2025 Cancer Research Symposium

Congratulations to our 2025 Symposium Presentation Award Winners!

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Poster Presentation Award Winner

Jacqueline Godbe, MD, PhD

Resident – Radiology, Washington University

Mentor: Monica Shokeen, PhD

Research Title: Theranostic nanofibers target multiple myeloma via CD38

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Podium Presentation Award Winner

Steven Tohmasi, MD, MPHS

Resident – Surgery, Washington University

Mentors: Li-Shiun Chen, MD, MPH, ScD; Graham A. Colditz, MD, DrPH; Laura J. Bierut, MD

Research Title: Smoking Cessation and Mortality Risk in Cancer Survivorship: Real-world Data from a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center

Friday, October 10, 2025
Eric P. Newman Education Center (EPNEC)

Agenda

8:30 – 9:30 AM: Career Development Networking Session
Pre-registration required

9:45 – 10:00 AM, Seminar Room B:  Introduction and Overview

10:00 – 11:30 AM, Seminar Room B*: Trainee Podium Presentations
*Overflow seating available in Seminar Room A

  • 10:00 AM – Liang-I Kang, MD, PhD – Assistant Professor, Pathology/Immunology – Chronic liver injury promotes liver metastases in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
  • 10:15 AM – Darya Khantakova, MS – PhD Student, Molecular Oncology – Blockade of LILRB4 promotes tumor control in primary and metastatic models
  • 10:30 AM – Xiuli Zhang, MD – Senior Scientist, Pathology/Immunology – From Neoantigen Prediction to TCR Validation: Lessons from Phase 1 Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine Trials
  • 11:00 AM – Cristina Simó, PhD – Postdoctoral Research Associate, Radiology – Enhancing Pancreatic Cancer Imaging and Therapy via Antibody Click Chemistry
  • 11:15 AM – Julien Lesage, PhD – Staff Scientist, Oncology – DDR2 confers ferroptosis resistance to cancer-associated fibroblasts and attenuates PARPi sensitivity of ovarian tumor cells

12:00 – 1:00 PM, EPNEC Auditorium: Keynote Panel

“Building Resilience and Collaboration in Cancer Research”

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Sheila Stewart, PhD
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Washington University School of Medicine
Laura Schuettpelz, MD, PhD
Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist
Professor of Pediatrics, Hematology & Oncology
Program Leader, Hematopoietic Development and Malignancy Program
Associate Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship
Washington University School of Medicine
Alex Ramsey, PhD
Alex Ramsey, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Washington University School of Medicine
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Neha Mehta-Shah, MD, MSCI
Medical Oncologist
Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Oncology
Washington University School of Medicine

1:15 – 2:45 PM, Seminar Room B*:  Trainee Podium Presentations
*Overflow seating available in Seminar Room A

  • 1:15 PM – Aantaki Raisa, PhD – Postdoctoral Fellow, Public Health – Navigating the U.S. Healthcare System: Barriers to Cancer Screening Among Bangladeshi Immigrants
  • 1:30 PM – Steven Tohmasi, MD, MPHS – Resident, Surgical Oncology – Smoking Cessation and Mortality Risk in Cancer Survivorship: Real-world Data from a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center
  • 1:45 PM – Harendra Shah, PhD – Postdoctoral Research Associate, Radiation Oncology – Radiation-mediated complement cascade activation within the lung tumor microenvironment diminishes the efficacy of radiation therapy
  • 2:15 PM – Donghua Hu, PhD – Instructor, Radiation Oncology – Reprogramming Mitochondrial Function through PTEN-PIK3CA Pathway to Enhance Radiotherapy in Cervical Cancer
  • 2:30 PM – Jinyun Yuan, PhD – Senior Scientist, Neurosurgery – Enrichment of Brain Tumor-Derived ctDNAs and MicroRNAs in Blood Circulation in Patients Using Sonobiopsy

3:00 – 5:00 PM:  Poster Session & Reception

Questions

Email [email protected]