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 and more that were recently given to the organization, teams or individuals: Doubeni named to Program Committee for 16th annual AACR Conference on Cancer Health Disparities Dr. Chyke Doubeni, associate director for diversity, equity and inclusion at the OSUCCC – James, is on the Program Committee for the 16th American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved. The conference will be held Sept. 29-Oct. 2 in Orlando, Florida. Doubeni also is on the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2023 Steering Committee. In addition to these honors, Doubeni – who also serves as chief health equity officer and leader of the Office of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center – is a member of the Castle Connolly Advisory Board, a select group of top doctors established to provide expertise and counsel to improve the Castle Connolly experience for patients and physicians. Castle Connolly is a national research and information resource for patients. Paskett receives AACI's 2022 Health Equity Award Electra Paskett, associate director for population sciences and community outreach at the OSUCCC – James, is the 2022 recipient of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) Cancer Health Equity Award. This award recognizes an individual or group who demonstrates exceptional leadership in promoting health equity, mitigating cancer disparities and advocating for diversity and inclusion at his or her cancer center. Paskett received her award last October during the annual meeting of the AACI and the Cancer Center Administrators Forum (CCAF). Paskett also co-leads the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James and serves as founding director of the Center for Cancer Health Equity. Ghattas earns AABIP Distinguished Service Award Dr. Christian Ghattas, clinical assistant professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Ohio State, received a 2022 Distinguished Service Award from the American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (AABIP). The award recognizes Ghattas for exceptional teaching, dedication and meritorious service to the educational mission of the organization. Founded in 1992, the AABIP is a unifying source for information regarding the fields of bronchology and interventional pulmonology. Ghattas treats patients with illnesses such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pleural diseases, among others. Carbone co-chairs NCI Thoracic Malignancy Steering Committee Dr. David Carbone, director of the Thoracic Oncology Center and co-leader of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, was elected as a co-chair of the National Cancer Institute Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program’s (NCI CTEP) Thoracic Malignancy Steering Committee. The committee addresses the design, prioritization, and evaluation of concepts for phase II and III clinical trials in chest malignancies, including lung cancer and malignancies in other thoracic sites, such as mesothelioma. Carbone also is a professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at Ohio State. Ohio State’s Department of Radiation Oncology and Division of Gynecologic Oncology lead the nation in clinical trial accruals The Ohio State University Department of Radiation Oncology was ranked #1 in NRG (National Research Group)-National Cancer Institute clinical trials activity in the United States in 2022 based on NCI-Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) data. The OSUCCC – James was highlighted at the semiannual meeting of the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) Partners/NRG Oncology for having the highest patient accrual to gynecologic oncology clinical trials of any site in the nation. Ohio State’s Departments of Surgery and Radiation Oncology rank in the top tier for research funding The Ohio State Department of Radiation Oncology ranked #5 in the country in National Institutes of Health (NIH) Radiation Oncology funding in 2022. The 2022 Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research ranked the Ohio State Department of Surgery #8 in the country based on NIH funding for FY22, representing total NIH funding granted from Oct. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2022. Ohio State designated as a Comprehensive Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Center of Excellence The OSUCCC – James and the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center recently became one of only 31 sites worldwide to be designated as a Comprehensive Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Center of Excellence by the Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). SNMMI-designated centers of excellence meet strict regulatory, training, qualification, experience and implementation criteria to assure patients, families, referring physicians and payers that rigorous radiopharmaceutical therapy procedures are in place and followed. The program ensures that patients have access to high-quality radiopharmaceutical therapy that is well-integrated into their care and delivered by qualified therapy teams led by physicians trained in nuclear medicine who act as each patient’s “nuclear oncologist.” The radiopharmaceutical therapy teams are led by Dr. Mona Natwa, clinical associate professor in the Department of Radiology at Ohio State, where she is director of the Division of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine. Oltz elected as Distinguished Fellow of American Association of Immunologists Dr. Eugene Oltz, professor and chair of the Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity at Ohio State, and a member of the Cancer Biology Program at the OSUCCC – James, was recognized as a 2023 Distinguished Fellow of The American Association of Immunologists (AAI). This program annually recognizes AAI members for distinguished careers and outstanding scientific contributions, as well as their service to the AAI and the immunology community. As a cancer researcher, Oltz studies the genetic, epigenetic and topological mechanisms that govern gene expression programs in normal and transformed lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell in the immune system. Sipos elected to American Thyroid Association Board of Directors Dr. Jennifer Sipos was elected to the Board of Directors for the American Thyroid Association (ATA) for a three-year term. This global professional medical society has more than 1,700 members from 70 countries around the world. Sipos was named as the representative for the ATA to serve on the International Thyroid Congress Program & Organization committee. Gatti-Mays appointed vice chair of Society for Immunotherapy Guidelines Oversight Committee Dr. Margaret Gatti-Mays, clinical associate professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at Ohio State, section chief of breast medical oncology, and member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, was appointed vice chair of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines Oversight Committee. The committee oversees development of clinical practice guidelines and updates for existing guidelines on appropriate treatment algorithms and recommended administration of FDA-approved cancer immunotherapies. Gatti-Mays specializes in cancer immunotherapy and breast cancer. Mitchell lands academic scholarship award from Association of Plastic Surgeons Dr. Kerry-Ann Mitchell, assistant professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Ohio State, has received a 2023 American Association of Plastic Surgeons/Plastic Surgery Foundation Academic Scholarship Award. This competitive two-year award helps junior faculty entering academic careers in plastic and reconstructive surgery establish an independent research program. The award provides $30,000 per year to support salary and/or direct costs of research. As a specialist in neuroplastic surgery at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and the OSUCCC – James, Mitchell treats patients with scalp, skull or brain disease, including cancer, that results in complex scalp or bone defects. Poster presentation takes top honor at national meeting Brittany Knauss, Amy Compston and Elyse Redder, physical therapists in Ambulatory Oncology Rehabilitation, presented a poster titled “ROAR-LCT: Resiliency Among Older Adults Receiving Lung Cancer Treatment: A Feasibility Study” that received the top poster award at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) in San Diego. The ROAR-LCT study examines how well physical therapy and progressive muscle relaxation work in improving physical performance and mood in older patients with stage IIIA-B or IV lung cancer who are undergoing treatment. Other authors on the poster were: Dr. Carolyn Presley, principal investigator for the ROAR-LCT study, Madison Grogan, Rebecca Hoyd, Nicole Arrato, Stephen Lo, Jason Benedict, Sarah Janse; Nyella Williams, Carolyn Wheeler, Dr. David Carbone, Electra Paskett, Barbara Andersen and Daniel Spakowicz. Mays appointed assistant dean for research and tenure track faculty in College of Medicine Dr. Darren Mays, associate professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at the Ohio State College of Medicine (COM), was appointed assistant dean for research and tenure track faculty in the COM Office of Faculty Affairs. In this role, he will interview advanced-rank faculty candidates, meet with new faculty for onboarding, mentor established faculty through promotion cycles, review promotion packets and review departmental governance documents, among other duties. Mays also is director of training at the Center for Tobacco Research at the OSUCCC – James, where he is a member of the Cancer Control Program. To read more about OSUCCC – James awards, honors, accreditations and more, visit cancer.osu.edu. For others news about the OSUCCC – James, visit our News & Media site or read our latest publication. END Media Contact: Amanda Harper OSUCCC-James Media Relations Amanda.Harper2@osumc.edu | 614-685-5420