USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck Medicine of USC

04/16/2026

Congratulations to all of our USC Norris members! We are so proud of you!

04/16/2026

Dr. Syma Iqbal brings leading-edge cancer care and research to Keck Medicine of USC’s new Pasadena location.

04/08/2026

This week, April 6-10, is AYA Cancer Awareness. The AYA@USC program, housed under USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, has served thousands of young adults with cancer (ages 18-39) and their families since 2013. Each year, about 89,000 young people ages 15-39 are diagnosed with cancer, accounting for 5% of cancer diagnoses in the United States. AYA@USC aims to address the profound "gap in care" faced by these adolescents and young adults (AYAs), who often find themselves in a clinical "no-man's land," between pediatric and adult oncology settings. At a stage in life often defined by independence, career-building, and relationships, a cancer diagnosis can be especially isolating for these young adults. AYA@USC Program provides young adult cancer patients and survivors with comprehensive, compassionate, personalized care, such as specialized navigation and fertility preservation, and vital resources to manage emotional, social, physical, spiritual, and financial issues related to surviving cancer. AYA@USC also bridges this gap through curated programming, retreats, and interactive workshops, such as an annual getaway retreat, Family Zootopia, monthly online support groups, educational seminars, a wide range of in-person self-expression workshops in music, art, writing, as well as sports and wellness-themed community events. For more information, visit aya.usc.edu or follow Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Program

04/08/2026

Congratulations to our amazing USC Norris members on this recognition! So well deserved!

04/06/2026

Last Tuesday, the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention collaborated with LA County Parks & Recreation Senior Programs to host a Colorectal Cancer Awareness Workshop at Earvin “Magic” Johnson Recreation Center.

Ron Stein, Oncology Nurse Practitioner from Keck Medicine of USC led the session, covering basic colorectal anatomy, key risk factors, symptoms, and screening options. Free healthcare navigation services were also offered to help connect folks to cancer care.

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible! 💙

04/02/2026

Congratulations to USC physician-scientist Dr. Mohamed Abou-el-Enein who was named Outstanding New Investigator by the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy for his contributions to the field of gene and cell therapy within the first 10 years of his career as an independent investigator.

In addition, Abou-el-Enein, lab member Amaia Cadinanos-Garai and their co-authors received the Best of Molecular Therapy Award for their paper describing a new tool for identifying which CAR T cells are best at surviving and killing cancer. This year’s award recognizes “High-dimensional temporal mapping of CAR T cells reveals phenotypic and functional remodeling during manufacturing” by first author Amaia Cadinanos-Garai. Additional authors are Christian L. Flugel, Anson Cheung, Enzi Jiang and Alix Vaissié from the Abou-el-Enein Lab and USC/ Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) Cell Therapy Program.

Read more: https://stemcell.keck.usc.edu/usc-physician-scientist-mohamed-abou-el-enein-named-outstanding-new-investigator-by-the-american-society-of-gene-cell-therapy/

04/01/2026

A recent USC Today feature highlights how USC researchers are accelerating the path from discovery to market, with Steve Kay’s work and his biotech startup Synchronicity Pharma showcased as a model for turning cancer biology breakthroughs into promising therapies for diseases like glioblastoma. To read the full story, go here: https://today.usc.edu/startup-surge/.

Drug and device discoveries by USC researchers are reaching patients faster than ever before.

04/01/2026

Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of COPD and lung cancer, but what's actually happening at the molecular level?

New research explores the hidden role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in smoke-related lung disease. These tiny regulators of gene expression are disrupted by cigarette smoke, triggering oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and disease progression, and they may hold the key to better diagnostics and treatments for COPD and lung cancer.

Shoutout to Dr. Stella Tommasi, Associate Professor of Research Population and Public Health Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and member of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck Medicine of USC Epigenetic Regulation in Cancer Program, for this important work advancing our understanding of how to***co reshapes the molecular landscape of the lung.

Read the full publication here: https://bit.ly/47AqnFq

03/31/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Hossein Jadvar, Professor of Radiology, Urology, Radiation Oncology and Biomedical Engineering at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, who has been appointed as the leader of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck Medicine of USC Genitourinary Diseases Affinity Group (GU-DAG).

“I welcome the opportunity to co-lead the GU-DAG in promoting interdisciplinary interactions and collaborations among the members to share knowledge and exchange ideas that can hopefully lead to innovative multidisciplinary projects,” said Jadvar

Disease Affinity Groups (DAGs) are multi-disciplinary that brings together clinical and translational investigators with basic and population scientists who share an interest in a particular disease area. At the meetings, DAG members share their work and develop new synergies that drive high impact translational projects.

03/27/2026

Exciting news! Dr. Yali Dou, Professor of Medicine and Cancer Biology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and Associate Director for Basic Research at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck Medicine of USC, has been awarded the 2026 Translational Award Program grant by The V Foundation for Cancer Research to support her research on targeting MLL1-amplification in cancer.

Here's what Dr. Dou had to say: “Our goal is to leverage new mechanistic understanding of MLL1-driven AML to novel targeted therapies, advancing precision medicine and improving outcomes for a high-risk group of patients with few existing treatment options”.

We are so excited to see the impact this research will have. Well deserved!

03/17/2026

Congratulations to Drs. Chanita Hughes Halbert and Heinz-Josef Lenz who have been awarded USC’s highest academic honors for their extraordinary contributions to our community and the broader field of medicine.

Dr. Hughes-Halbert has been named a Distinguished Professor for her nationally recognized leadership in cancer health disparities, and Dr. Lenz has been appointed University Professor for his interdisciplinary breakthroughs in precision oncology.

Please join us in congratulating them!

03/16/2026

I asked Dr. Gino K In, an oncologist at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center : "If you could do anything to lower your cancer risk, what would you do?"

I expected a complicated answer.

Instead, he looked at me and said three things.

✨Stop smoking. Stop drinking. Or cut back dramatically. These aren't just "bad habits,” they are among the most well-established causes of cancer we know of. If you do nothing else on this list, do this.

✨Get the HPV vaccine. And yes, that means men too. HPV doesn't only affect women. It causes throat cancer, a**l cancer, and pe**le cancer in men. The vaccine prevents cervical cancer, throat cancer, a**l cancer, and it's not just for teenagers. This vaccine is recommended for everyone, male or female, up to age 45. Ask your doctor if you're still eligible. This vaccine is one of the only times in medicine we can say: we have a shot that literally prevents cancer.

✨Get screened. Mammograms, colonoscopies, cervical smears, skin checks, at the right age, for your risk level. Cancer caught early is a very different disease than cancer caught late. Screening doesn't prevent cancer, but preventing cancer is much easier than treatment.

Save this. Share it with someone who needs a nudge.