A new molecular map of breast cancer has identified novel forms of the disease and provides a foundation for selecting personalized treatments guided by a tumor’s molecular characteristics rather than standard pathology alone.

In a study published Nov. 3 in Cell Reports Medicine, researchers at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center generated one of the largest transcriptomic maps of breast cancer ever assembled, integrating data from more than 7,600 tumors across 22 independent studies. The “transcriptome” is the complete set of RNA molecules produced by a tumor; it reveals biological details about gene expression and other molecular characteristics.

“The breast cancer atlas provides an unprecedented view of the disease’s molecular diversity and reveals distinct tumor populations associated with different clinical outcomes, biological characteristics and therapeutic vulnerabilities,” said corresponding author Brian Lehmann, PhD, Research Associate Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt Health. “By analyzing thousands of tumors together, we uncovered previously hidden forms of breast cancer that differ in prognosis, biology and treatment sensitivity.”

Breast cancer is traditionally classified and treated based on the presence — or absence — of hormone (estrogen, progesterone) and HER2 receptors. Transcriptomic profiling has further defined some molecular subtypes, but clinical responses to the same subtype are varied, and other subtypes noted by pathologists remain undefined.

The work builds upon earlier studies by Lehmann and Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, Chief Scientific and Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President for Research at Vanderbilt Health, who helped define molecular subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer. Their research demonstrated that different triple-negative breast cancer subtypes display distinct sensitivities to therapeutic agents, and these insights have guided clinical trials for targeted treatments of triple-negative breast cancer.

For the new study, the investigators expanded their approach to include transcriptomic data across all types of breast cancer.

One of the long-standing challenges in cancer genomics has been the difficulty of comparing datasets generated across different studies, sequencing platforms and analytical methods, Lehmann noted. To overcome these barriers, the researchers adapted computational approaches originally developed for single-cell genomics, enabling the integration of thousands of breast cancer transcriptomes into a unified analytical framework.

The resulting atlas groups breast cancers into interconnected clusters that share common molecular features, treatment responses and clinical outcomes. When visualized as a map, the atlas resembles an archipelago, with biologically related tumor populations occupying distinct “islands” within a broader molecular landscape. Researchers envision that a patient’s tumor could eventually be positioned on this map to identify the most appropriate therapies and to improve treatment selection for clinical trials.

Highlights of the study’s findings:

• The atlas reveals substantial biological diversity within traditional breast cancer categories, demonstrating that current classifications do not fully capture clinically relevant differences among tumors.
• Estrogen receptor-low breast cancers behave more like ER-negative disease (not ER-positive as they are traditionally treated) and may require different treatment considerations.
• The atlas identifies subsets of HER2-positive tumors that are most dependent on HER2 signaling and could benefit from specific types of HER2 kinase inhibitors.
• The study uncovers a hidden neuroendocrine form of breast cancer associated with worse outcomes following standard chemo-endocrine therapy and points to FGFR1 as a potential therapeutic target.
• The atlas defines a biologically distinct aggressive basal-luminal progenitor subtype of triple-negative breast cancer with potential vulnerabilities to RTK/MAPK-targeted and anti-angiogenic therapies.

“Some of the most important findings came from tumors hiding in plain sight,” Lehmann said. “We identified patient populations with poor outcomes that are not routinely recognized in current classification systems and uncovered potential therapeutic opportunities that may help address unmet clinical needs.”

In addition to developing the atlas, the researchers also created a tool that can assign tumors to subtypes using standard bulk RNA sequencing data to guide future research studies and clinical trials.

“The next critical step is prospective testing to determine whether treatment decisions guided by these transcriptional subtypes improve patient outcomes,” Lehmann said. “Our goal is to match patients to therapies based on the biology of their tumors. This atlas provides both a road map and a practical framework for achieving that vision.”

Beyond breast cancer, the researchers said the computational approach can be applied to integrate transcriptomic, proteomic and other large-scale molecular datasets across a wide range of diseases.

Xin Sun, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt Health, is the study’s first author. Co-authors are Justin Balko, PharmD, PhD; Hanbing An, PhD; Paula Gonzalez-Ericsson, MD; Hailing Jin; Violeta Sanchez; Quanhu Sheng, PhD; Maksim Chapman; Thomas Stricker, MD, PhD; Vandana Abramson, MD; Ingrid Meszoely, MD, MMHC; and Melinda Sanders, MD.

