Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

It's been a fantastic Staff Appreciation Week! 🎉 Join us in showing gratitude for the outstanding team at MSK and their collaborative work and contributions towards our mission of ending cancer for life.

For Jennifer Brosnan, an Associate Director for Content Operations at MSK, joining Cycle for Survival was initially a way to honor her aunt who died of leukemia. Jennifer was working as a television news producer when a friend invited her to hop on a stationary bike and join their Cycle for Survival team. Several years later, Jennifer landed a job at MSK and in a matter of months, she became captain of In It To Spin It, the MSK Marketing & Communication department’s Cycle for Survival team. Jennifer has participated in Cycle for Survival rides for 12 years and along the way, she and her team have raised more than $136,000 for rare cancer research, with 100% of every dollar going directly to MSK labs. Through her work, Jennifer makes regular visits to MSK labs and clinics for film shoots. She says that meeting researchers and seeing the results of her fundraising is one of the best parts of her job. “It’s truly a direct line of impact,” she says. “I feel lucky to be here.”

Staff Spotlight: Rachel Duff, a Team Lead in Outpatient Operations at MSK Monmouth, oversees the infusion and pharmacy unit and is known for fostering strong bonds with patients. Rachel's career path was inspired by her aunt's experience with breast cancer at the age of 40. “Despite this scary setback in her life, my aunt was overwhelmingly positive about her experience as a patient at MSK,” Rachel shares. “This inspired me to consider a career here.” After recently celebrating her sixth anniversary at MSK, Rachel feels fortunate to have a job that allows her to build meaningful relationships. “Everyone has a different story, and patients come to MSK when they are often in a difficult place in life," Rachel says. "I strive to be kind in all interactions because I never know where someone is in life and what they are going through.”

This MSK Staff Appreciation Week, we’d like to thank all of the employees who have donated to or participated with Cycle for Survival and Fred's Team. Not only have they put in the miles on wheels or on feet and raised funds for cancer research, but they show up to work every day with the shared mission of ending cancer for life. Thank you!

A recent study led by investigators at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and published in Nature Medicine, included a comprehensive analysis of non relapse mortality after CAR T cell therapy in patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma across multiple clinical trials and real-world studies. Learn more in this Q&A about the study's key findings and a new tool for assessing infection risk prior to CAR T cell therapy: https://bit.ly/3VVWWHl

Staff Spotlight: Karim Singleton, a Senior Financial Analyst at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), felt drawn to MSK's mission to fight cancer after having had family members affected by this devasting disease. "I know how cancer can tear people’s lives apart," he says. "The mission and vision of MSK really resonated with me, and I thought it would be a great fit." In his current role at MSK, Karim collaborates with various finance departments to find ways to improve workflows, close process gaps, and maximize efficiencies. He enjoys the diversity of his role and the opportunities for learning and growth. "It's never a dull day," he explains. "There are so many chances to learn new technical skills, and everyone is willing to give exposure and opportunities."

Staff Spotlight: "Collaboration is key to delivering the best care,” says Dr. Maria Cancio, Head of Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Clinical Operations at MSK/MSK Kids. Dr. Cancio, a key figure in the pediatric hematology-oncology department, has played a pivotal role in restructuring the bone marrow transplant program, ensuring that every process is streamlined for efficiency and optimized patient outcomes. Dr. Cancio's role encompasses much more than just treating patients. As Head of Clinical Operations, she oversees the structure and workflow of the pediatric transplant program. "Every patient I treat is a fulfilling experience, and I’m proud to be part of their life journey," Dr. Cancio says. "It's a team sport—every person at MSK who interacts with our patients plays an important role in their care."

Wishing our Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center staff, patients, and community a healthy and safe Fourth of July.

Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are making strides against cancer every day. New research includes helping to develop a machine-learning tool to help find cancer cells that remain after surgery, testing a liquid biopsy approach that shows promise in detecting lunger cancer, and finding that checkpoint inhibitors are effective against endometrial and ovarian cancers with DNA-repair deficiency. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4cqbAO3

Last fall, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)'s Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSK) launched a first-of-its-kind PhD program in cancer engineering to enable aspiring scientists to tackle tough cancer problems. Students in the program have unparalleled access to cutting-edge tools and have the opportunity to engineer brand new technologies to accelerate discovery. MSK biomedical engineer Dr. Dan Heller and MSK biochemist and bioengineer Dr. Kayvan Keshari are eager to mentor students from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, including engineering and the physical sciences. “In most institutions, you can develop amazing technologies but never translate your ideas,” Dr. Keshari says. “At MSK, you might actually be able to do something that can change someone’s life." Learn more: https://bit.ly/4cGOCSh