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: Mrózek elected to Polish Academy of Sciences Krzysztof Mrózek, MD, PhD, a research scientist in the Division of Hematology at Ohio State who works in the Clara D. Bloomfield Center for Leukemia Outcomes Research at the OSUCCC -- James, has been elected as a Foreign Member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the highest scientific honor bestowed by that nation. This honor reflects the academy’s high esteem for Dr. Mrózek’s outstanding scientific achievements and his significant contributions to the advancement of science and international scientific cooperation. Dr. Mrózek has been invited to receive his diploma of foreign membership at a ceremony at the Academy’s headquarters in Warsaw in December. Founded in 1951, the Academy conducts internationally renowned research in almost all fields, supporting a community of scholars who provide and promote fact-based knowledge. At the Bloomfield Center, Dr. Mrózek’s research focuses on diagnostic and prognostic significance of acquired cytogenetic and molecular genetic alterations in patients with human leukemia, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). ACS grant will help CAMELOT provide high school students with cancer research experience  The Center for Cancer Mentoring, Education, Leadership and Oncology-Related Training (CAMELOT) at the OSUCCC – James will receive a $25,000 Cancer Research High School Program grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS) Center for Innovation in Cancer Research Training. The grant, which supports implementation of a program to introduce high school students to careers in cancer research and oncology care, will enable up to 20 students to participate in a virtual two-week cancer research experience through Ohio State during the summer of 2027. Led by Director Amanda Toland, PhD, who also is a professor and interim director of the Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics at Ohio State, CAMELOT serves as a hub for fostering cancer research and education for all levels of learners – high school, undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral – and disseminating those opportunities across the university. Tewolde takes top prize for oral presentations at ACS post-baccalaureate meeting Emanuel Tewolde, an American Cancer Society (ACS) Post-Baccalaureate Trainee at Ohio State, won first place in the oral presentations category at the ACS Annual Post-Baccalaureate Meeting in Atlanta. His talk, “Potential Reversibility of Epigenetic Aging in Nasal Epithelial Cells Among African-American Menthol Smokers,” was one six selected for presentation from a field of nearly 100 trainees who submitted abstracts. Tewolde’s mentor was Min-Ae Song, PhD, associate professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences at Ohio State’s College of Public Health and a member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James. Dr. Song also is a member of the Center for Tobacco Research at the OSUCCC – James. Chambers gains Early-Career Investigator Award for ovarian cancer study Laura Chambers, DO, assistant professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Ohio State and member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, received a four-year, $1.4 million Early-Career Investigator Award from the U.S. Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program. The award will support a first-of-its kind randomized clinical trial she leads that is evaluating whether probiotic supplementation can improve chemotherapy response and reduce treatment-related toxicity in patients with ovarian cancer by modulating the gut microbiome and immune system. Dr. Chambers specializes in treating patients with cancers of the uterus, cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, vagina and vulva, with a special interest in minimally invasive surgical approaches to treatment. Her research is focused on how the microbiome – the community of bacteria that naturally live in the body – affects the development, treatment response and outcomes of gynecologic cancers. Castle Connolly names 528 Ohio State physicians as 2026 ‘Top Doctors’ The 2026 Castle Connolly “Top Doctors” List includes 598 physicians in The Ohio State University College of Medicine who practice at the OSUCCC – James, the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center or Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Many of those listed are associated with Ohio State’s cancer program. To create the annual list, Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers reviews the professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership and rated interpersonal skills of physicians across the nation. In 2026, more than 72,000 physicians earned recognition as “Top Doctors” from a pool of more than 1.1 million practicing physicians in the United States. In Columbus, they numbered 1,000 in 79 specialties. Krishna becomes editor-in-chief of national endoscopy journal Somashekar Krishna, MD, MPH, professor in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Ohio State, and a member of the Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program at the OSUCCC – James, recently began a three-year term as editor-in-chief of the journal Techniques and Innovations in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, a publication of the American Gastroenterological Association. Dr. Krishna, who also serves as section director for clinical research, focuses his research on developing and improving minimally invasive endoscopic techniques to better diagnose and treat pancreatic cysts and tumors through the use of advanced imaging tools – such as endoscopic ultrasound and microscopic imaging – inside the pancreas, along with artificial intelligence (AI), to help identify which cysts are risky and which are not. He also studies endoscopic ablation, a technique that uses special needles and radiation or medication to destroy precancerous tissue inside the pancreas without surgery.  Elsaid lands ACS Research Scholar Grant for liver cancer prevention and survivorship study Mohamed Elsaid, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Ohio State and member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, will use a Research Scholar Grant (RSG) from the American Cancer Society to study the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists on liver cancer prevention and survivorship in cirrhosis with and without type 2 diabetes. Funded at up to $215,000 per year for up to four years, RSGs provide support for independent, self-directed researchers who are pursuing questions across the cancer continuum. Dr. Elsaid is principal investigator for this grant. Other Ohio State members of the study team include Electra Paskett, PhD, FAACR, FASCO; Soledad Fernandez, PhD; Chyke Doubeni, MD, MPH; Khalid Mumtaz, MBBS, MSc, FAASLD; Matthew Rigel, MD; Sabrena Noria, MD; and Mahmoud Abdel-Rasoul, MS, MPH.  An epidemiologist and biostatistician, Dr. Elsaid develops strategies to better prevent and detect gastrointestinal diseases, including liver, colorectal and pancreatic cancers. He works to identify modifiable risk factors and intervention strategies to reduce a patient’s risk of developing these malignancies. McAlearney receives Exceptional Service Award from international organization Ann Scheck McAlearney, ScD, MS, Distinguished Professor of Family and Community Medicine at Ohio State and member of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James, received the Myron D. Fottler Exceptional Service Award from the International Academy of Management’s Health Care Management (HCM) Division.  Widely considered to be the most distinguished award only periodically given by the HCM Division, this honor recognizes division members who have provided extraordinary service to the division and to the HCM profession. Dr. McAlearney was recognized for her 20 years of service to the AOM, including serving a five-year term on the HCM executive committee leading the division, currently serving as the first HCM member ever elected to the AOM Board of Governors, and providing extensive and outstanding mentorship to HCM faculty worldwide. At Ohio State, Dr. McAlearney also serves as associate dean for health services research in the College of Medicine, and as executive director of the Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics and Systems Thinking (CATALYST). She is widely known for her expertise in qualitative and mixed-method analyses. Her research focuses on information technology innovations in health care, cancer care improvement, population health management, reducing disparities in care, quality improvement and implementation science. Written by Bob Hecker Media Contact: Mary Ellen Fiorino, MaryEllen.Fiorino@osumc.edu