Bench to Bedside

On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, we are doing something a little bit different. As our host, Dr. Roy Jensen - vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center - is usually the one asking the questions of our expert guests, but today, Dr. Jensen is the one in the hot seat! Megan Peters - digital communications manager for the cancer center and producer of the B...

The book "In Sickness: A Memoir" shares the unbelievable story of Dr. Barrett Rollins, professor at Harvard Medical School and Chief Scientific Officer Emeritus at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and his wife Dr. Jane Weeks, a prominent researcher at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In 2008, Dr. Rollins discovered a secret his wife had been keeping from him …. she had been suffering from untreated meta...

What is a clinical trial? Why should people diagnosed with cancer consider a clinical trial? Are clinical trials safe? In this follow up episode, we answer those and all your burning questions about this topic with our first repeat guest on the podcast, Dr. Tara Lin, Medical Director of the KU Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office. Links from this episode: Listen to the first part of our conversati...

Dr. Roy Jensen sits down for a conversation with Dr. Joseph McGuirk, division director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center's Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics program. They discuss exciting advances in the research of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, as well as Dr. McGuirk's journey to becoming a national leader in cellular therapy research and treatment. Dr....

On this special episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, hear a conversation between Dr. Christy Hagan, a breast cancer researcher at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, and Lauryn Werner, an MD/PhD student working in Dr. Hagan's lab. Listen as they share how they ended up in the cancer research field, what their mentorship relationship looks like, how they balance their work and personal live...

Everyone has a personal experience with cancer, but what exactly IS this disease that affects so many? On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, we are joined by Dr. Danny Welch, associate director for Education at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, to answer that complex question. Dr. Welch's career has centered on the spread – or metastasis – of cancer. And a personal connection has...

On this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, speaks with Dr. Melissa Javellana, a gynecological oncologist, about cervical cancer and her journey to becoming a cancer physician and researcher. Also joining the conversation, Ashley, a mom of two, shares why she made the decision to get her children the HPV v...

A new season of Bench to Bedside is returning for it's 10th season in March 2023! The University of Kansas Cancer Center's weekly series - now exclusively in podcast format - is hosted by Roy Jensen, MD, vice chancellor and director of the cancer center. The award-winning show provides a glimpse into the latest research discoveries that are transforming cancer care, along with conversations from t...

Have you ever wondered how drugs make it from the laboratory into your medicine cabinet? On this episode of #BenchToBedside we will dig deep into how each drug gets its start, after decades of research and testing. Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, will speak with Dr. Scott Weir, director of the University of Kansas Medical Center's Institute f...

Learn how scientists and cancer survivors are working together to decipher our DNA and building the foundation for future cancer therapies. Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, will talk with Dr. Jennifer Gerton, an investigator at Stowers Institute for Medical Research and Mary Frances Haake, a member of PIVOT - KU Cancer Center's patient researc...

According to the American Cancer Society, Black women are more than 40 percent likely to die from breast cancer than white women, despite fewer cases being diagnosed. On this episode of #BenchToBedside, Dr. Joan Lewis-Wambi, associate professor in the department of cancer biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and Dr. Danny Welch, associate director for education at the cancer center,...

Approximately 89,000 people in the U.S. will receive a primary brain tumor diagnosis this year. And for those with cancerous brain tumors, life as they know it is changing, with most patients living up to five years after their diagnosis. Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, will discuss the latest advances in brain cancer research and treatment w...

Proton therapy is the newest tool we have for fighting cancer. Join us on #BenchToBedside  as we look inside the brand new Proton Center at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, which is set to open in just a few weeks. We are going to examine the impact it's having on patient's lives with Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of KU Cancer Center and Dr. Ronny Rotondo, medical director of...

Between 5 and 10 percent of all cancer cases occur because of an inherited genetic mutation. But there are tests that can help tell if you are at a greater risk.   Drs. Lauren Nye and Jennifer Klemp discuss how genetic testing may help answer your questions about your cancer risks and determine a path forward. Becky Burns, a breast cancer survivor and member of KU Cancer Center's patient research...

More than 200,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma every year in the U.S. In fact, melanoma is the least common diagnosed type of skin cancer and the most deadly. Through advancements in treatment, including immunotherapy, people are living longer.   Dr. Roy Jensen, director and vice chancellor of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, will speak with Drs. Gary Doolittle and Luke Selby about th...

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for men and women combined. Thanks to improvements in early detection and treatment, the number of people who die from this disease has dropped. Today, there are more than 1.5 million colorectal cancer survivors in the U.S.   Dr. Roy Jensen, director and vice chancellor of KU Cancer Center, will talk with Drs. Anwaar Saeed and Ajay Bans...

It sounds like it's pulled straight from the plot of a science fiction movie, but doctors and scientists are finding ways to bring artificial intelligence (AI) into the clinic. Dr. Roy Jensen and Dr. Prateek Sharma, discuss this topic, and Kayla Delich, a stage 3 colorectal cancer survivor, also shares her story.

We've all experienced it…maybe after enjoying that second cup of coffee, trying out a new vitamin supplement, or if you didn't drink enough water during a busy day, and you notice a bitter taste in your mouth that has you reaching for a breath mint! An occasional bitter taste is typically no cause for concern. However, a researcher at The University of Kansas Cancer Center has uncovered a fascinat...

Dr. Courtney Marsh and her patient, Ashley Flynn, discuss the importance of fertility preservation and advanced in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment that helped Ashley conceive after beating cancer.

Talking to children about a loved one's cancer diagnosis can be challenging. Learn how to navigate this conversation with tips from Annie Seal, Children's Program Director at Turning Point.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, you are bound to have a lot of questions. At The University of Kansas Cancer Center, we know the value of a second opinion. It allows you and your family to ask questions, explore your options and ensure you get the correct diagnosis and the best treatment for your type of cancer.

2021 marked a major milestone in the future of pediatric research for our region and beyond – the grand opening of the Children's Mercy Research Institute, a new state-of-the-art research building that supports a collaborative approach to team science, where physicians, scientists and others work together to find the answers to pediatric medicine's most challenging questions. Learn about the new C...

African Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival rate of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S. for most cancers. The factors surrounding such gaps in cancer are interconnected and complex. Scientists at The University of Kansas Cancer Center are working hard to overcome these hurdles, and they're doing it in unique ways. Through a consortium called Faith Works, researchers, chu...

Shahid Umar, PhD, professor and vice chair of Research in the department of Surgery at The University of Kansas Medical Center and a gastrointestinal researcher at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, talks about microbes, specifically the bacteria in our gut, and their connection to cancer.

If you've been diagnosed with early-stage invasive breast cancer and will be having lumpectomy, you may be eligible to receive intraoperative radiation therapy(IORT). IORT is a single radiation treatment given at the time of lumpectomy, following tumor removal. Having IORT allows patients to avoid conventional breast radiation therapy, which typically starts a month after cancer surgery and requir...