The research was supported by the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, National Institutes of Health (grants P50CA098131, P30CA068485), Susan G. Komen, and Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Pietenpol, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research, holds the Brock Family Directorship in Career Development.

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A new 7,800-square-foot Bronchoscopy Laboratory — one of the most advanced bronchoscopy spaces in the country — opened Oct. 26 at Vanderbilt University Hospital (VUH), more than doubling the capacity to provide advanced interventional pulmonary care for patients.

Bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows medical teams to view, treat and biopsy tissue inside the lungs using a thin, flexible tube called a bronchoscope. The new Bronchoscopy Laboratory will meet the growing demand for specialized lung transplant, lung nodule and lung cancer care, including inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopies. The space includes three advanced robotic bronchoscopy platforms with 3D imaging capacity that improve the safety and efficacy of these procedures.

Over the past five years, bronchoscopy volume at VUH has increased by 63% — growing from 1,510 cases to 2,460. The addition of four new state-of-the-art operating rooms will increase capacity to 5,000 cases.

“I’m excited to open up this bronchoscopy space,” said Anna Hemnes, MD, Chair of the Department of Medicine and System Physician-in-Chief for Vanderbilt Health. “We have had a growing practice in the care of patients with complex and advanced lung disease over the last 10 years — really fulfilling the vision of the Vanderbilt Lung Institute.

“To now be able to provide these advanced bronchoscopy services in this beautiful, new area will improve the quality of the care patients receive. We can provide care for more patients and add more services in this wonderful environment that so many people here worked together to build.”

Vanderbilt Health has a long, storied history in the field of interventional pulmonology, in large part due to James Snell Jr., MD, the health system’s first fellowship-trained pulmonary medicine specialist and an architect of today’s Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Snell was the first physician in Tennessee to perform a flexible bronchoscopy in the late 1960s.

Hemnes, who holds the Hugh J. Morgan Chair in Medicine, was previously the Director of the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and she notes the positive impact the Bronchoscopy Laboratory will have on patient experience.

“It’s scary to hear that something is happening in your lung, and the sooner we can get patients from the point of seeing a physician to diagnosis and treatment, the better they’ll feel about the care we’re providing them,” Hemnes said. “People want to know not only what their diagnosis is, but what the plan is, and this space is really going to go a long way toward reducing the time people wait.”

Vanderbilt Health leaders and clinicians who will provide specialty care in the new Bronchoscopy Laboratory participated in a ribbon cutting during an open house event in September. Patients are expected to begin having the first bronchoscopies there this month.

Another reason the Bronchoscopy Laboratory was greatly needed is to support Vanderbilt Health’s lung transplant patients. In the first year following transplant, lung recipients must have six or more bronchoscopies to monitor for signs of possible rejection. In 2025, Vanderbilt Transplant Center teams performed 960 solid organ transplants, the most ever completed by a single center in one year in the United States. In fiscal year 2026, the center performed 150 lung and four heart-lung transplants.

“We will be able to accommodate those transplant volumes,” said Robert Lentz, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Thoracic Surgery and Director of Bronchoscopy. “With this space, we can more than double the number of bronchoscopies we do. We’ve always had the best crew, and we now clearly have the best space, too.”

A dedicated bronchoscopy care team will staff the Bronchoscopy Laboratory, including interventional pulmonologists, advanced bronchoscopists, OR nurses, holding room/recovery room nurses, surgical technicians, respiratory therapists, care partners, radiation technicians and patient service specialists.

The space includes ten patient recovery bays and four, 500-square-foot negative pressure operating suites. Three of the operating suites are outfitted with robotic bronchoscopy platforms that allow doctors to guide a tiny camera and surgical tools to biopsy areas of concern, even hard-to-reach nodules deep inside the lungs.

These minimally invasive procedures are assisted by another important technology housed in the three suites, cone beam computed tomography. This 3D medical imaging system provides real-time imaging to guide the surgeon’s tool navigation and tissue sampling.

“The point of this is not just to have a beautiful, more sophisticated facility,” said Fabien Maldonado, MD, MS, Professor of Medicine and Thoracic Surgery and Director of Interventional Pulmonology. “It’s to improve patient outcomes by expanding access, increasing the number of patients we can serve and the efficiency of all our processes while operating at the highest levels of safety and quality. Waiting for a diagnosis is stressful for patients, and we want to provide reliable answers as quickly as possible.”

