The IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Research Day, held May 8, highlighted some of the best cancer research being conducted by students, fellows and faculty from across the state. Watch the 2025 highlights video. Award winners represented research from IU Indianapolis, IU Bloomington, Purdue University, and University of St. Francis, Fort Wayne. See the full list of award winners.
The Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) kicked off its month-long National Cancer Survivors Month celebration on June 3 with an event focused on nutrition and physical health. Survivors, caregivers, and supporters came together to enjoy wellness activities, connect with community resources, and celebrate resilience in a supportive environment.
Join COE for the remaining Tuesday events in June, held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the Cancer Pavilion. Each event highlights a different dimension of survivorship care: mental wellness on June 10, spiritual health on June 17, and life balance on June 24. Guests will experience interactive demonstrations, resource tables, light refreshments, and small tokens of appreciation.
The cancer center will once again be amid the “15 Greatest Days of Summer,” food, fun, and more at the Great Indiana State Fair this summer.
The cancer center’s booth will be located under the grandstands from Wednesday Aug. 6 to Sunday, Aug. 10 to raise awareness of our In the Race to Beat Cancer, Early Detection and Prevention Win education campaign, clinical trials, and more. Fairgoers will also learn about the cancer center’s Komen Tissue Bank and End Lung Cancer Now, with representatives and volunteers from each onsite Thursday, Aug. 7 and Friday, Aug. 8, respectively.
Volunteers will be needed to help staff the booth each day. Each volunteer will receive a T-shirt, a ticket for free fair admission and free parking as well as a ticket for a guest. Watch for a call for volunteers soon.
Last year, more than 2,500 fairgoers stopped by the cancer center’s booth.
Through its Defending Cancer Research Digest, the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) seeks to keep its members informed about what is happening at other cancer centers around the country. If you don’t already receive emails from the AACI and would like to get future issues of Defending Cancer Research and the newsletter, you can be added to the circulation list by sending an email to aaciupdate@aaci-cancer.org.
The Strategy and Management Succession Program (SAM@Simon) is seeking applications for its 2025 cohort. SAM@Simon seeks to provide clinical or research faculty and staff a safe space to enhance leadership and development skills and to accelerate participant’s careers with an in-depth understanding of the core concepts that drive academic cancer centers.
The program includes a retreat that will occur mid-September 2025. Asynchronous courses will occur September-December 2025. The application deadline is July 31.
The End Lung Cancer Now team hit the pavement at the Indy 500 Parade, walking alongside Indiana’s first and only mobile lung screening unit to raise awareness for lung cancer screening and early detection. Where someone lives shouldn’t determine whether they have access to life-saving lung cancer screening. That’s why the mobile program travels across Indiana—bringing this important resource closer to home for more Hoosiers.
The 2025 Burger Bash delivered by ClusterTruck raised more than $30,000 to support cancer research at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Held at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway and co-hosted by NTT INDYCAR SERIES’s Curt Cavin and NBC Sports’ Kevin Lee, the event brought together racing fans, researchers and a community united by one goal—fueling the science that will lead to a future without cancer.
An End Lung Cancer Now integrated marketing campaign has been recognized with a Merit Award from the Healthcare AdAwards. Through a strategic partnership with Stamats, the three-month campaign highlighted lung cancer prevention, screening, research, clinical trials, and advocacy, alongside native display and social ads to maximize reach on a limited budget. The campaign led up to National Lung Cancer Awareness Month last November, which featured fresh stories and ads each month to engage and inform target audiences. Learn more about the awards.
Members of the cancer center gift development and communications teams attended the 34th annual NACCDO-PAMN Conference – a collaboration of the National Association of Cancer Center Development Offices (NACCDO) and the newly rebranded Cancer Marketing and Communications Association (CMCA, formerly PAMN). This year’s conference was hosted by the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami. Ashleigh Wahl was a presenter for a NACCDO session. Additional attendees were Betsy Cooney, Samantha Essex, Meghan Forestal, Candace Gwaltney, Mika Mokko, Michael Schug, Lauren Stutsman, and Kelsey Turner. The IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center will serve as the host for the 2027 NACCDO-CMCA conference.
Leaders from the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center participated in the AACI/AACR 2025 Cancer Hill Day. Hari Nakshatri, PhD, cancer center Director Kelvin Lee, MD, Ann Kimble-Hill, PhD, and Rich Zellars, MD, met with Sen. Todd Young and staff, Sen. Jim Banks' staff, and Congressman André Carson’s staff.
Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, presented chief fellow Noah Richardson, MD, a Young Investigator Award, and Misty Shields, MD, PhD, with a Career Development Award during the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Gain insight from leading experts in the field, network with peers and discuss the latest research at the OncLive State of the Science Summit for lung cancer, 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19, at Indianapolis Marriott North. This OncLive event is presented in partnership with the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. Learn more and register.
The annual ASCO Review at IU will be 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, July 12 at the Marriott Indianapolis Downtown. This program provides the latest information as presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting. IU Division of Hematology/Oncology faculty members will provide analysis of the more clinically applicable presentations at this year's ASCO meeting. ASCO President Robin Zon, MD, is the keynote speaker. See the full agenda.
Shadia Jalal, MD (EDT), has been named interim division chief for the Division of Hematology/Oncology. In addition to this role, Jalal will maintain her clinical and lab research at IU.
Clint D. Bahler, MD (CPC), shares how his research is using advanced imaging to shape the future of prostate cancer care in this IU School of Medicine video.
Asmaa El-Kenawi, PhD (TMM), explains how her research is advancing strategies to improve survival for people with cancer in this IU School of Medicine video.
