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UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center

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UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center

UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only cancer center in Virginia named a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

We are also one of only 52 centers in the United States to receive this designation, the highest recognition the NCI gives. We're part of renowned group of leaders in cancer research, prevention, detection and treatment and strive to stay ahead of the curve in innovation, technology and, most importantly, patient care. Our center is accredited through The Joint Commission, Commission on Cancer, National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT). You don't just have to visit us at the Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center in Charlottesville, VA. You can access care in other locations throughout Central Virginia, including clinics in Fishersville, Culpeper and Pantops. Talk to your provider about finding care that's close to you.

02/20/2026

Rebecca Krukowski, PhD, has received a five-year, $3.4 million National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) grant to create a personalized, semi-automated feedback system for individuals engaged in weight loss.

Clinical and community-based weight-management programs typically involve participants tracking their diet, exercise, and weight. Tailored, responsive feedback improves results with accountability and motivational support, but time and training constraints limit the quality of feedback that some facilitators are able to provide.

The 300 participants in Dr. Krukowski’s first study will use wearable smart technology during a 16-week weight management program, with feedback on their tracking from experts. Thereafter, Dr. Krukowski’s team will then develop and refine the self-monitoring feedback system, combining automation with a human touch.

“Our hope is to expand access to effective weight management programs, especially for underserved groups like people living in rural areas,” said Dr. Krukowski, who, in addition to being a Cancer Center researcher, is co-lead of the UVA Community Cancer Control and Obesity Research Center.

The study is co-led by Kathryn M. Ross, PhD, MPH, from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and a senior research scientist at Advocate Health Care's Advocate Aurora Research Institute.

Read about Dr. Krukowski's grant: https://bit.ly/4tJfMl1

02/16/2026

If you or someone you love is facing cancer, you know that care is about more than test results and treatment plans. It’s about your independence, your family, your work, and what matters most in your daily life.

In a nationally published article, our own RN Care Coordinator and doctoral candidate Irene Guterman, MS, RN, CNL®, explores an important question:

👉 How do we ensure that cancer care reflects what patients truly value?

Cancer treatment is more advanced than ever. But it is also increasingly complex: clinically, financially, and operationally. Healthcare systems rely on guidelines, quality metrics, and reimbursement models to measure “value.” What those systems do not always capture is the lived experience of patients.

• What do you value most in your cancer care?
• How will treatment affect your independence and daily life?
• What are the financial and emotional realities for your family?
• What trade-offs feel acceptable, and which do not?

Irene’s work highlights the essential role oncology nurses play in bridging the gap between clinical care and the systems that evaluate it. Nurses are uniquely positioned to:

✔️ Elicit patient goals and priorities
✔️ Integrate those values into care planning
✔️ Ensure symptoms and quality-of-life concerns are documented and addressed
✔️ Help align care delivery with what matters most to patients and families

As cancer care continues to evolve, integrating the patient voice into clinical workflows and decision-making is foundational to delivering high-quality, sustainable care.

Cancer care should never be one-size-fits-all. It should reflect your life, your values, and your definition of well-being.

If you are a patient or caregiver, remember:
🗣️ Your perspective matters.
💬 You can ask questions.
🤝 Your care team is here to listen and to build care around what you value most.

Read the full article here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41269731/

02/14/2026

A University of Virginia team led by Hui Li, PhD, has identified a molecule that could become a first-of-its-kind treatment for glioblastoma, the deadliest and most aggressive brain cancer.

Glioblastoma’s survival rate is less than 7 percent, and while current treatment options including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are life-extending, they can severely impact patients’ quality of life. “Glioblastoma patients desperately need better options,” Dr. Li said. “Standard therapy hasn’t fundamentally changed in decades.”

In 2020, Dr. Li and colleagues determined that an overactive gene called AVIL is required for glioblastoma to form and spread. The finding, named one of 2020’s biggest biomedical discoveries by STAT, established a potential target for new treatments.

After testing a large number of compounds using a method called high-throughput screening, the team found a molecule that blocks AVIL’s activity. In the lab, it proved effective against tumor cells without impacting healthy tissue or causing other harmful side effects. It can also pe*****te the barrier between blood vessels and the brain that stops some therapies, and could be taken orally as a pill.

Dr. Li and his team are working to adapt the compound for potential human trials. While continued testing and FDA approval are necessary before the molecule becomes a treatment, he is excited by their progress. “Our goal is to bring an entirely new mechanism of action into the clinic, and this pathway hasn’t been therapeutically exploited before,” he said.