The space will also support the expansive research activities of the Vanderbilt Lung Institute and the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Maldonado noted. Examples include investigator-initiated pragmatic clinical trials; biomedical engineering research in collaboration with the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering; lung nodule research; and industry-sponsored trials.

“We are constantly evaluating our processes and operations scientifically to continuously improve patients’ outcomes,” said Maldonado, who holds the Pierre Massion Directorship in Lung Cancer Research. “This unprecedented investment in technology is not for its own sake, but because we have demonstrated in high-quality research that these tools benefit patients, which is extremely important to all of us.”

Jonathan Kropski, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, toured one of the OR suites, marveling at the larger, open space and technology now at the fingertips of the surgeons and staff.

“This is a great development for all of our lung disease programs and for patients with lung diseases in the region,” said Kropski, who holds the Elsa S. Hanigan Chair in Pulmonary Medicine. “This is going to be transformative in terms of our ability to get patients in much more quickly for the specialized care they need.”

Lentz, an interventional pulmonologist who will be performing robotic bronchoscopies in the new space, led informal tours of the operating suites, pointing out unique features. All providers — surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and technicians — weighed in on the elements they would like included, and much of their input is reflected in the final design.

“We customized the build based on our needs,” Lentz said. “In the past, we were in an operating room built for generic purposes. It was smaller, and the anesthesia team was always at the head of the bed, so we were competing for space. We also had big rolling carts with power cables that couldn’t move very far.

“In this space, all the bronchoscopy equipment is on easily movable overhead booms, and there are no cords on the floor. Everything is integrated to the ceiling. We also have three floating monitors and two large, wall-mounted monitors where we can simultaneously view bronchoscope video, endobronchial ultrasound, X-rays, real-time fluoroscopy and real-time CT scanning.”

The operating suites have a high-tech lighting system with the option to bathe the room in green LED light. The green illumination reduces glare on overhead monitors, improving clarity during key portions of the procedure and reducing eye strain.

There are plans to add pulsed electric field (PEF) technology to the operating suites. PEF technology uses nonthermal energy to surgically ablate soft tissue. A recent study published in Clinical Cancer Research has indicated that this technology may also increase immune response in both the environment near the ablation and in blood biomarkers.

“I want to acknowledge the support of our senior leadership here at Vanderbilt Health for making this happen,” Hemnes said. “I know that every square inch of space on the Main Campus is valuable, and to make this kind of investment really means a lot to our faculty and patients.”

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Vanderbilt Health researchers Adam Rosenberg, PhD, and Laura Kennedy, MD, PhD, have received a 2026 “Mars Shot” Research Award to support studies aimed at improving the diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma, an invasive breast cancer that is difficult to detect.

The $100,000 award was announced Oct. 15 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance Inc. (LBCA), which jointly funded the award.

Approximately 48,000 women are diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma in the United States each year, yet the disease remains “underappreciated and under-researched,” SNMMI President-Elect Gary Ulaner, MD, PhD, said in a news release.

Rosenberg and Kennedy “will use novel molecular imaging to help open new therapeutic options to patients …, which is very good news indeed,” said Ulaner, Chair of Molecular Imaging and Therapy at the Hoag Family Cancer Institute and Professor of Radiology and Translational Genomics at the University of Southern California.

Rosenberg is Research Associate Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences and Director of Radiochemistry Research at the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science. Kennedy is Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology. Both are members of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

The focus of their research is HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) overexpression, which in breast cancer is associated with poor outcomes. Targeted anti-HER2 antibody therapies have improved survival considerably. However, it is difficult to accurately determine the HER2 status of invasive lobular carcinoma that has spread, or metastasized.

As a result, the burden of disease is frequently underestimated; invasive lobular carcinoma is often diagnosed in later stages and with larger tumors; and many patients are excluded from clinical trials of targeted HER2 therapies such as combined trastuzumab and deruxtecan due to insufficiently measurable disease.

One promising approach is to use positron emission tomography (PET), a noninvasive imaging technique, to detect ABY-025, an anti-HER2 antibody made by the Swedish biopharmaceutical firm Affibody, which has been labeled with gallium-68, a positron-emitting radioisotope of gallium.

