Tennessee Statewide Cancer Collaborative
August 31 – September 1, 2026 | Hutton Hotel, Nashville TN
Advancing Cancer Research Across Tennessee
Building on the success of its inaugural year, UT Health Sciences will host its 2nd Annual Statewide Cancer Research Conference on August 31 – September 1 at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville. This year's theme — From Discovery to Impact: Accelerating Cancer Solutions for Tennessee — reflects our shared urgency: turning scientific breakthroughs into real outcomes for patients across our state.
Why Attend?
This two-day scientific meeting brings together researchers, clinicians, and public health leaders united by a common mission: advancing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in Tennessee. Presentations will focus on:
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- Examining the current cancer landscape and health disparities across our state
- Exploring the latest advances in clinical cancer research
- Integrating population health strategies into cancer control
- Accelerating translational and therapeutic discovery
- Building the cross-disciplinary collaborations that move science forward
Keynote Speakers:
Roy Jensen, MD, Director, University of Kansas Cancer Center | William R. Jewell, MD Distinguished Kansas Masonic Professor of Cancer Research | Director, Kansas Masonic Cancer Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center
Dr. Jensen is director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center (KU Cancer Center), which was designated as a cancer center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in July 2012 and as a comprehensive cancer center in 2022. Dr. Jensen is a nationally recognized leader in breast cancer research with more than two decades of groundbreaking work on BRCA1. He was part of the team that provided the first direct evidence that BRCA1 functions as a tumor suppressor — a landmark discovery that reshaped our understanding of hereditary breast cancer. His lab continues to pursue research that could one day enhance BRCA1's protective role in patients at risk.
Carolyn J. Anderson, PhD, UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Nuclear Medicine: Radiopharmaceutical Therapies
Dr. Anderson is an internationally recognized leader in radiopharmaceutical science and holds joint appointments in UT's Tickle College of Engineering and in ORNL's Isotope Science and Enrichment Directorate. She works with UT-ORII's Development and Advancement of Radiopharmaceutical Therapies (DART) Convergent Research Initiative, advancing collaboration among UT, ORNL and UT Health Sciences to accelerate the development of targeted cancer therapies.
Program Highlights
Plenary sessions featuring leading voices shaping the future of cancer care will spotlight two critical focus areas: Clinical & Population Health and Translational/Therapeutic Discovery. Dedicated lunch-hour networking events within each track will give you dedicated time to forge the collaborations that drive progress.
Be Part of the Movement
Tennessee's cancer research community is growing and your presence matters. Whether you're a basic scientist, clinical investigator, population health expert, or institutional leader, this conference is your opportunity to connect, contribute, and help shape the future of cancer care in our state.
Register today and help accelerate the solutions Tennessee needs.
REGISTER TO ATTEND THE 2026 CONFERENCEBOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOM AT OUR GROUP RATE
DOWNLOAD THE 2025 CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Contribute to the Cancer Discovery Fund
Did you know that cancer is the second leading cause of death in Tennessee? The CDC reports that Tennessee has the 21st highest cancer incidence rate and the sixth highest cancer mortality rate in the U.S.
UT Health Science Center is dedicated to researching new discoveries and better treatment options for patients with cancer across Tennessee and beyond. For Giving Day 2025 and beyond, we have created a new fund called the Cancer Discovery Fund.
Dollars in this fund will be awarded to faculty and students who want to conduct cancer research. The new grant program to distribute these research dollars will be spearheaded by Vice Chancellor for Research Jessica Snowden, MD.
DONATE NOW