Read about Dr. Li’s discovery: https://bit.ly/4rx5GSn

02/13/2026

Owen Brown, who completed his bachelor’s degree in December and is now a Biomedical Engineering PhD candidate pursuing new treatments for breast cancer, recently presented his work at the Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia’s Second Annual Undergraduate Showcase!

The event brought together top collegiate researchers at the General Assembly Building in Richmond to share their findings with peers, faculty, and policymakers.

Owen works in the lab of Cancer Center member Natasha Sheybani, PhD, exploring how thermally ablative focused ultrasound (tFUS), which uses high energy ultrasound waves to noninvasively heat and rupture tumor cells, could amplify the effectiveness of CAR-T cell immunotherapy against triple-negative breast cancer.

While CAR-T cell therapy has revolutionized blood cancer treatment by helping the body’s immune system recognize and attack cancer, solid tumors often resist treatment using physical barriers and cell signals to evade the immune system.

Owen treats tumor cells with tFUS, and collects the molecular material released into their surrounding environment. He then exposes CAR-T cells to this collected material, boosting their ability to kill cancer. Owen’s findings demonstrate a potential method to strengthen CAR-T cells, inform future therapeutic strategies, and expand treatment options for patients with CAR-T therapy-resistant cancers.

02/11/2026

💗 Grateful for Extraordinary Care 💗

I’m a patient of Dr. Christiana Brenin, pictured here with my daughter.

As she prepares to retire this April, I’m so grateful I had one last appointment — and that she was able to meet my daughter.

In November 2021, Dr. Brenin diagnosed my breast cancer. It was an overwhelming time, but with her guidance and support, my new husband and I were able to quickly pursue fertility preservation before treatment. That decision means everything to us today.

From the day of my diagnosis through every step that followed, she has stood beside me — steady, compassionate, and always cheering me on. She didn’t just treat my cancer; she cared for me as a whole person.

While I’ll miss seeing her at my routine follow-ups as a breast cancer survivor, I couldn’t be happier for her as she begins this next chapter and enjoys being a grandparent in retirement.

Thank you, Dr. Brenin, for changing my life in more ways than one. 💕

02/09/2026

🎗️ Survivorship is more than just medical milestones — it’s a journey of resilience, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💛

In a powerful Research in Motion feature, Kelly Shaffer, PhD, shares how her work is helping bring mental health support to cancer survivors and their family caregivers through accessible, internet-delivered programs that address sleep, stress, sexual health and more.

Cancer survivorship can bring emotional, physical, and relational challenges long after treatment ends — and mental health is a crucial part of thriving, not just surviving. By expanding access to innovative interventions and support tools, we can help survivors and families not only cope, but flourish.

Let’s continue to break down barriers, normalize conversations about mental wellbeing, and create a future where every survivor has access to the support they deserve. 💬❤️

👉 Learn more: https://youtu.be/le5HZYD6Y2c

02/07/2026

Congratulations to Huiwang Ai, PhD, who has been appointed Director of the School of Medicine at the University of Virginia's Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology (CMCP)!

CMCP researchers from nine departments in three University of Virginia schools use advanced imaging and biophysical techniques to understand how cells and their membranes function. They seek the causes of cardiovascular, neurological, and infectious diseases and cancer, all toward finding new methods of detection and treatment.

Dr. Ai’s laboratory combines biophysics, synthetic biology, and chemistry to engineer proteins that light up when they detect cell communications or malfunctions that could indicate the presence of disease.

Dr. Ai aims to foster the CMCP’s collaborative foundation and expand its research reach. “The Center’s strength lies in its ability to integrate physical principles with biological insight, and I look forward to working with faculty, trainees, leadership, and partners across Grounds to harness those strengths for the benefit of human health,” he said.

Read about Dr. Ai’s appointment:
https://bit.ly/3ZbvdEy

Learn about the Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology:
https://med.virginia.edu/membrane-biology/

02/06/2026

Epidemiology scientist Yaohua Yang, PhD, seeks out the telltale genetic and molecular signs of cancer risk and occurrence, as well as how the normal microbes in our bodies can interact with DNA and alter cancer development.

Dr. Yang identifies cancer biomarkers that occur in tissue, blood, and other bodily fluids. These can include the DNA segments that form genes, as well as other molecules that change how genes function. Detecting a risk biomarker in a patient may guide prevention and screening, while a biomarker indicating cancer’s presence could lead to a formal diagnosis and personalized course of treatment.