Rosenberg and Kennedy will use this approach to quantify HER2 expression throughout the body including bone, the lining of the abdominal cavity, and gastrointestinal sites that cannot be sampled, visualized on conventional imaging, or accurately measured by biopsy.

If this imaging technique finds “actionable HER2” in tumors that were labeled “HER2 zero” by conventional immunohistochemistry testing, “it would show molecular imaging working as a quantitative predictive biomarker that decides drug eligibility, not just as a way to locate disease,” Rosenberg said.

“At Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, we are committed to advancing precision oncology through innovative research that improves the lives of patients,” said Vanderbilt-Ingram Director Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, the Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology and Professor of Medicine.

“Drs. Rosenberg and Kennedy are leading groundbreaking work to better understand HER2 expression in invasive lobular carcinoma, with the potential to expand treatment opportunities and advance more personalized care for patients with breast cancer,” Park said.

Rosenberg is a synthetic organic chemist and radiochemist whose research focuses on optimizing existing radiopharmaceutical production methods, novel synthesis methods, and development of novel radiotracers, with a recent emphasis on the practical use of smaller biologics.

Kennedy’s previous research has focused on predicting immunotherapy response of HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancer using breast imaging and on developing improved systemic treatment strategies for early-stage lobular breast cancer through her investigator-initiated clinical trial, “Neoadjuvant Neratinib in Stage I-III HER2-Mutated Lobular Breast Cancers” (NCT05919108).

The SNMMI Mars Shot Research Fund, established in 2023, provides resources that translate visionary nuclear medicine imaging, radiopharmaceutical therapy, and data science research or projects into tools or treatments which will help improve the lives of patients.

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Fabien Maldonado, MD, MSc, has been selected to serve as the Executive Medical Director for the Lung Patient Care Center (PCC) at Vanderbilt Health, effective Oct. 1.

He succeeds Joao de Andrade, MD, MMHC, Professor of Medicine, who was recently named Executive Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Medicine.

“Dr. Maldonado is an internationally recognized physician leader, clinician-scientist and educator who has made significant contributions to Vanderbilt Health’s clinical, academic and research missions,” said Patty Wright, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Adult Ambulatory Clinics. “He has served in numerous leadership roles including Director of Interventional Pulmonology, Chair of the Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Tumor Board and Co-Lead of the Thoracic Oncology Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. We look forward to working with Dr. Maldonado as we continue to improve the patient-centered care Vanderbilt Health delivers to our region.”

Maldonado, who joined Vanderbilt Health in 2015, holds the Pierre Massion Directorship in Lung Cancer Research and is widely recognized for his work advancing lung cancer care, interventional pulmonology and multidisciplinary care delivery. He is Professor of Medicine and Thoracic Surgery; Director of the Vanderbilt Interventional Pulmonary Research Laboratory; and Co-Director of the Multidisciplinary Assessment and Stratification of Lung Cancer Biomarkers (MASLAB), a collaborative research program dedicated to advancing early lung cancer detection and precision risk stratification through integrated imaging, clinical and molecular data science.

“The lung health services we provide at the Vanderbilt Lung Institute have grown tremendously in both scope and quality over the past decade,” Maldonado said. “In my new role, I will remain focused on serving our patients by improving their experience, access to care and coordination across our programs. Our goal is to make Vanderbilt a destination center for lung health while providing Tennesseans access to world-class pulmonary care close to home, from asthma and COPD to lung cancer, advanced lung disease and lung transplantation.

“We have extraordinary foundations on which to build, with internationally recognized programs across the spectrum of lung health, and I am excited to bring these strengths together to build an integrated lung program defined by clinical excellence, innovation and an exceptional experience for every patient we serve.”

As Executive Medical Director, Maldonado will provide physician leadership for quality, safety, patient experience, access and clinical operations across the Lung PCC. Working in close partnership with operational and nursing leadership, he will support the PCC’s medical directors, advance strategic priorities, and help guide the continued growth and integration of Vanderbilt Health’s lung programs across ambulatory and inpatient settings.

