The 2023 Accomplishments Report features highlights of key OSUCCC – James peer-reviewed cancer studies published in scientific journals, large cancer research grants, Pelotonia-funded research and initiatives, clinical innovations, institutional achievements and prominent faculty recruits to Ohio State’s cancer program. It also contains a four-page 2023 Key Facts section that summarizes key facts and figures from calendar 2023 as well as points of pride.
Highlighted achievements include the openings of three state-of-the-art facilities: the Pelotonia Research Center; The James Outpatient Care (JOC); and the Proton Therapy Center that is housed within the JOC.
OSUCCC – James researchers during calendar 2023 received 46 new grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), bringing the cancer program’s total NCI grant funding to over $76 million. Our scientists also opened 140 clinical trials that boosted the total number of available trials to more than 640, and they published 941 articles in scientific journals.
This report also spotlights important 2023 research and initiatives funded by Pelotonia – the annual cycling event that raises millions of dollars for cancer research at Ohio State – including the Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology; the Pelotonia Scholars Program that enables Ohio State students at all levels to conduct cancer research with faculty mentors; the Idea Grants initiative that gives teams of faculty researchers seed money to generate early data for innovative research projects; and statewide initiatives focused on preventing colorectal, lung, endometrial and breast cancer.
Also within is a review of multiple large tobacco-research grants, one of which is a $20 million Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS) grant from the FDA and the NCI given to the OSUCCC – James Center for Tobacco Research to help our researchers gather scientific evidence needed to inform FDA regulation of tobacco products. Ohio State was one of seven centers in the United States to receive a TCORS grant.
Read the 2023 Accomplishments Report to learn more about multiple advances and achievements made over the year that have helped the OSUCCC – James more strongly pursue our shared vision of a cancer-free world.
View the complete report in PDF format
Highlights from the report:
Research advances highlighted at the OSUCCC – James 24th Annual Scientific Meeting
Nearly 400 guests attended the OSUCCC – James 24th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) to hear speaker presentations and panel discussions, view 165 cancer research or shared-resources posters, attend breakout sessions on cancer-related topics, and network with colleagues.
Keynote guest speakers were: Melissa Davis, PhD, Morehouse School of Medicine; David Beebe, PhD, Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research; and Marlies Meisel, PhD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The ASM also featured research poster awards, Art of Cancer Research awards for compelling images relating to cancer studies, and the Michael L. Hess Prize for Cancer Research Excellence.
The Hess Prize, made possible by the generosity of Irene Levine and Lee Hess, recognizes the top poster submission among all categories. The 2023 recipient was Raven Vella (primary author), a student in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, for “RIGATONI: A Multi-Omic, Computational Approach to Identify Function and Immunity Affecting Genomic Variants to Serve as Biomarkers and Drug Targets for Immunotherapy” (Sameek Roychowdhury, MD, PhD, principal investigator).
Featured cancer studies
Several studies led by Ohio State researchers in 2023 are helping to change the landscape of cancer care. Many of these studies were presented at the OSUCCC – James Annual Scientific Meeting and at national meetings around the country, as well as in multiple research publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
- Study finds potential therapy option for patients with CLL: New data published in the New England Journal of Medicine offer another treatment option for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who have stopped responding to the first- and second-generation drugs. Jennifer Woyach, MD, was co-first author of this study, which was co-led by the OSUCCC – James.
- Ohio State researchers lead international trial to compare open vs. minimally invasive surgery for treating early-stage cervical cancer: Researchers at the OSUCCC – James are leading an international clinical trial to determine whether minimally invasive surgery, called robotic-assisted laparoscopy (small-incision surgery), is better or worse than open surgery (laparotomy) when performing a radical hysterectomy to treat cervical cancer. Sponsored by the Gynecologic Oncology Group, this trial is led by Study Chair Kristin Bixel, MD. Allison Quick, MD, is one of four co-chairs.
- Study highlights dramatic impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cancer screening delays: Data published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology further quantify the vast lingering impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on timely cancer screening, highlighting the urgent need for health care providers to address significant delays to cancer screenings in populations most likely to delay testing. Senior study author was Electra Paskett, PhD, MSPH.
- Trial shows long-term survival for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: Data presented in June 2023 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting showed that patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who were treated with a dual immunotherapy-based combination experienced sustained clinical benefits after four years compared to chemotherapy. David Carbone, MD, PhD, is an investigator in this multi-center phase III study, called CheckMate 9LA.
Pelotonia-funded research
In 2023, Pelotonia Riders, Challengers, Volunteers and Donors raised over $25 million for cancer research at Ohio State and brought the overall 15-year total for this annual cycling event to more than $283 million. Pelotonia dollars fund seven major areas of endeavor at the OSUCCC – James. Some of them include:
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology (PIIO): In its first four years under the leadership of Founding Director Zihai Li, MD, PhD, the PIIO – established in 2019 through an initial pledge of $102 million from the Pelotonia community – recruited 29 top-tier faculty researchers, bringing the total number of PIIO faculty to 118 scientists who drive breakthroughs in immuno-oncology, a discipline that harnesses the body’s immune system to combat cancer.
