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Radiation Oncology

Dr. Pete Yeh’s Research Selected for Distinguished Poster Presentation at PTCOG-NA 2024 

kgharris@uw.edu


We are pleased to announce that Dr. Pete Yeh’s research on liver cancer treatment has been selected as one of the two best clinical poster presentations at this year’s Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group North America (PTCOG-NA) meeting in New York. 

Dr. Yeh’s research, ‘Local recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma: Role of tumor location and motion management with proton beam therapy,’ explores key factors that could enhance the precision and effectiveness of proton therapy for liver cancer patients. 

Being chosen for this honor from among numerous submissions across North America is a testament to Dr. Yeh’s dedication to advancing cancer treatment through thoughtful, patient-focused research. He’ll be presenting his findings at PTCOG-NA in New York, November 14-16, 2024. 

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Yeh on this well-deserved recognition. Way to go, Dr. Yeh! 

Professional Photograph of Pete Yeh during Physician Residency

International Abstract Award: Smith Apisarnthanarax, MD – 2024

kgharris@uw.edu


International Abstract Award from Issue 1 of the ASTRO Daily News 9/29/2024

The international award is designed to foster continuing medical education, assist in career development and help establish relationships with ASTRO members who may serve as scientific mentors to the recipient. Only one award is given each year to candidates who receive the highest score among applicants. The award includes an honorarium, a certificate of recognition and a complimentary registration to the Annual Meeting.

Professional Photograph of Jim Apisarnthanarax

Dr. Samantha Van Nest, Ph.D., initiates and receives funding for a novel research project related to Early Immunogenic Signaling Initiated by Proton FLASH.

kgharris@uw.edu


Dr. Van Nest (“Sam”) approached Professors Stewart and Sandison on a project of special interest to her a few months into her Medical Physics residency. We worked with her to build a multi-disciplinary team so she could pursue her passion for translational research at the intersection of physics, radiation biology and clinical advancement.

Her project was funded through a prestigious 2024-2025 grant from the Aldarra Foundation. She has been the driving force and inspiration for all aspects of the project; she has taken on a leadership role in the effort to train radiation biology staff on new procedures and is an effective collaborator with all members of our team.

Project Summary

Radiation therapy (RT) has been shown to increase tumor immunogenicity, supporting synergy between RT and immunotherapy. We propose that the therapeutic ratio of proton FLASH RT could be further improved beyond reported studies in the literature of normal tissue sparing by capitalizing on RT induced anti-tumor immunity. This would lead to enhanced tumor-cell targeting by the immune system and support combinations of FLASH RT and immunotherapy. We propose to investigate the role of FLASH RT to modulate key immunogenic and immune suppressive markers in tumors and normal tissue. We will investigate in vitro the extent to which FLASH RT influences antigen processing and presentation, micronuclei formation and rupture, and type-I interferon signaling in breast cancer and normal breast cell lines. This work has the potential to establish fundamental evidence that FLASH RT leads to immunogenic signaling in tumors, or alters signaling in healthy cells, which could be exploited to improve the care of breast patients with radiation-resistant disease through a combination of FLASH RT and immunotherapeutics.


PI and co-PI:

Emily Hatch, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Basic Sciences and Human Biology, Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Robert D Stewart, Ph.D., Professor of Radiation Oncology and Medical Physicist at the University of Washington (UW).


Co-Investigators: Samantha Van Nest, Ph.D. UW Medical Physics resident

Dani Johnson Erickson, Ph.D., Director, UW Radiation Biology Laboratory; Marissa Kranz, M.S, Director of the UW MCF; George A Sandison, Ph.D., Professor of UW Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics; Keith Stantz, Ph.D. Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences at Purdue University; Ning Cao, Ph.D. Associate Professor of UW Radiation Oncology; Sunan Cui, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of UW Radiation Oncology


Top Doctors 2024 – Radiation Oncology

kgharris@uw.edu


Congratulations Top Doctors 2024

Seattle Magazine has published their names list for this year’s Top Doctors in Radiation Oncology. Among the list are 11 Radiation Oncologists from UW Medicine.

IF/THEN: She Can Change the World!

#ifthenshecan The Exhibit

Jessica Fagerstrom is part of a national program called IF/THEN that is hoping to get more girls interested in STEM! A recent project was to 3D print orange statues of the women in the group, each holding a prop about her career. There were over 100 statues printed! The Smithsonian hosted the entire collection in 2022, and the statues have traveled around the country after that!! IF/THEN: She Can Change the World!

The Pacific Science Center, in Seattle, put together a “Science is for Everyone” exhibit. The exhibit is now hosting six of the statues of women from the PNW, including Jessica’s for medical physics. If you have kids interested and/or want to see, it’s near the tide pool exhibit.

Local news segment: https://www.fox13seattle.com/video/1382106


IF/THEN: What do we do?

Empower current STEM innovators and inspire the next generation of pioneers.


IF/THEN: Our Strategy for Change.

Rooted in a firm belief that there is no better time to highlight positive and successful female role models, IF/THEN is designed to activate a culture shift among young girls to open their eyes to STEM careers by:


#1

Funding and Elevating Women in STEM as Role Models.

We support current women innovators in STEM careers by providing grants and storytelling opportunities to lift them up as role models and STEM Ambassadors.


#2

Convening Cross-Sector Coalition Members

We are uniting a coalition of organizations in entertainment, fashion, sports, business and academia to illuminate the importance of STEM everywhere.


#3

Inspiring the Next Generation of World Changers

We inspire girls with better portrayals of women in STEM through media and learning experiences to pique their interest in STEM careers.

Red Journal Top 20 ASTRO Reviewer: Dr Andrew Barbour

kgharris@uw.edu


We would like to take time to congratulate Andrew Barbour, MD, PhD, on being a Top 20 Outstanding Reviewer for the Red Journal. Amongst the Red Journal Top Reviewer list, the Top 20 Outstanding Reviewers have excelled in every aspect of peer review this past year! They hit top 10-20% of performance across the board. Top performance includes volume of service, timeliness, and excellence of review quality as objectively scored by the editors.

More information about the Red Journal Top Reviewers can be found at the link below. The article is titled “High-Quality Science and the People Who Make It: Red Journal Outstanding Reviewers of 2022”.

Red Journal | Editorial | Volume 117, Issue 3, P532, November 01, 2023.

 

Our congratulations to Dr. Barbour for the dedicated work this past year!

Red Journal - Radiation Oncology