assisted mammography.
We also spotlight the unique challenges faced by adolescents and young adults with cancer. These patients often fall between pediatric and adult cancer care, and our new findings help bridge that gap with tailored support and treatment strategies.
Find out why the University of California Office of the President has partnered with CAL FIRE to fund a $9.7 million research grant that will strengthen UC Davis’ ability to study the impact of wildfire smoke on cancer risk in firefighters. The trailblazing joint research initiative with UCLA is the largest endeavor of its kind.
Wildfire smoke doesn’t just affect firefighters. New findings show that wildfires in California may lower survival rates for lung cancer patients, making environmental health a critical part of the conversation.
Our commitment to compassionate care shines through in stories like that of a patient with pancreatic cancer who returned to the slopes, thanks to a surgeon who understood not just the disease but the patient’s love of skiing. Read about his surgical oncologist, Cameron Gaskill, a leader in pancreatic cancer who also donates his time to the global cancer fight.
We will take you inside the newly opened Folsom Medical Care Clinic and its state-of-the-art cancer treatment center. You will meet our first full-time oncologist based at the center and see how we are transforming cancer care in the Sierra foothills region.
There’s also a new pediatrician at the Folsom facility who was inspired to become a doctor after becoming a bone marrow donor for her sister, a UC Davis Health patient.
We continue to build connections that heal beyond medicine. One of our prostate cancer patients threw the first pitch at an A’s game to remind men in the crowd about the importance of prostate cancer screening.
Finally, you’ll also meet Gerald Hecox, a patient whose journey inspires us all. Gerald has stage 4 bladder cancer, but he has returned to golfing after completing a clinical trial testing a promising cancer drug developed right here at UC Davis.
These stories remind us that hope is not just a concept, it’s a practice. Thank you for joining us on this journey!
