News and Breakthroughs

Important Questions Answered by Our Scientists. On January 12, Lurie Cancer center held a virtual Town Hall meeting on COVID-19 for cancer patients.

The Lurie Cancer Center is pleased to announce the recipients of a new $150,000 award from the H Foundation that could impact outcomes and improve the standard of care for patients with glioblastoma. The funding will provide the beginning infrastructure needed for an interdisciplinary team of investigators led by Derek Wainwright, PhD, and Theresa Walunas, PhD.

Northwestern Medicine investigators have discovered a novel mechanism linking an intercellular adhesion molecule with genetic inflammatory skin diseases.

Of the more than 20 episodes of the medical school's Breakthroughs podcast produced in 2021, the most popular ranged across specialties from gastroenterology to nanotechnology. Listen to the top five episodes of the year and earn Continuing Medical Education credit.

A new Northwestern Medicine study reports that DNA manifested as knot-like folds and third rungs between DNA’s two strands may drive cancer development and an important regulatory enzyme could be associated with the formation of these unusual structures.

A recent study showed that targeted radioembolization alongside chemotherapy improved progress-free survival for patients with metastatic colon cancer.

Amy Heimberger, MD, has been named interim associate director of Translational Research at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, where she will oversee the development and coordination of translational science efforts within the Lurie Cancer Center, effective January 1. 2022.

Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered a new biomarker to identify which patients with brain tumors called glioblastomas — the most common and malignant of primary brain tumors — might benefit from immunotherapy.

For people who have had a cancer diagnosis, undergoing imaging scans can lead to a variety of emotions. It is common to feel stress or worry in the period before a medical test, during the test, and while waiting for test results. We call these feelings “scanxiety.”

A previously unknown mechanism involving the protein Scribble helps maintain polarity in cells, according to a Northwestern Medicine study.

Our genetic code is millions of times more efficient at storing data than existing solutions, which are costly and use immense amounts of energy and space. In fact, we could get rid of hard drives and store all the digital data on the planet within a couple hundred pounds of DNA.

Northwestern investigators have identified a novel approach to control the hierarchical assembly of protein pathways with DNA, according to a study published the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University has received a Merit Extension Award from the National Cancer Institute, one of only two Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation to earn the recognition.

The underexpression of a specific metabolic enzyme is a common and adverse epigenetic modulating feature in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, which accounts for 80 percent of all kidney cancers, according to a recent study.

A new generation of philanthropic leadership will support the mission and goals of the Lurie Cancer Center.