Henry Ford + MSU Distinguished Cancer Research Lecture Series
Monthly Lecture Series | Third Wednesday | In-Person & Virtual
The Henry Ford + MSU Distinguished Cancer Research Lecture Series aims to highlight exciting, cutting-edge cancer research, generate new ideas, and build new collaborations among Henry Ford Health, Michigan State University, and researchers at other cancer centers.
Faculty members, research staff, graduate/medical students, and health care professionals are invited to join this hybrid seminar series. Lectures will be on the third Wednesday of every month from noon to 1 p.m. (EST/EDT), alternating between the Henry Ford Health campus in Detroit and the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing. Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees.
No registration is required to participate in the Henry Ford + MSU Distinguished Cancer Research Lecture Series.
LOCATION
Michigan State University Location:
Interdisciplinary Science Technology Building (ISTB)
Room 1404
766 Service Rd
East Lansing, MI
Henry Ford Health Location:
Henry Ford Hospital
Room ER2096
2799 W Grand Blvd
Detroit, MI
October 15, 2025: Targeting Lineage Plasticity in Pancreatic Cancer
Webex Meeting Link | Henry Ford Hospital
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Sita Kugel, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the human biology division and the co-director of the pancreatic cancer program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. The central theme of her research group is to study how the dysregulation of chromatin modifying enzymes contributes to hepatopancreaticobiliary cancers and, further, whether these pathways present liabilities that can be exploited for cancer therapy. Dr. Kugel is particularly interested in exploring the biology of different transcriptional and genetic subtypes of pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma. She is also interested in how the epigenome influences subtype determination and in discovering unifying biological characteristics that define these subtypes, which, with a deeper understanding, could lead to improved patient therapy.
December 17, 2025: Metabolic Impact on Cancer Immunity and Therapy
Webex Meeting Link | Henry Ford Hospital
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Weiping Zou, M.D., Ph.D., serves as director of the Michigan Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy and co-director of the Cancer Hematopoiesis and Immunology Program at the University of Michigan School of Medicine and Rogel Cancer Center. He also co-directs the Surgical Oncology Fellow Training (T32) program, through which clinical fellows are trained to become physician scientists with a focus on cancer immunology and immunotherapy. At the national level, he was the AACR Cancer Immunology (CIMM) Chairperson 2019-2020 and served as the Cancer Immunology Abstract Programming Chair for AAI for 4 years. He has delivered more than 300 invited lectures at different institutions and conferences and published more than 200 articles and book chapters, including many articles in Nature, Science, and Cell journal series. His laboratory is one of the most cited research teams in the field of immunology. Their work has been highlighted by many scientific news agencies. “Specific recruitment of regulatory T cells in ovarian carcinoma fosters immune privilege and predicts reduced survival”, an original work on human Tregs, has been cited more than 6,000 times since its publication. Zou has developed an international reputation in human tumor immunology and immunotherapy.
Future Guest Speakers & Dates:
- William L. Hwang, M.D., Ph.D.
January 21, 2026 | MSU - Clayton Yates, MS, Ph.D.
February 18, 2026 | Henry Ford Hospital - Pedro Lowenstein, Ph.D.
March 18, 2026 | MSU - Shawn Hervey-Jumper, M.D.
April 15, 2026 | Henry Ford Hospital
More information to come...
QUESTIONS
For any questions, please contact Henry Ford + MSU Cancer Project Coordinator Jenna Anheuser, janheus3@hfhs.org. Learn more about the Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences partnership here.
PREVIOUS SPEAKERS
- Marina Pasca di Magliano, Ph.D.
Presentation Topic: Oncogenic KRAS as a Regulator of the Local and Systemic Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment