MEET THE PATIENTS WHERE THEY ARE: a new perspective on translational research in the field to accelerate precision oncology

Team members of the Judith Tam ALK Lung Cancer Research Initiative ventured out to Nashville on July 18th for the 2024 ALK Positive Summit, to embark on an unprecedented research blood collection which took place July 19th and 20th. This was the culmination of 5 months of intense visioning with ALK Positive, Inc and sculpting of every detail of the whole process.

University of Michigan Biopsy and Organoid Drug Screening Experience

I’m writing this on the return flight from the University of Michigan, where I underwent a thoracic biopsy for three lymph nodes that have been lighting up in my recent PET scans. As I am the ALK Positive patient advocate on the Judith Tam ALK NSCLC Research Initiative Scientific Advisory Board, l thought I’d do a trial run and see if going there for my biopsy and tissue testing would be worthwhile.

Clinical Trials, ResearchKirk SmithJanuary 28, 2024Clinical Trials, Research, University of Michigan

Oncolytic Virus Research Collaboration: Memgen Inc., UMichigan, and ALK Positive, Inc.

The ALK Positive NSCLC Research Acceleration Committee (RAC) systematically reaches out to selected biotech companies with NSCLC treatments in development and/or trial. In February of 2022, RAC member Ray Hall (father to patient Summer Farmen) wrote a letter to the CEO of Memgen Inc., introducing us and asking for a get-acquainted Zoom meeting, which occurred shortly thereafter. CEO Greg Brown, MD, MBA, and Chief Scientific Officer Mark Cantwell, PhD let us know that they were initiating a clinical trial at Duke and Moffit Cancer Centers for their oncolytic virus drug MEM-288 for patients with solid tumors

Research, Clinical TrialsKirk SmithJuly 11, 2023research, Memgen, University of Michigan

Instructions and Call for Patient Participation in The University of Michigan Judith Tam ALK Lung Cancer Research Initiative

The University of Michigan Judith Tam ALK Lung Cancer Research Initiative is recruiting ALK positive NSCLC patients for extensive and sustained studies of the course of each individual’s disease. Their research is enabled by the continuing donation of patients’ blood samples, tumor tissue samples, and/or malignant fluids, as each may be available over time for individual patients. The following steps are required for a patient to participate in the study.

ResearchKirk SmithMay 16, 2023research, University of Michigan

Call for Patient Participation in The University of Michigan Judith Tam ALK Lung Cancer Research Initiative

The University of Michigan Judith Tam ALK Lung Cancer Research Initiative is recruiting ALK positive NSCLC patients for extensive and sustained studies of the course of each individual’s disease. Their research is enabled by the continuing donation of patients’ blood samples, tumor tissue samples, and/or malignant fluid as each may be available over time for individual patients.

ResearchKirk SmithMarch 30, 2023research, University of Michigan