SEATTLE \u2014 Nov. 4, 2025 \u2014 Below are summaries of recent Fred Hutch Cancer Center research findings, patient stories and other news.<\/p>\n
November is the awareness month for lung<\/a> and pancreatic cancers<\/a>. If you\u2019re working on stories related to these diseases, please reach out to media@fredhutch.org<\/a> to connect with experts.<\/p>\n Watch an interview with Shannon M. Colohan, MD<\/a>, a plastic reconstructive surgeon, about breast reconstruction surgery for breast cancer patients on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n Patient stories and advocacy<\/p>\n Taking an active role in your care<\/a> Patient stories, provider advice mark invasive lobular breast cancer awareness event<\/a> Lived experience matters: patient engagement improves cancer care, research<\/a> Infectious disease research<\/p>\n HIV\/AIDS research has saved millions of lives globally and led to innovative advances in multiple diseases<\/a> Clinical care<\/p>\n Dr. Heather Parsons to lead Fred Hutch\u2019s breast cancer initiatives<\/a> Oncology Insights with Petros Grivas – Episode 1<\/a> Basic sciences<\/p>\n Brandeis University honors Fred Hutch molecular biologist<\/a> Frogs help Fred Hutch find the shape of small things<\/a> Awards and other recognition<\/p>\n Dr. Jingyi Jessica Li named Donald and Janet K. Guthrie Endowed Chair in Statistics<\/a> Fred Hutch community news<\/p>\n The gift of giving back<\/a> A little help from our friends<\/a> Science spotlight<\/p>\n Science Spotlight<\/a> is a monthly installment of articles written by postdoctoral fellows that summarizes new research papers from Fred Hutch scientists. If you\u2019re interested in learning more or covering these topics, contact media@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n # # #<\/p>\n Fred Hutch Cancer Center Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is an independent, nonprofit organization and the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington. We have earned a global reputation for our track record of discoveries in cancer, infectious disease and basic research, including important advances in bone marrow transplantation, immunotherapy, HIV\/AIDS prevention and COVID-19 vaccines. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services. Fred Hutch also serves as UW Medicine\u2019s cancer program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SEATTLE \u2014 Nov. 4, 2025 \u2014 Below are summaries of recent Fred Hutch Cancer Center research findings, patient…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":107446,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[72495,72487,1239,72476,22727,8845,72484,6004,72488,72483,72481,103,72486,72477,72478,72496,72498,40952,51377,61,72494,60,72480,65756,72490,72491,72479,7079,3064,72474,72482,72473,72489,72475,72493,72497,72485,65757,24127,72492],"class_list":["post-121633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-basic-sciences","tag-biostatistics-program","tag-breast-cancer","tag-christopher-li","tag-clinical-research","tag-clinical-trials","tag-eric-holland","tag-fundraising","tag-gentry-king","tag-hannah-linden","tag-hannah-m-linden","tag-health","tag-health-literacy","tag-heather-parsons","tag-henikoff-lab","tag-herbold-computational-biology-program","tag-hiv-vaccine","tag-hiv-aids","tag-human-biology","tag-ie","tag-immunotherapy-integrated-research-center","tag-ireland","tag-jingyi-jessica-li","tag-lawrence-corey","tag-leland-hartwell","tag-linda-buck","tag-lobular-breast-cancer","tag-lung-cancer","tag-pancreatic-cancer","tag-patient-and-family-engagement-program","tag-patient-engagement","tag-patient-navigator","tag-petros-grivas","tag-public-health-sciences","tag-shannon-m-colohan","tag-steven-henikoff","tag-translational-data-science-integrated-research-center","tag-vaccine-and-infectious-disease","tag-volunteers","tag-yasuhiro-arimura"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121633\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/107446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n In celebration of October\u2019s Health Literacy Month, Fred Hutch shares how care teams empower patients to make health care decisions. Gentry King, MD<\/a>, Heath Literacy Program Manager Laura Carr and Patient Navigator<\/a> Andrea Suzuki share resources<\/a> and advice for patients to advocate for themselves in clinical settings.
\nMedia contact: Heather Platisha, hplatisha@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Fred Hutch hosted a program in recognition of\u00a0Global Lobular Breast Cancer Awareness Day<\/a> featuring patient stories, insight from experts Hannah Linden, MD<\/a>, and Christopher Li, MD, PhD<\/a>, epidemiological findings and new developments in screening and clinical trials. Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is a common subtype, making up 15% of new cases annually. The American Cancer Society released its first report\u00a0<\/a>on ILC\u2019s occurrence and outcome, showing\u00a0a steep rise in rates<\/a>\u00a0over the last several years.\u00a0
\nMedia contact: Heather Platisha, hplatisha@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Recognizing the valuable insight of patients and caregivers, Brandelyn Bergstedt established the Patient and Family Engagement Program<\/a> (PFE) in 2011. The PFE incorporates hundreds of advisors and advocates in committees, focus groups, panel discussions and events. Nearly 15 years later, it has expanded to match advocates with researchers and scientists to design clinical trials<\/a>\u00a0and cancer prevention studies.\u00a0Former cancer patients and participants share their impact, work and goals with the PFE.
