Tulane Cancer Center

The future of cancer research in Louisiana was on full display at the recent Louisiana Cancer Research Center - LCRC Symposium.

Nearly 300 cancer researchers, clinicians, and trainees from Tulane Cancer Center, LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center, Xavier University of Louisiana, Ochsner Health, and other institutions across the state gathered to showcase their work, exchange ideas, discover new resources, and build relationships that can help move promising research forward.

From basic science and population health to clinical and translational research, the symposium highlighted the depth and breadth of cancer research talent across Louisiana and the shared commitment to improving the lives of patients with cancer.

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this year's symposium a success.

Tulane University School of Medicine

🎉 Congratulations to Shalini Kulasingam, PhD, MPH, on being recognized by Biz New Orleans Magazine as one of eight “New and Notable” professionals in its June issue!

Dr. Kulasingam, founding director of the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Center for Cancer Prevention and Control, was recognized for her international leadership in shaping cervical cancer screening and vaccination strategies across the U.S. and around the world.

The article also highlights her vision for advancing cancer prevention and control efforts in New Orleans through cross-institutional collaboration, expanded at-home screening options for cervical and colorectal cancers, and emerging multi-cancer detection technologies.

In addition to leading the Center for Cancer Prevention and Control, Dr. Kulasingam serves as Associate Director of Population Science at Tulane Cancer Center and the Louisiana Cancer Research Center - LCRC.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! 👏

Tulane University School of Medicine

🎉 Congratulations to Tulane Cancer Center trainee Justin Magrath, MD, PhD, on receiving a prestigious Tulane 34 Award!

The Tulane 34 Awards recognize extraordinary students who demonstrate outstanding leadership, service, and academic excellence throughout their time at Tulane.

Dr. Magrath earned both his MD and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Tulane School of Medicine, published seven first-author papers focused on desmoplastic small round cell tumor research, and was the only medical student in the nation to serve on the American Medical Association Board of Trustees.

A trainee in the laboratory of Tulane Cancer Center Researcher Sean Lee, PhD, Dr. Magrath will continue his training in the Boston Children’s Combined Residency Program at Harvard, where he will pursue a residency in pediatrics.

We are incredibly proud of Justin and look forward to all he will accomplish in the future!

Learn more: https://medicine.tulane.edu/news/tulane-34-2026-includes-three-school-medicine

Tulane University School of Medicine

👏 A record-breaking year for the Cancer Crusaders Inc., of The Greater New Orleans Area means even greater impact for cancer research.

The organization recently presented a check for $350,836.89, the largest annual fundraising total in its history, which will be split equally to support the cancer research programs at Tulane Cancer Center and LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center.

The check was presented by 2025 Co-Presidents Marian Gibbs and Kathy Pastorek to LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center Director Lucio Miele, MD, PhD, and Tulane Cancer Center Director Stefan Grant, MD, JD, MBA.

We are deeply grateful for the Cancer Crusaders’ unwavering commitment to advancing innovative cancer research and improving outcomes for patients across our region. 💙

Congratulations to Tulane Cancer Center Researchers Matt Burow, PhD (top left); Zhen Lin, MD, PhD (top right); and the team of Elizabeth Martin, PhD, and Jorge Belgodere, PhD, on each being selected to receive $35,000 grants from the Ladies Leukemia League of the Gulf South. 🎉

For decades, the Ladies Leukemia League’s 200 dedicated members have advanced blood cancer research across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, raising more than $5.2 million in pilot funding to help launch innovative leukemia and lymphoma research.

We are grateful for their continued investment in discovery and proud to celebrate our researchers as they work to drive progress for patients facing blood cancers.

Tulane University School of Medicine

Clinical research changes lives, and we’re celebrating the people who make it possible! 💙

Join East Jefferson General Hospital, LSU Health New Orleans, and Tulane University School of Medicine for a Clinical Trials Day celebration on Wednesday, May 20, from 9–11 AM in the Hospital Atrium, 4200 Houma Blvd., in Metairie.

Enjoy sweet treats, take our interactive quiz to snag some swag, and meet the teams advancing clinical research and improving patient care every day.

Congratulations to Tulane Cancer Center Member Chancellor Donald, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine: Hematology & Medical Oncology at Tulane University School of Medicine and University Medical Center New Orleans Cancer Management Medical Director, on being named an American Society of Clinical Oncology Advocacy Champion in recognition of his dedication to advocating on behalf of cancer care providers, patients, and researchers.

Thank you, Dr. Donald, for being a strong voice for patients, providers, and the future of cancer care.

🔬 Collaboration and innovation were front and center at the recent Association of Cancer Center Administrators (ACCA) Annual Meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, where Tulane Cancer Center Executive Director Seanne Falconer, MBA, MSHS, FACHE, co-moderated the panel “Evolving Scientific Shared Resources: Strategy, Sustainability and Partnerships in Modern Cancer Centers.”

Shared resources—such as biostatistics, genomics, imaging, tissue banking, and other specialized research cores—are critical to modern cancer centers because they provide scientists with access to cutting-edge technologies, expertise, and infrastructure that accelerate discoveries and improve patient outcomes without having to purchase equipment or contract for these services on their own.

The panel explored how cancer centers can strengthen these essential shared resources through strategic partnerships, sustainability planning, and collaboration across institutions.

Even more exciting: Tulane Cancer Center, LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center and the Louisiana Cancer Research Center - LCRC were successful in their joint bid to bring the ACCA Annual Meeting to New Orleans in Spring 2027! 🎉

We look forward to welcoming cancer center leaders from across the country to our city for important conversations about the future of cancer research and care.

🎉 Congratulations to Tulane Cancer Center Researcher Damir Khismatullin, PhD, Associate Professor of Tulane Biomedical Engineering - BME, on receiving a Tulane University Innovation Institute Spring 2026 Provost’s Proof of Concept Fund Award.

This highly competitive program supports the translation of laboratory discovery and innovation into real-world impact, helping researchers turn ideas into technologies that can benefit patients and society.

Dr. Khismatullin’s project is developing a contact-free “levitated droplet” platform that uses sound waves to inject, mix, and suspend tiny droplets of a biological sample and testing chemicals in midair, where the detection of proteins, antibodies, and other biomarkers occurs without physical contact.

This approach reduces the sample volume required, improves accuracy, and opens new possibilities for what standard lab tests can measure.

We’re proud to see this groundbreaking work recognized and excited for what’s ahead. 👏

🔗 Read more: https://innovation.tulane.edu/tulane-provosts-proof-concept-fund-awards-150000-three-faculty-researchers-diagnostics-surgical

🔬 Innovation fueled by research

Congratulations to former Tulane Cancer Center Trainee Caique Costa, PhD, whose start-up company FlyFast was recently featured in Fortune Magazine!

After training in Wu-Min Deng, PhD’s lab, where fruit flies are used to study cancer, Cai identified a major bottleneck: the time-intensive process of transferring flies to fresh vials. His solution? A device that saves researchers hours, accelerating the pace of discovery.

This is what happens when scientific insight meets entrepreneurial drive. 🚀

Tulane University School of Medicine
Tulane University Innovation Institute

The fruit fly cancer researcher who built his first prototype out of lollipop sticks and straws | Fortune For biomedical scientist Caíque Costa, fruit flies are where cancer breakthroughs begin. But caring for flies in a lab isn’t as easy as you may think.