O ’ NEAL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Director Barry Sleckman , M . D ., Ph . D . Deputy Director Bassel El-Rayes , M . D .

Associate Director , Administration Michael Bertram , Ph . D ., MBA

Associate Director , Basic Research Etty ( Tika ) Benveniste , Ph . D .

Associate Director , Cancer Prevention & Control Elizabeth E . Brown , Ph . D ., MPH

Associate Director , Community Outreach & Engagement Timiya S . Nolan , Ph . D .

Associate Director , Diversity , Equity & Inclusion Rodney Tucker , M . D ., MMM

Associate Director , Education & Training Lalita Shevde-Samant , Ph . D .

Associate Director , Shared Resources Erwin Van Meir , Ph . D .

SENIOR ADVISORS & AD HOC MEMBERS

Executive Vice President , UAB Medicine Jordan DeMoss , MSHA

Director of Cancer Network , O ’ Neal Cancer Service Line Gregory Kennedy , M . D ., Ph . D .

Director of Clinical Affairs , O ’ Neal Cancer Service Line Helen Krontiras , M . D .

Senior Advisor , Cancer Outcomes & Survivorship Smita Bhatia , M . D ., MPH

Senior Advisor , Drug Discovery & Development Richard Whitley , M . D .

Senior Advisor , Globalization & Cancer Isabel Scarinci , Ph . D ., MPH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

One Plus One Equals Three

The Synergy of Collaborative Cancer Research

Difficulties Do Not Deter Us

Cancer patients from around the region come to the O ’ Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center to take part in clinical research

OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Senior Director of Development Lisa E . Roth

Corporate and Special Events Manager Mary Jane Gibson

Programs Coordinator Lauren Cicatiello Development Coordinator Jamie Holdsambeck

COMMUNICATIONS Director of Communications Julie Cole Miller Communications Specialist Mackenzie Sexton Communications Coordinator Holly Dunn

O ’ NEAL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER MAGAZINE

Medical Advisor Barry Sleckman , M . D ., Ph . D .

Editor Julie Cole Miller Graphic Designer Teresa Cole Assistant Editors Holly Dunn , Mackenzie Sexton

Contributing Writers Patrick Bolack , Holly Dunn , Kim Hannon , Emma Holmes , Michelle S . Johnson , Anna Jones , Tehreem Khan , Don Milazzo , Julie Cole Miller , Amy Richardson , Greg Robinson , Mackenzie Sexton , Hadley Turner

Contributing Photographers Gregory Curry , Holly Dunn , Eric Gray , Nik Layman , Dustin Massey , Mackenzie Sexton , Mike Strawn

Emotional First Aid The Psycho-Oncology Program supports mental health for O ’ Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center patients