\nMedia contact: Heather Platisha, hplatisha@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n In Nature Medicine<\/a>, leaders in HIV research including Larry Corey, MD<\/a>, explain how U.S.-funded HIV research has advanced understanding, treatment and prevention of HIV\/AIDS as well as discoveries in immunology, cancer therapy, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Experts emphasized continuing the momentum in HIV discovery medicine and to pursue an effective HIV vaccine.
\nMedia contact: Claire Hudson,\u00a0chudson@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Heather Parsons, MD, MPH<\/a>, is the new program head of the Breast Oncology Program and an associate professor in the\u00a0Clinical Research Division<\/a>. Recognizing her achievements in both breast cancer research and treatment, Parsons is also the recipient of the Maudslien Endowed Chair in Breast Cancer Precision Oncology Research.\u00a0Her current research focuses on a cancer marker called circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) that can be detected in a person\u2019s blood, with resulting tests able to identify cancer and determine treatment.
\nMedia contact: Heather Platisha, hplatisha@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Petros Grivas, MD, PhD<\/a>,\u00a0introduces his new podcast<\/a> that will explore the latest developments in cancer care and research. He emphasizes learning from colleagues, engaging with patients and fostering community partnerships. The podcast will feature different guests and cover a range of topics including innovative treatments, clinical trials and educational initiatives in oncology.
\nMedia contact: Heather Platisha, hplatisha@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Steven Henikoff, PhD<\/a>, won the 55th Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award for Distinguished Work in Basic Medical Research for his innovative research in gene expression. Henikoff\u2019s lab<\/a>\u00a0has developed precise methods to study how DNA is packaged with proteins, and a recent collaboration<\/a> with Eric Holland, MD, PhD<\/a>, holder of the Endowed Chair in Cancer Biology, uses his sequencing techniques to develop better cancer diagnostics and potential new therapies. About a third of past Rosenstiel recipients<\/a>\u00a0later won the Nobel Prize, including two of Fred Hutch\u2019s Nobel laureates \u2014\u00a0Linda Buck, PhD<\/a>, and Lee Hartwell, PhD<\/a>.
\nMedia contact: Molly McElroy,\u00a0mwmcelro@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Human genetics greatly overlap with frogs, so much so that the species Xenopus laevis<\/a>\u00a0is a versatile\u00a0model organism<\/a>\u00a0to study cells and embryonic development. Structural biologist\u00a0Yasuhiro Arimura, PhD<\/a>, is using the molecular materials of frog eggs to make test tube chromosomes that look and behave like chromosomes formed naturally within a human cell.
\nMedia contact: Molly McElroy,\u00a0mwmcelro@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Jingyi Jessica Li, PhD<\/a>,\u00a0joined Fred Hutch as the head of the\u00a0Biostatistics Program<\/a>\u00a0and is the inaugural holder of the Donald and Janet K. Guthrie Endowed Chair in Statistics. A recipient of the 2025 Mortimer Spiegelman Award, Li will use the chair\u2019s funding to expand the use of applied statistics in cancer research.
\nMedia contact: Kat Wynn,\u00a0kwynn@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Longtime volunteers Karen Leslie and David Hopkins have dedicated over 30 years to supporting Fred Hutch. Both cancer survivors, the couple reflect on their decades of service and the people they\u2019ve met along the way.
\nMedia contact: Shayla Ring, sring@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n The Campaign for Fred Hutch<\/a>\u00a0aims to raise $3 billion to accelerate innovation in cancer and infectious disease research. Three campaign committee leaders and Seattle business leaders, Kathy Surace-Smith, Kelly Price and Ric Anderson, share their motivation for volunteering, how they engage their networks and the ways everyone can contribute to supporting Fred Hutch. Surace-Smith and Anderson are members of Fred Hutch\u2019s Board of Directors, Price is a member of the Board of Advisors.
\nMedia contact: Kat Wynn,\u00a0kwynn@fredhutch.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Fred Hutch Cancer Center unites individualized care and advanced research to provide the latest cancer treatment options while accelerating discoveries that prevent, treat and cure cancer and infectious diseases worldwide.<\/p>\n