At age 37, Kathy Giusti was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and told she had just three years to live. Instead of accepting that fate, she turned urgency into action and founded the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), transforming how cancer nonprofits accelerate drug development. Today, more than 15 therapies have been approved for multiple myeloma and survival rates have more than doubled.

In this episode of All Things Cancer, Dr. Sujuan Ba speaks with Kathy Giusti about her new book Fatal to Fearless, the leadership and strategy required to drive progress in cancer research, and how collaboration between nonprofits, academia, industry, and regulators can speed lifesaving treatments to patients.

They also explore the future of cancer research, including venture philanthropy, data sharing, AI-driven discovery, and why patients must be empowered to advocate for themselves in a complex medical system.

Half a village was dying of cancer. No one could explain why.

For the Season One finale of All Things Cancer, we’re ending with a story that changed the trajectory of cancer research — and saved generations of lives.

What began as a keynote trip to Turkey turned into one of the most extraordinary cancer investigations in modern medicine.

In this episode, Dr. Michele Carbone shares how he uncovered a deadly inherited mutation, confronted government officials, helped relocate entire villages, and identified the BAP1 gene — a discovery that transformed our understanding of mesothelioma and inherited cancer risk.

But the twists don’t stop there.

After four years, $10 million in funding, and zero published results, his research was on the brink of collapse. Then a 1-in-100-billion clue changed everything.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How a remote village in Turkey led to a global cancer breakthrough

• The gene that can guarantee cancer — yet may also help patients survive it

• The policy battle that protected future generations

• Why Dr. Carbone warns against overreliance on AI in medicine

• And how cooking helped him build a cancer center from the ground up

This is a story about persistence, courage, and the power of research to move beyond the lab and into real lives.

As we close out Season One, this conversation is a powerful reminder of why cancer research matters — and what’s possible when science meets compassion.

In this episode, Dr. Sujuan Ba is joined by Dr. Ann Barker, one of the most influential architects of modern cancer research, for a wide-ranging conversation on where the field is headed and what must change to accelerate progress.

Dr. Barker shares why cancer research is at a critical inflection point, driven by an explosion of data, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the urgent need to move beyond siloed science. Together, they explore the promise and limitations of AI in oncology, the importance of high-quality and standardized data, and why collaboration across disciplines is no longer optional.

The conversation also dives into funding challenges, the role of nonprofits in building shared research infrastructure, and how convergence science has powered landmark efforts like The Cancer Genome Atlas and GBM AGILE. Dr. Barker reflects on her career, the lessons learned from large-scale collaboration, and why this moment may be one of the most exciting in the history of biomedical research.

This episode offers a candid, big-picture look at how AI, data, and collaboration could shape the future of cancer research — and what it will take to get there.

In this heartfelt episode of All Things Cancer, NFCR CEO Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Shereen Pavlides and her daughter, Isabella Pavlides, to explore how personal loss can spark powerful action.

From Isabella’s leadership through Play4TheCure and her growing Dine & Donate initiative to the lasting influence of her grandmother Esther’s seven-year journey with pancreatic cancer, this conversation highlights caregiving, resilience, and the next generation of advocates stepping up for cancer research.

It’s a moving reminder of how community, compassion, and initiative help make cures possible.

In this episode of All Things Cancer, Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Dr. Monica Bertagnolli — surgeon, scientist, former Director of the National Cancer Institute and former Director of the National Institutes of Health — for one of the most candid and forward-looking conversations we've ever shared.

Dr. Bertagnolli reflects on her journey from a cattle ranch in rural Wyoming to leading the nation’s most important scientific institutions, the challenges facing today’s cancer research ecosystem, the impact of declining federal funding, and what it will take to protect the future of discovery. She also offers a clear-eyed look at artificial intelligence, the trust required to use it in patient care, and the national learning health system we must build to ensure every community benefits.

A compelling conversation about leadership, equity, scientific progress, and the urgent need to support cancer research.

What happens when a pioneering oncologist and a next-generation immunotherapy researcher sit down to talk about the future of cancer care?

Join NFCR President and CEO Dr. Sujuan Ba as she moderates an eye-opening discussion between Dr. Brian Leyland-Jones and Dr. Avery Posey. From early detection and sequencing to CRISPR and CAR-T breakthroughs, this episode dives into the science — and the human drive — behind making cures possible.