City of Hope Convenes HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., NIH Dir. Jay Bhattacharya, and Nation’s Leading Cancer Centers for Symposium to Advance Microbiome Science

Scientific symposium and meeting between cancer center leaders and top U.S. health officials focused on the microbiome's impact on cancer prevention and treatment, and strengthening cancer research more broadly

CONTACT
Sierra Griffin
805-341-7211
[email protected]

LOS ANGELES - City of Hope®, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, convened U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., senior officials from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), nationally recognized scientists, and leaders from the nation's top comprehensive cancer centers for a scientific symposium and executive roundtable focused on the microbiome and how to drive progress in the fight against cancer.

The event, "The Next Frontier of Cancer Prevention and Care: The Microbiome," brought together experts from City of Hope, NIH, NCI, and major cancer centers for a faculty-led scientific program examining the microbiome - the trillions of microorganisms living in and on the human body - and how it may influence cancer risk, immune function, response to treatment, and long-term health.

Leaders from City of Hope, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles also met directly with Secretary Kennedy to discuss areas of collaboration between leading academic centers and federal agencies. The discussion focused on the importance of federal support for cancer research and the unique role cancer centers play in translating discoveries into new treatments, expanding access to specialized care and clinical trials, reaching underserved and rural communities, and partnering with federal agencies on shared priorities in prevention, research, and patient care.

"The science that will change outcomes for cancer patients depends on the strength of partnership across government, academia, and health care," said Robert Stone, CEO of City of Hope and the Helen and Morgan Chu Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair. "NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers are part of the nation's scientific and clinical infrastructure. The advances that help patients live longer and better lives depend on sustained research, strong partnerships and a shared focus on making the best cancer care available to more people, including communities that have not always had access. That is why convenings like this matter - bringing together the full strength of leading institutions to accelerate progress for patients."

The symposium included opening remarks from Secretary Kennedy, followed by a fireside conversation with Bhattacharya, George Sigounas, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Advisor at NCI, and Marcel van den Brink, M.D., Ph.D., president of City of Hope National Medical Center and a nationally recognized leader in microbiome research. Giorgio Trinchieri, M.D., Principal Investigator and Head, Cancer Immunology Section of the Center of Cancer Research at NCI, delivered the plenary address.

City of Hope's microbiome program is focused on translating scientific discovery into practical advances for patients, particularly in bone marrow transplantation, immunotherapy, and cellular therapy, where the microbiome may affect immune recovery, infection risk, treatment-related complications, and a patient's response to therapy. City of Hope researchers are studying high-fiber diets to reduce life-threatening complications in bone marrow transplant patients, targeted probiotics to improve outcomes in metastatic kidney cancer, and microbiome banking to help patients preserve and restore their own microbiome during treatment and recovery.

"The microbiome is not an abstract scientific concept for cancer patients. It may help explain why one patient responds well to treatment while another experiences serious complications or limited benefit," said van den Brink, president of City of Hope Los Angeles and City of Hope National Medical Center. "At City of Hope, we are studying how the microbiome, diet, immune function, and cancer treatment interact, and we are already putting that understanding into practice through clinical nutrition, transplant care, and supportive therapies designed to help patients tolerate treatment and recover more fully."

Nutrition was also part of the scientific discussion, reflecting growing evidence that diet can influence inflammation, immune function, treatment tolerance, and recovery in cancer care. City of Hope was an early pioneer of the "food as medicine" model, treating nutrition as a determinant of outcomes and fully integrating it as a core component of cancer care more than a decade ago.

The symposium featured sessions on the microbiome and cancer immunity; microbiome, metabolism, exercise and cancer; and diet and new therapies as tools with emerging potential for oncologists. Speakers and participants included researchers from City of Hope, NCI, UT MD Anderson, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Fred Hutch, and the University of Pennsylvania.

A key focus throughout the day was on sustained federal investment in cancer research and the infrastructure needed to deliver complex care, advance clinical trials, and bring scientific breakthroughs to patients beyond academic medical centers.

# # #

About City of Hope
City of Hope's mission is to make hope a reality for all touched by cancer and diabetes. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center that is ranked among the nation's top cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report at its core, City of Hope's uniquely integrated model spans cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and a broad philanthropy program that powers its work. City of Hope's growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and cancer treatment centers and outpatient facilities in the Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix areas. City of Hope's affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHope^TM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.