So far, Dr. Yang has identified more than 4,000 DNA methylation biomarkers linked to cancer, 95 percent of which are specific to individual tissue types and their related cancer types.

To understand what makes some genes predictors of distinct cancers, Dr. Yang investigates how the body’s microbiome – its bacteria and other microbes – impacts DNA methylation and gene expression. From flipping a gene’s instructions to slowing the body’s immune response, his work suggests that the presence of specific bacteria could be another way to predict cancer progression and potentially strengthen biomarker detection.

Learn more about Dr. Yang’s research: https://med.virginia.edu/faculty/faculty-listing/vta8we/

02/04/2026

🌎🎗️On World Cancer Day, we pause to honor the strength, resilience, and humanity of every person touched by cancer.

To our patients—your courage in the face of uncertainty inspires us every day. To caregivers and families—your love, advocacy, and steady presence are powerful forms of healing. And to our survivors—your stories are reminders of hope, perseverance, and life beyond diagnosis.

At UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, we are deeply grateful to walk alongside you at every step, committed to compassionate, patient-centered care and to a future where cancer is prevented, treated, and survived with dignity. Today, and every day, we stand with you. You are not alone.

02/03/2026

Survivorship Wellness is a FREE 5-week virtual series is designed to help you navigate life beyond treatment. Please join us as we share expert guidance, practical tips, and healing for the mind, body, and soul.

Feb 11: Emotional Pain Management & Support
Feb 18: Nutrition & Exercise: Fighting Fatigue & Boosting Energy
Feb 25: Thriving After Cancer: Tools for Emotional Wellbeing
Mar 4: Relationships & Sexual Health
Mar 11: Mindfulness & Stress Reduction

For more information or to register email: cancersupportservices@uvahealth.org

01/31/2026

Meet Martin Braun, Budget Manager for UVACCC’s Office of Clinical Research (OCR)!

Martin has been a part of the Cancer Center team for over a decade. In his current role, he develops and negotiates budgets for industry-sponsored and cooperative group studies, managing finances throughout each OCR clinical trial.

He confirms that all estimated clinical trial costs, budgets, and grant balances are followed and managed attentively, and also helps secure financial support for UVACCC trials from sponsors, grants, and institutions. Martin aims to be “efficient and proactive, helping ensure studies open in a timely manner and are appropriately funded for patients,” he said.

Outside of work, Martin loves playing soccer and is head coach of the Charlottesville High School boys' team!

Thank you, Martin, for everything you do!

Learn more about the Cancer Center’s Office of Clinical Research: https://bit.ly/4pCNAgj

01/30/2026

Congratulations to five Cancer Center researchers recently elected School of Medicine at the University of Virginia endowed professorships!

Congratulations to five Cancer Center researchers recently elected to Urology; Tracy Downs, MD, the Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor of Urology; Andrew Dudley, PhD, the Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology; Evan Scott, PhD, the David Goodman Family Bicentennial Professor of Biomedical Engineering; and Jochen Zimmer, PhD, the Charles Slaughter Professor of Physiology.

They join 25 other newly elected School of Medicine endowed professors honored at the annual Dean’s Office faculty awards and honors ceremony. “We are very thankful for the generosity of our donors that make these endowed professorships possible, as they allow us to recruit and retain some of the best and brightest physicians and scientists in the world,” said Interim Dean Colin Derdeyn, MD.

Read about the ceremony: https://bit.ly/4qenmBX

View the full list of 2025 Endowed Professorship conferrals: https://bit.ly/3YyrFMl

Address

1240 Lee Street
Charlottesville, VA
22903

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Saturday	8am - 1pm

Website

https://uvahealth.com/services/cancer

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Our Story

At UVA Cancer Center, we deliver advanced patient care combined with the latest research-based treatment options to improve the quality of life for cancer patients in and surrounding Virginia. With state-of-the-art clinics in multiple locations around Virginia and telemedicine programs for rural communities, UVA Cancer Center is one of the most widely-accessible cancer centers in the region.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UVA the No. 1 hospital in Virginia. Five of our specialties are among the top 50 in the U.S., including our cancer services. We're also the only cancer center in Virginia listed in Becker’s 100 hospitals and health systems with great oncology programs.

As one of 70 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers, we're part of renowned group of leaders in cancer research, prevention, detection and treatment and strive to stay ahead of the curve in innovation, technology and, most importantly, patient care.