In this episode, host Shikha Jain, MD, speaks with Jan Kitajewski, PhD, about blending community need with scientific advancement, his role as the director of a cancer care center and more.

•    Welcome to another exciting episode of Oncology Overdrive :58
•    About Kitajewski 1:08
•    The interview 2:59
•    Tell me about how you started and your pathway to this position. 3:26
•    You have a very diverse background in various fields of medicine. Was there something that drew you to lead a cancer center? 6:15
•    What are your thoughts on how institutions can shift their mindsets toward setting up research that is more inclusive of patient diversity in clinical trials? 9:44
•    Jain and Kitajewski on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, mistrust in the health care system, and how institutions can empower their communities. 14:00
•    What does a cancer center director do, and what are some things that people may be surprised to know about your position? 16:30
•    Jain and Kitajewski on the University of Illinois Cancer Center applying for NCI designation, and what the process entails. 22:05
•    Jain and Kitajewski on the challenges and successes that come with physician leadership when making changes at an institution. 29:28
•    What is your vision for the future of the University of Illinois Cancer Center? 34:16
•    If someone could only listen to the last minute of this episode, what would you want them to take away? 40:13
•    How to contact Kitajewski 40:55
•    Thanks for listening 41:35

Jan Kitajewski, PhD, is director of the University of Illinois Cancer Center and a professor and head of the department of physiology and biophysics.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at oncologyoverdrive@healio.com. Follow Healio on X, formerly known as Twitter, and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X, formerly known as Twitter: @ShikhaJainMD. Kitajewski can be reached via email kitaj@uic.edu.

Disclosures: Jain reports no relevant financial disclosures. Healio could not confirm relevant financial disclosures for Kitajewski at the time of posting.