“We want to recognize Dr. de Andrade for his outstanding leadership and service as Executive Medical Director of the Lung PCC,” said Warren Sandberg, MD, PhD, Chief of Staff for Vanderbilt University Hospital. “Under his leadership, the Lung PCC has grown remarkably, nearly doubling clinical visits while also strengthening its commitment to high-quality, multidisciplinary care and positioning itself for future growth and success. We are grateful for his many contributions and look forward to his continued partnership as Executive Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Medicine.”

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Four years after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Cassandra Chaytor still remembers the thought that crossed her mind when she learned she had cancer.

It was not about herself.

It was about her children.

“I have to come out OK,” she recalled telling her physician. “I have to be here for my children.”

At the time, her daughter Lydia was 12, and her son Archer was 8. Overnight, life became a series of appointments, treatments, surgeries and difficult conversations. Alongside the physical challenges came the emotional weight of helping her children navigate a reality none of them expected.

Tears in the grocery store

Some memories remain vivid.

Chaytor was grocery shopping with Archer, masked and wearing a scarf on her head, when a woman looked at them and began to cry.

Archer immediately understood why.

“He was so upset that we abandoned our cart and left the store,” Chaytor said.

For Chaytor, the manager of Clinic Operations at Vanderbilt Eye Institute in Franklin, the moment was a reminder that cancer affects entire families, not just the person diagnosed.

“It was incredibly hard for my children,” she said. “They were walking through it with me.”

Early in her cancer experience, Chaytor met with Vandana Abramson, MD, Professor of Medicine and Co-Leader of the Breast Cancer Research Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

“She gave me the facts and a clear plan, but she also gave me hope,” Chaytor said. “She’s one of the leading experts in her field, yet she approaches patients with incredible warmth, reassurance and encouragement. That meant so much during such a frightening time.”

What followed was a series of treatments that included a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, a mastectomy and reconstruction. Through it all, Chaytor remained focused on being present for her children and finding the strength to move forward.

Care along the way

As difficult as treatment was, what stands out most to Chaytor today is the care she received along the way.

One experience in particular remains especially meaningful.

On the morning of her mastectomy, overwhelmed by fear, Chaytor broke down just before being taken into surgery.

“I was sobbing uncontrollably,” she recalled.

Her surgeon, Ingrid Meszoely, MD, sat next to her, put her arm around her, and held her as she cried.

“She held me until I was ready to go back,” Chaytor said. “In one of the hardest moments of my life, her compassion meant everything to me. I’ll never forget it.”

Those experiences reinforced something Chaytor has always believed: People may forget details, but they never forget how they are treated during their most vulnerable moments.

“I’ve always believed in leading with empathy and kindness,” Chaytor said. “But walking in a patient’s shoes reinforced just how much every interaction matters.”

As she moved through treatment, Chaytor found herself paying close attention to the infusion team.

“They handle so many emotions every single day,” she said. “Watching how they supported patients, families and one another gave me an even deeper appreciation for what they do.”

That appreciation took on new meaning when a nurse asked Chaytor to speak with another patient who needed someone to talk to. That conversation became a turning point.

“It helped me realize that sharing my experience could help someone else feel less alone,” she said.

The story of countless others

Since then, Chaytor has embraced opportunities to support and encourage others facing cancer, whether through advocacy, community involvement or simply sharing her story.

“This affects so many women,” she said. “It’s my story, but it’s also the story of countless others. Even when you’re surrounded by support, there can be a loneliness that’s hard to describe. If sharing my experience helps even one person feel less alone, then something meaningful can come from what I went through.”

After returning to work, Chaytor shared her story with her team, reflecting on the importance of kindness, self-care and recognizing the impact every person can have on a patient’s experience.

“Every interaction matters. Every role matters. The way we treat patients and one another stays with people long after the moment has passed.”

Today, Chaytor is a survivor, advocate and health care leader who continues to draw on her experience to support others.

“Cancer is part of my story, but it is not what defines me,” she said. “What stays with me most is the care I received and the opportunity to help others feel less alone.

“There is hope, and there is always someone willing to walk beside you.”

And she makes a final pitch: She hopes others will join her in participating in or contributing to Team Vanderbilt’s efforts at this year’s Susan G. Komen More Than Pink Walk, on Oct. 3.

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A new study, published Sept. 25 in Cancer Discovery, reveals key insights into the biological factors shaping efficacy of off-the-shelf CAR-T cell therapies. Andrew Jallouk, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, was lead author of the study.

