Robert Stone, Chief Executive Officer of City of Hope, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“City of Hope had the privilege of convening leaders from across science, medicine, government, academia and industry for an important dialogue on the intersection of the microbiome, nutrition, and the future of cancer care. We were honored to welcome leaders from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), The National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (NCI) and cancer centers across the country, including Secretary Kennedy, Director Jay Bhattacharya, and Dr. George Sigounas. We were also grateful to convene leading voices from across the cancer community, including Bruce E Clurman, at Fred Hutch, Peter Pisters at UT MD Anderson, Benjamin L. Ebert, at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brad Cairns at Huntsman Cancer Institute, David Cohn, at Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, and Paul S. Viviano, at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
What stood out most was not simply who was in the room — but the shared recognition that advancing cancer research requires partnership, curiosity, urgency and a commitment to patients above all else.
The microbiome represents one of the next great frontiers in medicine, not as a narrow field of study, but rather as a window into understanding immunity, metabolism, environment, prevention and the complex systems that shape human health.
At a moment when cancer is appearing earlier and affecting younger people in ways we are still working to understand, gatherings like this matter. They create space for collaboration across institutions and disciplines to ask bigger questions, challenge assumptions and accelerate discovery in service of patients.
This gathering also followed Senator Robert F. Kennedy’s visit to City of Hope almost six decades ago, when he left a lasting impression as someone who understood the promise of medical research and the human urgency behind it. Welcoming Secretary Kennedy to City of Hope in this moment was a full-circle reminder of the enduring importance of connecting scientific progress, public service, and hope.
Progress does not happen in silos. It happens when people come together around a shared mission to improve and save lives.
I am grateful to everyone who participated in this meaningful symposium and to the many researchers, clinicians and partners working every day to shape the future of cancer prevention, treatment and care.”
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