Hoosier Cancer Research Network congratulates Rita Assi, MD, on her election as the President-Elect of the Indiana Oncology Society 2024-2026 Board of Directors. Dr. Assi is a board member of HCRN and is assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Assi has been in practice since 2019 and is dedicated to advancing oncology research and forming meaningful connections with patients.

The Indiana Oncology Society was founded in 2009 and is the largest oncology professional organization in the state. IOS comprises a powerful community of oncologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other multidisciplinary care providers involved in the treatment of patients with cancer.

To carry out its mission, IOS strives to promote the highest professional standards of oncology in Indiana; study, research, and exchange information, experiences, and ideas leading to improvement in oncology; identify and improve oncology practice issues that adversely affect patient access to cancer care; act as a patient advocate to assure that patients have access to the best available care; and support and encourage clinical research against cancer.

HCRN congratulates Dr. Assi on this well-deserved honor and looks forward to her continued contributions to the field of oncology.

About Hoosier Cancer Research Network:
Hoosier Cancer Research Network conducts innovative cancer clinical trials in collaboration with more than 100 academic and community clinical research sites across the United States. Our studies are designed by cancer researchers from our member institutions. The HCRN staff includes 55 team members who work together to support all aspects of the studies we manage, from the time we receive the initial concept from a researcher through the final publication of the study results. Currently, we are supporting more than 70 clinical trials across a wide range of cancer types. Over our 40-year history, more than 10,000 participants in have enrolled in our clinical trials, leading to important discoveries that help cancer patients live longer and better after their cancer diagnosis.

Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) is currently seeking a full-time contracts manager. Bachelor’s degree, paralegal training, or relevant associate degree and at least three years’ experience drafting and negotiating contracts which include indemnification provisions, confidentiality provisions, insurance provisions, intellectual property rights and provisions involving regulatory compliance are required. 

HCRN is an independent nonprofit organization with a network of clinical sites created for the purpose of conducting oncology studies. HCRN serves as the contract research organization for early phase, multi-center, investigator-initiated clinical trials developed by investigators within its network. HCRN collaborates with 450+ academic and community clinical research sites across the United States to develop and conduct innovative cancer research. Through its work, HCRN advances cancer research, education, and patient advocacy.

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Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) recently joined two of our visionary founders, Patrick J. Loehrer, MD, and William B. Fisher, MD, as they shared stories spanning their 40 years of involvement with HCRN, formerly known as Hoosier Oncology Group, or affectionately, the “HOG.”

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Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) is currently seeking a full-time clinical project manager. Nursing degree, or bachelor’s degree in a related field, or equivalent required. Advanced degree preferred. At least 2 years clinical trial experience required.

Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) is an independent nonprofit contract research organization that specializes in early phase, multi-center, investigator-initiated clinical trials. HCRN conducts innovative cancer research in collaboration with 100+ academic and community clinical research sites across the United States. Through its work, HCRN advances cancer research, education, and patient advocacy.

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A Hoosier Cancer Research Network trial, HCRN-LUN18-357, titled “P1.08D.03 Induction Durvalumab Followed by Chemoradiation and Consolidation Durvalumab for Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)” has been accepted as a poster presentation and will be presented at the World Conference on Lung Cancer Meeting on September 8, 2024 from 12:00 pm-2:00 pm.

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Hoosier Cancer Research Network is happy to celebrate the research accomplishments of our members over the past year. Congratulations to all researchers and study teams whose hard work produced 23 journal manuscripts and meeting abstracts between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024!

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A Hoosier Cancer Research Network trial, HCRN-GU22-587, titled, “Advanced Renel Cell Cancer Combination Immunotherapy Clinical Trial,” was presented this week at the Kidney Cancer Research Summit (KCRS). Michael Serzan, MD (pictured right), of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, presented the study as a trial in progress.

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Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) is proud to share that an article written by former HCRN team members, Tim Breen and Adelai Neal, titled, “The Endpoints Dataset: A Quality Control Method for Review and Analysis of Critical Efficacy Endpoints Data,” has been published in the Spring Issue 2024 of the Journal of the Society for Clinical Data Management (JSCDM).