Currently, standard CAR-T therapies require a patient’s own T cells to be collected, genetically engineered and returned to the patient — a complex process which can take several weeks. Off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies are prepared in advance and immediately available when needed, making them easier for patients to access. However, the response to these therapies may vary due to characteristics of the individual patient or product.

Jallouk explained, “As part of this work, we identified both patient and product features which contribute to CAR-T efficacy. These findings help explain why patients can have very different responses to the exact same off-the-shelf CAR-T therapy.”

The team’s findings could lead to new strategies which improve efficacy of these treatments and expand lifesaving options for cancer patients.

Balance between immune rejection and CAR-T expansion

The researchers evaluated patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma who received cemacabtagene ansegedleucel (cema-cel, Allogene Therapeutics), an investigational off-the-shelf CAR-T cell product. Using advanced molecular and immune profiling, the team tracked how the engineered immune cells behaved post-infusion and monitored how patients’ immune systems reacted to them.

The study found that pre-existing immune defenses in a subset of patients targeted and rejected the CAR-T cells. This process limited the therapy’s effectiveness in these patients. In contrast, patients whose CAR-T cells expanded successfully showed little evidence of immune rejection. Additionally, the study found that certain CAR-T cell populations consistently demonstrated a greater ability to expand across multiple patients and disease settings.

Building better off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies

These results establish a framework for enhancing next-generation CAR-T cell therapies by helping manufacturers further optimize donor selection and production methods. They also help physicians identify patients who may respond best to CAR T therapies prior to treatment.

Jallouk summarized, “Our findings provide a roadmap for improving future allogeneic CAR-T cell therapies. By identifying patients who may be more likely to reject off-the-shelf CAR-T cells and refining how these therapies are developed, we can work toward more effective and personalized treatments.”

The study was supported by funding from Allogene Therapeutics, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Conquer Cancer, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and the National Cancer Institute (1K08CA248458-01). A full list of collaborating authors and their disclosures may be found with the full paper in Cancer Discovery.

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Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center will host two specialized retreats for lung care in October for colleagues across the organization to collaborate, review progress and identify opportunities to improve patient outcomes.

The event co-chairs are also co-leaders for the Thoracic Oncology program at Vanderbilt-Ingram: Fabien Maldonado, MD, MSc, Director of Interventional Pulmonology at the Vanderbilt Lung Institute, and Evan Osmundson, MD, PhD, Vice Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology.

They worked in partnership with Melinda Aldrich, PhD, MPH, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Genetic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, for the research-based retreat. Aldrich is an accomplished lung cancer investigator and holder of the Robert A. Goodwin, Jr., MD, Directorship

“These retreats allow us to reflect on our progress, strengthen collaborations across disciplines and identify opportunities to further improve care for patients with lung cancer. We remain focused on building the most patient-centered, data-driven lung cancer program in Tennessee,” said Maldonado, holder of the Pierre Massion Directorship in Lung Cancer Research.

“At our last retreat, we launched a real-time lung cancer time-to-treatment tracker in Tableau to monitor patients through the referral, workup, and treatment pipeline,” Osmundson said. “Gathering again allows us to build on that momentum and continue elevating patient care.”

1. Research Retreat (Friday, Oct. 2, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.): Open to all researchers across all disciplines at 3401 West End Ave., Second Floor, Suite 290.   
2. Clinical Retreat (Friday, Oct. 30, 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.): Open to clinical practitioners and team members involved in lung cancer care and research, Scarritt Bennett Center, 1027 18th Ave. S.

Click here to register.  

These collaborative sessions offer a valuable opportunity for teams to align around the long-term strategic vision for the lung cancer program as well as assess program performance against national and regional benchmarks.

There will also be time to discuss and identify initiatives to drive progress over the next few years.

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When Melissa Glass met with Aimal Khan, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Vanderbilt Health, to make a surgical plan for her recently diagnosed colon cancer, she had one big request.

She wanted to be back home in Morgantown, Kentucky, and healthy enough to participate in an annual event for Butler County Schools students that is close to her heart.

“It was important to me to make it to our Happy Feet program, where we provide free shoes for students who are underprivileged,” she explained. “They get to pick their shoes out before school starts, and I look forward to this event all year. We fundraise for it, and it’s just such a great day.

“I promised my co-workers I would sit and not help set up boxes, so I behaved and didn’t overexert myself. We love our students, and I was just so happy I was there.”

