COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) announces the following awards, honors, grants and more that were recently given to the organization, teams or individuals: Rush earns 2024 Emerging Leader Award from Oncology Nursing Society Emily Rush, MHA, BA, BSN, RN, OCN, director of the Magnet Program at The James, has been selected to receive the 2024 Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Emerging Leader Award. This national honor recognizes an oncology nurse leader who has made a difference in the oncology nursing profession at the local or regional level. She will receive the award at the ONS Congress April 24-28 in Washington, D.C. As Magnet Program director, Rush – who has worked as a nurse at The James for 13 years – supports and documents the collaboration of leaders, clinical nurses and interprofessional teams as they celebrate nursing excellence, innovation and leadership. She also volunteers as president of the Columbus Chapter of ONS. In addition, she is a peer reviewer for the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing and a member of the American Nurses Association – Ohio and American Organization for Nursing Leadership. Gustin receives VitalTalk Leadership Award Jillian Gustin, MD, professor and director of the Division of Palliative Medicine at Ohio State, received a 2023 VitalTalk Leadership Award for her devotion to enhancing the quality of patient care through communication. VitalTalk is a global training organization for healthcare professionals seeking to advance their communication skills with patients. As a palliative medicine specialist, Dr. Gustin focuses on supporting patients and families who are facing serious illnesses such as cancer. Basu inducted into Endometriosis Society India Sujit Basu, MD, PhD, a professor in the Department of Pathology and the Division of Medical Oncology (Internal Medicine) at Ohio State, was inducted as an honorary lifetime member of the Endometriosis Society India. In addition, he was appointed to the society’s Research and Publication Committee for his contribution to a new angiogenesis-based therapeutic approach for endometriosis, a chronic condition of the female reproductive system. Dr. Basu is in the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, where he studies the role of endogenous factors regulating tumor microenvironment, including tumor neovascularization and the development of new therapies. Ringel is chair-elect of Endocrine Society Nominations Committee Matthew Ringel, MD, chair of the Department of Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at Ohio State and deputy director for basic research at the OSUCCC – James, has been elected as chair-elect for the Endocrine Society Nominations Committee. The Endocrine Society is a global community of physicians and scientists working to accelerate research breakthroughs and improve patient health. Ringel, who also is co-leads both Cancer Biology Program and the Center for Cancer Engineering at the OSUCCC –James, focuses on thyroid cancer invasion and metastasis, and on testing novel drug therapies for patients with thyroid cancer. Verschraegen chosen to serve on PCORI Advisory Clinical Trial Panel Claire Verschraegen, MD, director of the Division of Medical Oncology at Ohio State and member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, was selected to serve on the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Advisory Clinical Trial Panel. The PCORI is the leading funder of patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research in the United States. Verschraegen specializes in studying and treating rare cancers, including cutaneous cancers, mesothelioma, metastatic melanoma, sarcomas and gynecologic malignancies. Her research also focuses on developing anticancer drugs and treatments for solid tumors. Vasu named chair of CIBMTR Advisory Committee Sumithira Vasu, MBBS, professor in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State and member of the Leukemia and Hematologic Malignancies Program at the OSUCCC – James, has been chosen to chair the Advisory Committee for the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) through February 2028. The CIBMTR is a collaborative resource of data and experts at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the NMDP (formerly known as the National Marrow Donor Program) who support research in cellular therapies to improve patient outcomes. Vasu specializes in cellular therapies for hematologic malignancies and minimizing endothelial complications of blood and marrow transplantation. In this role, she will advise the largest international registry in transplant and play a critical role overseeing the Annual tandem transplant meetings. Wagener, Mays become Fellows of Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Theodore Wagener, PhD, director of the Center for Tobacco Research (CTR) and co-leader of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, and Darren Mays, MPH, PhD, a researcher in the CTR and Cancer Control Program, were named as Fellows in the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT). This honor is granted to SRNT members who’ve made outstanding contributions to nicotine and tobacco research and have been dedicated to the SRNT. Wagener’s research focuses on tobacco regulatory science, including evaluating the behavioral, pharmacological and toxicological effects of cigarette and non-cigarette tobacco products such as electronic cigarettes and hookah. Mays, who also serves as director of training in the CTR and assistant dean for research and tenure track faculty in the Ohio State College of Medicine, is a behavioral scientist whose research focuses on tobacco use and other cancer risk behaviors. Vasu named chair of CIBMTR Advisory Committee Sumithira Vasu, MBBS, professor in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State and member of the Leukemia and Hematologic Malignancies Program at the OSUCCC – James, has been chosen to chair the Advisory Committee for the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) through February 2028. The CIBMTR is a collaborative resource of data and experts at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the NMDP (formerly known as the National Marrow Donor Program) who support research in cellular therapies to improve patient outcomes. Vasu specializes in cellular therapies for hematologic malignancies and minimizing endothelial complications of blood and marrow transplantation. In this role, she will advise the largest international registry in transplant and play a critical role overseeing the Annual tandem transplant meetings. Inaugural COM dean’s excellence award winners announced Three medical scientists associated with Ohio State’s cancer program were among 13 inaugural winners of the College of Medicine (COM) Dean’s Excellence Awards recently announced by Dean Carol Bradford, MD, MS, FACS. The awards honor COM faculty and staff who have made exceptional contributions to education, research, patient care, community service and inclusive excellence. Recipients associated with the cancer program include Sujit Basu, MD, PhD, and Zihai Li, MD, PhD, who both received a Faculty Research Award, and Susan Massick, MD, who received a Community Service Excellence Award. Basu is a professor in the Department of Pathology and Division of Medical Oncology (Internal Medicine), as well as a member of the Translational Therapeutics (TT) Program at the OSUCCC – James. Li is a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, member of the TT Program and founding director of the Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology (PIIO). Massick is an associate professor in the Department of Dermatology. MEDIA CONTACT: Amanda Harper, Associate Director OSUCCC - Media Relations 614-685-5420 | Amanda.Harper2@osumc.edu *Release written by Bob Hecker, senior writer, Robert.Hecker@osumc.edu.