Research | Meet the Researchers
Spring Research Breakthroughs
This spring season, learn about LCFA-funded scientists who are making game-changing discoveries.
Meet our all-star research team!
IMMUNE SYSTEM ARCHITECT
IMMUNE SYSTEM ARCHITECT
Dr. Kellie Smith | Johns Hopkins University
Position: Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Neoantigen discovery and immune monitoring
Career Stats: Pioneering personalized immunotherapy approaches
Signature Move: Developing novel immune monitoring techniques
Key Achievement: Received $4M NIH MERIT Award for personalized cancer immunotherapy research
BIOMARKER BREAKTHROUGH
BIOMARKER BREAKTHROUGH
Dr. Jacob Kaufman | James Cancer Center at The Ohio State University
Position: Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Decoding STK11/LKB1 mutations in lung cancer
Career Stats: Identified how LKB1 loss creates immunotherapy resistance
Signature Move: Finding novel targets for LKB1-deficient tumors
Impact Stat: Dr. Kaufman’s research addresses critical gaps for 30% of lung adenocarcinoma patients.
IMMUNOTHERAPY INNOVATOR
IMMUNOTHERAPY INNOVATOR
Dr. Julie Wu | Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research | VA National Oncology Program
Position: Staff Physician
Research Focus: Translational research from lab to clinic
Career Stats: Advancing immunotherapy for veterans’ cancer
Signature Move: Bridging lab research and clinical care
SURGICAL STRATEGIST
SURGICAL STRATEGIST
Dr. Jonathan Villena-Vargas | Weill Cornell Medicine
Position: Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Tumor microenvironment in early-stage lung cancer
Career Stats: Studying how surgery impacts immune response
Signature Move: Combining surgery with immunotherapy
GENETICS ALL-STAR
GENETICS ALL-STAR
Dr. Alice Berger | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Position: Associate Professor
Research Focus: Genetic drivers in never-smokers
Career Stats: Multiple breakthrough discoveries in lung cancer genetics
Signature Move: Identifying new therapeutic targets
In the News: Searching for the ‘smoking gun’ that explains lung cancer in never-smokers
RESISTANCE RESOLVER
RESISTANCE RESOLVER
Dr. Ramin Salehi-Rad | UCLA
Position: Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Drug resistance in EGFR-mutant lung cancer
Career Stats: Investigating novel therapeutic combinations
Signature Move: Targeting therapy resistance mechanisms
SMALL CELL SPECIALIST
SMALL CELL SPECIALIST
Dr. Triparna Sen | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Position: Associate Professor
Research Focus: Small cell lung cancer therapies
Career Stats: 15+ awards, 35 publications, 2 patents
Signature Move: Developing novel treatments for SCLC
Key Achievement: 40 Under 40 in Cancer Emerging Leaders Award
TREATMENT TACTICIAN
TREATMENT TACTICIAN
Dr. Vincent Lam | Johns Hopkins University
Position: Assistant Professor of Oncology
Research Focus: Novel therapeutic combinations
Career Stats: Developing personalized treatment strategies
Signature Move: Targeting multiple pathways simultaneously
IMMUNOTHERAPY MVP
IMMUNOTHERAPY MVP
Dr. Jarushka Naidoo | Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Position: Consultant medical oncologist
Research Focus: Immunotherapy side effects and management
Career Stats: Pioneer in immune-related toxicity research
Signature Move: Making immunotherapy safer for patients
MICROBIOME MASTER
MICROBIOME MASTER
Dr. Daniel Spakowicz | The Ohio State University
Position: Assistant Professor
Research Focus: Gut microbiome’s role in immunotherapy response
Career Stats: Leading microbiome research in lung cancer
Signature Move: Using big data to predict treatment outcomes
MOLECULAR MASTERMIND
MOLECULAR MASTERMIND
Dr. Christine Lovly | Vanderbilt University
Position: Associate Professor
Research Focus: Molecular mechanisms of targeted therapies
Career Stats: Leading expert in precision medicine
Signature Move: Developing personalized treatment strategies
SURGICAL SUPERSTAR
SURGICAL SUPERSTAR
Dr. Jessica Donington | University of Chicago
Position: Professor and Chief of Thoracic Surgery
Research Focus: Surgical outcomes and biomarker development
Career Stats: Pioneer in minimally invasive techniques
Signature Move: Improving surgical treatment strategies
Key achievement: Co-authoring influential guidelines on lung cancer staging and treatment
PRECISION PIONEER
PRECISION PIONEER
Dr. Aparna Sharma | Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Institute (Jhajjar)
Position: Thoracic medical oncologist
Research Focus: Targeting a protein called LSD1 in small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
Career Stats: Developing novel combination therapies
Signature Move: Using special methods to target LSD1 and help treatments work better against SCLC
INTERNATIONAL INNOVATOR
INTERNATIONAL INNOVATOR
Dr. Zoltan Lohinai | National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Hungary
Position: Senior Researcher
Research Focus: Biomarker development
Career Stats: Leading international research collaborations
Signature Move: Identifying new treatment targets
TARGETED THERAPY TACTICIAN
TARGETED THERAPY TACTICIAN
Dr. Kathryn Beckermann | Vanderbilt University
Position: Assistant Professor Research
Focus: Novel targeted therapy combinations
Career Stats: Developing new treatment strategies
Signature Move: Precision medicine optimization
PRECISION MEDICINE PRO
PRECISION MEDICINE PRO
Dr. Jon Zugazagoitia | 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid
Position: Medical Oncologist
Research Focus: Biomarker-driven therapies
Career Stats: Leading research in precision medicine
Signature Move: Matching patients with targeted treatments
EARLY DETECTION EXPERT
EARLY DETECTION EXPERT
Dr. Carla Martins | University of Cambridge
Position: Group Leader
Research Focus: Early-stage lung cancer biology
Career Stats: Pioneering early intervention strategies
Signature Move: Understanding cancer evolution
CLINICAL TRIALS CHAMPION
CLINICAL TRIALS CHAMPION
Dr. Daniel Costa | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Position: Director of Thoracic Oncology
Research Focus: Novel therapeutic approaches
Career Stats: Leading multiple clinical trials
Signature Move: Translating research into treatments
Be a part of changing the future of lung cancer
Support early career researchers through LCFA’s grant program