- Idea Grants: Pelotonia-funded Idea Grants help teams of faculty researchers at Ohio State gather early data for innovative ideas so they can later apply for larger grants from such external sources as the National Cancer Institute. In 2023, the OSUCCC – James awarded seven Idea Grants totaling over $1.4 million, along with a $250,000 Clinical Trials Grant partially funded by Pelotonia. Since 2010, 213 Pelotonia-funded Idea Grants have been awarded.
- Pelotonia Scholars Program: The Pelotonia Scholars Program was started in 2010 so Ohio State students in any discipline or level of study can pursue cancer research with faculty mentors. The OSUCCC – James annually allocates $2 million to this program. To date, 680 scholarships have been awarded to recipients from 52 countries and 35 U.S. states; there were 36 new Scholars in 2023.
- Instruments of Discovery: In 2023, the OSUCCC – James allocated $488,000 for the purchase of sophisticated equipment for some of the cancer program’s Shared Resources, which provide specialized services to cancer researchers.
Key Center for Tobacco Research grants
Scientists at the OSUCCC – James’ Center for Tobacco Research received several federal grants in 2023, including a $20 million Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS) grant from the FDA and the NCI to help gather scientific evidence needed to inform FDA regulation of tobacco products.
- Ohio State awarded $20 million to put science behind tobacco product regulation: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Cancer Institute awarded the OSUCCC – James’ Center for Tobacco Research (CTR) a $20 million Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS) grant to gather scientific evidence needed to inform FDA regulation of tobacco products. The grant is co-led by CTR Director Ted Wagener, PhD, and Peter Shields, MD.
- $3.9 million grant funds e-cigarette flavoring research at CTR: The FDA awarded a $3.9 million grant that is helping CTR researchers evaluate the effects of e-cig flavors on the smoking behaviors of current adult smokers. The grant is sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and is co-led by CTR Director Ted Wagener, PhD, and Tracy Smith, PhD, of the Medical University of South Carolina.
- NCI-funded study will gauge effects of synthetic cooling agents on vaping: Researchers at the CTR gained a five-year, $3.7 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to conduct the first study that will systematically investigate effects of synthetic cooling agents on the appeal, puffing behavior and toxicity of vaping. Findings will inform FDA rulemaking on synthetic cooling additives in e-cigarette (e-cig) products. The study is led by Alayna Tackett, PhD.
- NIDA grant study gauges impact of retail marijuana excise tax structures on consumption: Researchers led by Ce Shang, PhD, are using a five-year, $3.36 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to study the impact of excise tax structures for retail marijuana on marijuana consumption. This project will evaluate how excise tax structures impact marijuana consumption and product choices.
Featured grants
OSUCCC – James researchers in 2023 received 46 new grants from the NCI and several grants from other federal sources for research designed to prevent cancer or to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Large NCI grant supports study of acute myeloid leukemia: A five-year grant totaling $3.43 million from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is helping OSUCCC – James researchers and colleagues at other institutions better understand acute myeloid leukemia (AML) genetics. Ann-Kathrin Eisfeld, MD, is principal investigator (PI)/project leader for the grant. Another PI at Ohio State is Elaine Mardis, PhD. Leighton Grimes, PhD, is a PI from the University of Cincinnati.
- Researchers gain NCI grant to study novel, Ohio State-developed CAR T-cell therapy for patients with B-cell cancers: A five-year, $3.04 million NCI grant is helping researchers at the OSUCCC – James study the efficacy of a cellular therapy they have developed to better treat patients with relapsed or refractory (treatment-resistant) B-cell malignancies. Principal investigators are Sumithira Vasu, MD, Lapo Alinari, MD, PhD, and Marcos de Lima, MD.
- NCI grant supports study of race-related survival disparities among colorectal cancer patients: A five-year, $3.2 million NCI grant is helping researchers at the OSUCCC – James and Baylor University shed light on differences in the body’s immune-mediated mechanisms so they can better understand disparities in survival outcomes between African American and white patients with colorectal cancer. The project is led at Ohio State by principal investigator (PI) Mark Rubinstein, PhD. Ernest Camp, MD, is a PI from Baylor.
- Ohio State leads NCI-funded study to improve cognitive functioning in breast cancer survivors: A five-year, $2.76 million NCI grant is funding a multi-center clinical trial led by the OSUCCC – James that is designed to improve self-reported and objective cognitive functioning in breast cancer survivors with cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). The grant was awarded to Diane Von Ah, PhD, RN, FAAN.