The Cancer Biology and Metastasis research program, formerly Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis (TMM), brings together researchers studying how tumors interact with their surrounding environment, immune system and host tissues to drive cancer progression and metastasis. The researchers work to translate fundamental discoveries into new therapeutic approaches for diverse cancer types.
One year ago this month, the cancer centers’ mobile lung screening program hit the road.
In its first year, it traveled to 39 Indiana counties and screened 740 people. Indiana’s only mobile lung screening program continues to bring screening directly to communities, helping more Hoosiers find lung cancer early, when treatment is most effective.
In case you missed it: The mobile lung screening program — a collaborative partnership between IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center and IU Health — was recognized at the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Excellence in Health Care Awards on Feb. 10 with a Community Achievement Award.
The “Cancer Decoded” Instagram series, created by social media and digital communications manager, Mika Mokko, earned gold—the highest honor—in the 6th Annual Healthcare Digital Marketing Awards.
Designed to make cancer research more accessible, Cancer Decoded translates complex scientific language into clear, engaging digital content. The series supports broader public understanding of how researchers are advancing cancer prevention, detection and treatment.
This recognition reflects the strength and strategic health communications in expanding access to trusted cancer information. Learn more about the award-winning series.
Heather Pirowski has been named director of communications in the cancer center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (OCOE). Heather will be responsible for leading all outreach and in-reach activities of the OCOE, with an emphasis on outreach to marginalized communities in the catchment area. She will develop and implement cancer site specific awareness and behavior change campaigns consistent with OCOE programming priorities in collaboration with program leaders.
Heather most recently served as the founder and executive director of Hoosier Breast Cancer Advocates, where she helped author the bipartisan breast cancer House Bill 1058 that updated Indiana’s dense breast notification law and added “aesthetic flat closure/chest wall” to the definition of breast reconstruction. She led successful outreach campaigns, which included developing the website and social media strategy, that resulted in more than 30 local and national breast cancer, cancer, and women-focused organizations to support HB1058, which unanimously passed and was signed into law by Gov. Holcomb in March 2024.
She also served as director of marketing at Paretta Autosport, where she was instrumental in producing the “Women Who Roar” media campaign and overseeing the “Play Like a Girl” initiative during the Indy 500 Qualifying Weekend.
A graduate of the IU Kelley School of Business, Heather is working a hybrid schedule. Her on-campus office is Gatch Hall CL, Suite 601. She can be reached at hpirows@iu.edu and 278-4724.
Tricia Bowen, event coordinator for the cancer center’s gift development team, has been awarded the prestigious Patrick Mulvey Scholarship to attend this year's National Association of Cancer Center Development Officers-Cancer Marketing and Communications Association (NACCDO-CMCA) Annual Conference in Toronto.
Created to honor Pat Mulvey’s 30-year legacy of mentorship and service to cancer center fundraising, this scholarship is awarded to emerging professionals who demonstrate a deep commitment to the field. Tricia’s winning application highlighted her passion for mission-driven event coordination and her dedication to the cancer center.
The National Institutes of Health invested more than $230 million into IU School of Medicine research in fiscal year 2025, fueling the determined pursuit of new treatments, therapies and cures for diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. IU finished the year as the 15th highest-funded public medical school in the country.
“Confident Conversations: Food, Metabolism & Cancer Risk” is 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 31 at the Madam Walker Legacy Center, 617 Indiana Ave., Indianapolis. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.
The evening includes expert discussion, audience Q&A, community resource tables, and a short interactive line-dance demonstration, “Move for Your Metabolism.”
Save the date for the upcoming “Confident Conversations” on April 14.
Cancer Research Day, the cancer center’s signature research event, will be held Thursday, May 7. Registration, which is free and highly recommended, is now open.
The 2026 Cancer Burden Across Indiana: Connecting Molecular Mechanisms to Treatment, Care, and Community Symposium will be held Tuesday, June 16 in in Walther Hall.
The symposium is co-organized by the cancer center’s Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination Core and Office of Institutional Effectiveness. Students, fellows, faculty, and staff engaged in cancer research or clinical care are invited to present their work. The deadline to submit an abstract is May 15, 2026.
NCCN offers numerous free continuing education opportunities throughout the year, including the Optimizing Patient Outcomes: Collaborative Perspectives in Oncology webinar series.
These webinars are facilitated by oncology pharmacists and are designed to provide participants with up-to-date knowledge on how to:
This program is designed to meet the educational needs of the interprofessional oncology care team. The webinars have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit for physicians and will award contact hours for nurses, pharmacists, physician associates, and other health care professionals. Accreditation information is provided before each individual educational activity.
Upcoming live webinars include:
Register at education.nccn.org/outcomes to attend the live webinar sessions and view recorded presentations.
The NCCN 2026 annual conference will be held March 27-29 in Orlando. As a member institution, cancer center medical professionals receive a 50% discount for registration. Sessions are available both in-person and virtually.
Cancer center participation includes research poster authors Ali Ajrouch, MD, Omer Ashruf, MD, and Maxwell Verbrugge, MD. Additionally, Patrick J. Loehrer Sr., MD, will speak as part of the NCCN Oncology Fellows Program on March 26.
Laura Vater, MD (EDT), spoke with WRTV 6 News about the rising rates of colorectal cancer among young adults. Watch the story.
Cancer center director Kelvin Lee, MD (EDT), and his counterpart at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Yolanda Sanchez, PhD, chatted about what keeps them up at night and more in The Cancer Letter’s “The Directors” February podcast.
The 2026 ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium took place Feb. 26-28 in San Francisco. Jennifer King, MD (EDT), presented testicular cancer research in a rapid oral abstract session. King was first author and Nabil Adra, MD (EDT), was senior author on the abstract, “A phase II trial of cabozantinib in relapsed refractory germ-cell tumors (GCT).” Additional abstract authors and presenters included Tareq Salous, MBBS (EDT), and fellows Towfik Sebai, MD, and Ahmed Khalid, MBBS.
Jingchuan Guo, MD, PhD
Full member, Cancer Prevention and Control
Katrina Collins, MD
Associate member, Cancer Biology & Microenvironment
