About Event
The Stanford Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Research Training Program was held from September 15 to 16, 2025, at the Stanford Redwood City Conference Center. Launched in 2007, the program convenes the next generation of cancer scientists for an immersive, multi-day learning experience featuring distinguished Stanford faculty members.
Over 120 young scientists from across the Bay Area attended for two days of learning and networking. The Stanford Cancer Institute is proud to foster the professional development of and build connections with future researchers who will lead the way in advancing cancer science and developing breakthrough cancer treatments.
View photos from this impactful gathering.
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Speakers
- Registration
- Poster Session
- Travel Information
- FAQ's
Day 1 | September 15
8:15 - 8:55 a.m.
Continental Breakfast & Registration Desk Open
8:55 - 9:00 a.m.
Welcome
Pauline Funchain, MD
Associate Director, Cancer Research Training and Education, Stanford Cancer Institute
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Plenary Session
Carly Noelani Kajiwara
Director of Educational Trainings, Halpern-Felsher REACH Lab
Tobacco/nicotine and Cannabis Use: Products, Health Concerns, and Opportunities for Policy
9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
Session 1: Lung Cancer
Millie Das, MD
Clinical Professor, Medicine - Oncology
Clinical Application of Precision Oncology in Lung Cancer
Natalie Lui, MD
Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Building a Lung Cancer Screening Program
Joel Neal, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine (Oncology)
Research Questions in Lung Cancer
10:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Session 1 Panel Discussion
10:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Break
10:45 - 11:30 a.m.
Session 2: GI Cancer
Shruti Patel, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine - Oncology
Early Onset Gastrointestinal Cancer in Clinical and Translational Context
Steven Corsello, MD
Assistant Professor and, by courtesy, of Chemical & Systems Biology
Discovery of New Druggable Vulnerabilities in GI Cancers via Phenotypic Screening
Christopher Chen, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Oncology)
Developing Antibody-Drug Conjugates in GI Malignancies
11:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Session 2 Panel Discussion
11:45 - 12:00 p.m.
Group Photo
12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
Mentor/Networking Lunch
1:15 - 2:00 p.m.
Session 3: Breast Cancer
Melinda Telli, MD
Professor of Medicine (Oncology)
Advances in the Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Sharon Pitteri, PhD
Associate Professor (Research) of Radiology
Developing and Applying Proteomics and Glycoproteomics Approaches in Breast Cancer Research
Haruka Itakura, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Oncology)
AI in Oncology: Machine learning-based radio/genomic prediction modeling in breast cancer
2:00 - 2:15 p.m.
Session 3 Panel Discussion
2:15 - 2:30 p.m.
Break
2:30 - 3:15 p.m.
Session 4: Skin Cancer
Lisa Zaba, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Dermatology
Circulating tumor DNA as a marker of Merkel cell carcinoma disease burden and the clinical implications for cancer surveillance
Pauline Funchain, MD
Associate Director, Cancer Research Training and Education, Stanford Cancer Institute
Germline Cancer Susceptibility in Individuals with Melanoma and Implications for Host Immune Response
Kavita Sarin, MD, PhD
Professor of Dermatology
Skin as a sensor: what can we learn about cancer risk from the skin
3:15 - 3:30 p.m.
Session 4 Panel Discussion
3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Poster Session & Reception
Day 2 | September 16
8:30 - 8:55 a.m.
Continental Breakfast
8:55 - 9:00 a.m.
Welcome
Steven Corsello, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine and, by courtesy, of Chemical & Systems Biology
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Plenary Session
Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Medicine (Oncology)
The History of Monoclonal Antibodies and the Future of Cancer Vaccines
9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
Session 1: Cancer Immunotherapy
Nathan Reticker-Flynn, PhD
Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology (Head & Neck Surgery)
Immune tolerance and anti-tumor immunity during metastasis
Anusha Kalbasi, MD
Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
T Cell Therapy for Solid Tumors Finally Coming of Age
Kyle Daniels, PhD
Assistant Professor of Genetics and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger: Engineering More Power Immune Cell Therapies
10:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Session 1 Panel Discussion
10:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Break
10:45 - 11:30 a.m.
Session 2: Health Policy
Susan Swetter, MD
Co-Director, Pigmented Lesion and Melanoma Program
Artificial Intelligence for Melanoma Early Detection
Marvin Langston, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, by courtesy of Urology
Advances in Prostate Cancer Screening Across Multiple Contexts
Alyce Adams, PhD, MPP
Associate Director, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Stanford Cancer Institute
Health Policy and Access to Cancer Care
11:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Session 2 Panel Discussion
11:45 - 1:00 p.m.
Mentor/Networking Lunch
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
How To (Part 1)
Matthew Abrahams
Lecturer, Graduate School of Business
Speaking Up Without Freaking Out: How to Deliver a Compelling Scientific Talk
Iris van ’t Erve
Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford Cancer Institute
Gearing Up for Grant Writing
2:30 - 2:45 p.m.
Break
2:45 - 4:15 p.m.
How To (Part 2)
Amir Bahmani, PhD
Director, Stanford’s Deep Data Research Center
Cloud Computing for Biology and Healthcare
Dinah Trevil, MPA
Executive Director, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Stanford Cancer Institute
Community-Academic Partnerships: Strategies for Partner Engagement
4:15 - 4:30 p.m.
Final Remarks and Program Certificate Distribution