Glass, a family resource coordinator for the school system, was overwhelmed when health symptoms led to a colon cancer diagnosis at age 44. She is among a growing number of young adults diagnosed with early-onset colorectal cancer, a trend that led the American Cancer Society to update their recommendation to begin screenings at age 45 rather than 50.

Glass talked to a friend who had a similar experience, and they recommended Khan, who had been their surgeon. Khan recommended a minimally invasive, robot-assisted approach to remove the sigmoid colon cancer using a newer, single-port (SP) robotic platform.

“Vanderbilt is among the highest volume, single-port robotic colorectal surgery programs in the United States,” Khan said. “The SP platform allows us to complete an entire colon or rectal operation through one small incision, usually hidden at the bikini line or around the belly button, rather than four or five separate incisions required by conventional robotic or laparoscopic surgery. Very few centers in the country have the training and case volume to offer this for complex colorectal disease.”

Minimally invasive, robotic procedures have been in use for more than two decades and have now become common throughout the world. More recent improvements in the size and function of individual surgical tools, and advances in robotic technology, have made single-port surgeries possible, according to Matthew Spann, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of General Surgery at Vanderbilt Health.

Single-port robotic systems feature small surgical instruments and a camera that are inserted through a tube in a single incision. The instruments, such as scissors, forceps and graspers, can pivot 360 degrees, giving surgeons better access to structures during complex procedures.

And while the aesthetics of having just one small incision rather than several is certainly positive, more importantly, SP colorectal surgeries have been proven to have similar outcomes when compared to a conventional surgical approach, Khan said.

“This is what separates a real advance from a cosmetic one,” he explained. “Complication rates are comparable to the conventional approach. For our cancer patients, we removed the same number of lymph nodes and achieved clean margins around the tumor at the same rate, which are the two measures that determine whether a cancer operation provides the best chance for a cure.”

Other results for SP colorectal surgeries at Vanderbilt Health are just as impressive:

• Patients who have these surgeries go home up to 50% sooner. The length of stay after most SP colorectal surgeries is one day, with a significant number of patients going home the same day.
• Patients need substantially less post-surgery narcotic pain medication (25% less), and many go home without an opioid prescription at all. Since every postsurgical opioid prescription is a potential entry point to long-term opioid use, this is important.
• Patients report less interruption to their lives, as well as satisfaction with the procedures overall.

Factors that contribute to the success of SP robot-assisted surgeries are the volume of procedures performed at a health care center, as well as the specialized, intensive training clinicians obtain to perform these procedures, said Spann.

“Training in minimally invasive robotic procedures — now including single-port surgeries — is increasingly being incorporated into specialty-specific surgical fellowships,” he said. “This is certainly the case here at Vanderbilt Health.”

And training opportunities led by Vanderbilt Health surgeons extend to established surgeons at other health care centers.

“We have hosted dozens of surgeons from all over from the country who have come here to learn from our experience in single-port robotic surgery,” Khan said. “The Vanderbilt Health colorectal team is also among the national leaders in research on single-port robotic colorectal surgery.”

M. Benjamin (Ben) Hopkins, MD, who leads the section of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Vanderbilt, shared the team’s experience recently at the summer meeting of the Piedmont Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, a regional professional medical organization.

“The level of national interest in what we are doing with the SP robot has been remarkable,” Hopkins said.

Khan and Hopkins, along with fellow surgeons Shannon McChesney, MD, and Phillip Williams, MD, MSc, have all completed colorectal surgical fellowships and have training in multiport and single-port robotic surgery. Physician assistant Katie Martin, PA-C, was instrumental in getting the program started and now leads training courses for advanced practice providers interested in learning how to use the SP platform. There are plans to train more Vanderbilt Health surgeons on the SP robot.

Single-port robotic surgeries might not be the best surgical approach for every patient, Khan said. Surgical plans are made in collaboration with each patient and depend on the type and location of the cancer, whether previous abdominal surgery has resulted in scarring, anatomy and other conditions.

As for Glass, she spent two nights at Vanderbilt University Hospital. Her recovery following surgery went well, with manageable pain. She credits her family, including her husband, Jon, and their two daughters, and her colleagues at Butler County Schools for supporting her throughout her experience.