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Brian Stemme, Hoosier Cancer Research Network’s (HCRN) chief executive officer, was recently featured on Pathfinder, a Purdue Life Sciences podcast with Dr. Thomas G. Sors from Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease (PI4D). Stemme shared insights on his career journey, why Indiana is a top spot for life sciences and HCRN’s impactful work.

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Hoosier Cancer Research Network congratulates Dr. Robin Zon on assuming her new role as president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Zon served as HCRN’s vice chair from 2006-2009, and as chief community officer from 2009-2010.  

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Chief Executive Officer of Hoosier Cancer Research Network, Brian Stemme, authored an article on Inside Indiana Business titled, “Belief-driven employees seek organizations that make a difference,” published May 24, 2024.  

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Hoosier Cancer Research Network is excited to share that Reps for Research 2024 has raised $3,060, bringing our 7-year cumulative total to more than $26,000.

Reps for Research took place on March 3, 2024, as fundraiser for Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) led by Christopher A. Fausel, chairman of HCRN’s board of directors and oncology precision genomics pharmacist at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. The event included Fausel’s participation in the Arnold Sports Festival Pump & Run 5K in Columbus, Ohio.

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Co-chairs of the HCRN Lymphoma Working Group, Jonathan B. Cohen, MD, Natalie Galanina, MD, and Natalie Grover, MD, were driven by science and the influence of strong mentors early in their careers. It’s also why lymphoma is a focus of their work as they see great opportunities to make an impact through the WG collaboration.

Dr. Cohen is associate professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, and co-director of the Lymphoma Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University; Dr. Galanina, is associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and Dr. Grover is associate professor of medicine, clinical director, Cellular Therapy Program, and leader, Cell Therapy POD at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Read More

Hoosier Cancer Research Network is excited to announce that Reps for Research is returning March 3, 2024, after a three-year hiatus.

Reps for Research is a fundraiser for Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) that is led by Christopher A. Fausel, chairman of HCRN’s board of directors and oncology precision genomics pharmacist at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. The event includes Fausel’s participation in the Arnold Sports Festival Pump & Run 5K in Columbus, Ohio.

Fausel invites pledges in support of HCRN for every bench press “rep” he completes during the event, with a maximum of 30 “reps.” Donations received will directly support investigator-initiated research, which is central to HCRN’s vision and mission.

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A new Hoosier Cancer Research Network clinical trial studying Merkel cell carcinoma is currently recruiting subjects.

The trial, A Single Arm Phase II Study with Safety Run-in of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) in Combination with Immunotherapy for Patients with Merkel Cell Cancer (HCRN-MCC20-443; iPRRT Study), is led by Pashtoon Kasi, MD, MS, of Cornell University and is currently recruiting subjects at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

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2023 marked the establishment of a new Sarcoma Clinical Trial Working Group for HCRN. The group brings together some of the sharpest minds in cancer research who are focused on one of the rarest types of cancer.

The working group is led by (pictured from left) Atrayee Basu-Mallick, MD, interim director, Solid Tumor Division, and associate professor at Thomas Jefferson University; Mark Agulnik, MD, professor and section chief of sarcoma medical oncology in the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research at City of Hope; and Kristen Ganjoo, MD, professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and the director of Stanford Sarcoma Program. The co-chairs are united in their goal of connecting sarcoma researchers who share a common purpose of finding more treatments for this challenging cancer.

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Researchers participating in HCRN GI14-198, recently reported findings in the European Journal of Cancer. The study was a phase II randomized, double-blind study of mFOLFIRINOX plus ramucirumab versus mFOLFIRINOX plus placebo in advanced pancreatic cancer patients.

Researchers participating HCRN BRE21-516, also known as BRIDGET, had their work featured as a Trials in Progress abstract at the Society for NeuroOncology Annual Summit. The study focuses on secondary brain metastases prevention after isolated intracranial progression on trastuzumab/pertuzumab or T-DM1 in patients with advanced human epidermal growth factor receptor 2+ breast cancer with the addition of tucatinib.

HCRN LUN13-175 recently had its findings published in The Oncologist. Led by Nisha Mohindra, MD of Northwestern, this trial was a phase I/II trial of carboplatin, Nab-paclitaxel, and pembrolizumab for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).