Her short recovery time meant she was able to begin chemotherapy treatment at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center with Cathy Eng, MD, the David H. Johnson Professor of Surgical and Medical Oncology, whom she also praised highly. Glass has just two chemotherapy sessions remaining and is ready to fully return to focusing on her family and the students of Butler County.

“I’m a very private person, so the fact that I’m sharing my story lets you know how I feel about Dr. Khan and the care I received at Vanderbilt,” she said. “I feel like God’s hand was on it because we really didn’t know where to go or what to do. My husband and I quickly knew that we were in the right place.”

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Bhagirathbhai Dholaria, MBBS, Associate Professor of Medicine and a hematopoietic cell transplantation specialist, along with peers from several other transplant centers across the country, recently reached a major milestone in stem cell transplantation.

Their clinical trial, called ACCESS, showed that using “mismatched donors” for blood or bone marrow transplants is safe, potentially opening the door to cures for blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.

Findings from the ACCESS trial were recently published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

“Many patients need a donor whose tissue type closely matches their own,” Dholaria said. “Historically, patients from racial and ethnic minority groups have had a harder time finding a perfectly matched donor because donor registries included fewer people from their backgrounds.

“As a result, minority patients are referred less often or move more slowly toward transplant because finding a fully matched donor can be difficult. If doctors believe a suitable donor is unlikely, they may never see a transplant physician in the first place.”

Expanding access and opportunity at the same time

The ACCESS trial set out to dismantle this barrier by allowing mismatched, unrelated donors for patients lacking a full match. Typically, traditional clinical trials restrict enrollment to matched donors only.

By eliminating the requirement for a perfectly matched donor, ACCESS opened the door for more Asian, Black, Hispanic and multiracial patients who previously may not have been eligible for a transplant or clinical trial.

Nearly half of participants in this trial identified as members of racially or ethnically underrepresented groups.

Comparing nearly 670 patients across three different studies, Dholaria and colleagues found that ACCESS participants were more than 25 percentage points more likely to come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds than those enrolled in other trials. The broader eligibility criteria also expanded the pool of potential donors available to patients.

“The more we broaden access to transplant, the more patients we can give an opportunity for cure,” said Dholaria.

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The University of California, Santa Cruz Alumni Association has announced Melinda Aldrich, PhD, MPH, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Genetic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology at Vanderbilt Health, as one of its 2026 UC Santa Cruz Alumni Awards recipients.

The awards celebrate individuals whose vision, leadership and dedication have made a meaningful impact in their professions, in society, within the university community, and across the globe. Each honoree exemplifies the values and spirit of UC Santa Cruz through their achievements and contributions, according to a release from UC Santa Cruz.

Aldrich, who has authored more than 170 scientific publications and held leadership roles in numerous national and international scientific organizations, joins John Torigoe, James Hein, PhD, Peter Coha, Jim Gunderson, JD, and Stephanie Barron Lu as recipients of the 2026 UC Santa Cruz Alumni Awards; they will be honored Oct. 16 at a UC Santa Cruz celebration gala. 

“This year’s Alumni Award honorees reflect the remarkable breadth of what UC Santa Cruz alumni go on to do and the many ways they contribute to their communities and the world,” said Chancellor Cynthia Larive, PhD. “Their accomplishments are distinct, but each has brought curiosity, purpose, and a commitment to making a difference to their work. We are proud to recognize them and celebrate the paths they have taken since their time at UC Santa Cruz.” 

Aldrich, who is also Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Thoracic Surgery at Vanderbilt Health, received her BA in biology from UC Santa Cruz in 1992. She is an internationally recognized expert in lung cancer epidemiology with a research focus on lung cancer screening, risk prediction for early detection, genetics, and differences in health outcomes.

She contributed to health policy revisions of national lung cancer screening guidelines by demonstrating that high-risk African American individuals were disproportionately missed by existing screening eligibility criteria, earning her the Vanderbilt Chancellor’s Award for Research.

“I am deeply honored to receive the UC Santa Cruz Ethos Award. UC Santa Cruz helped shape my belief that scientific progress should benefit all communities, and that principle has guided my work,” said Aldrich, who holds the Robert A. Goodwin Jr., MD, Directorship at Vanderbilt Health. “To be recognized for that commitment by UC Santa Cruz, an institution that has meant so much to me, is especially meaningful.”

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