Fred Hutch

11/09/2025

Viral immunologist Paul Thomas, PhD, is working to turn the “incredible potential” of the immune system into real-life diagnostic and therapeutic applications that will improve vaccination strategies and cancer treatments. Thomas, who recently joined Fred Hutch’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, studies how our immune system responds to (and evolves with) the pathogen exposures that leave an imprint in our genes and shape how we will respond to the next infection.

“Quantitative human immunology is a unifying theme of my program,” said Thomas, Bezos Family Distinguished Scholar in Viruses and Vaccines. Thomas comes to Fred Hutch from St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of St. Jude’s Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response. “The approach we take is a mix of quantitative methods, computational methods and experimental approaches to try to really understand human immunology.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/4qJLwFf

11/08/2025

Did you know only 1 in 10 people at higher risk for get screened? Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. If caught early, lung cancer can be treated and survival rates can dramatically improve.

National Lung Cancer Screening Day is this Saturday, November 8! is a great opportunity to raise screening awareness and encourage eligible individuals to get screened.

11/07/2025

Join us on Saturday, Dec. 6, for the 16th annual Healthy for the Holidays! This is a free educational event for cancer survivors, patients, caregivers, and family. Register now: https://bit.ly/49zNscY

11/07/2025

11/06/2025

For Jacqueline Woodfork (pictured far right), 59, a COVID infection turned out to be a lucky break.

A history professor at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, Woodfork got so sick in 2024 that she had to go to the ER twice.

She was eventually diagnosed with COVID, but the attending physicians also discovered a mass in her chest during one of the scans. The mass was a thymic tumor, located in her mediastinum, the part of the body that houses the heart, thymus and major blood vessels. And it appeared that the tumor was growing into her heart.

The doctors told her she needed surgery right away to have the mass removed. They also took out a piece of her pericardium and an obstructed blood vessel. Unfortunately, Woodfork encountered complications afterward.

“A friend recommended I get care in a major metropolitan area, closer to thoracic cancer experts,” said Woodfork. “Because I’m from Massachusetts originally, I considered Mass General, but I knew I would get great care much closer to home at Fred Hutch. I met with Dr. Jing Zeng, who was such a good listener. Very professional and kind. She recommended proton therapy.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/3WKeiYt

11/06/2025

Here is why you might be stuck quitting smoking.
If you found this helpful, check out https://quitbot.net/ for a free resource to help you quit smoking.

11/05/2025

For longtime Fred Hutch volunteers Karen Leslie and David Hopkins, no two days are alike. On one recent Monday, Leslie and Hopkins spent their volunteer shift at the Gift Shop at the Sloan Clinic. The next day, they were supporting a project with the philanthropy team.

The couple, married for 41 years, began volunteering with Fred Hutch in 1994. Leslie, who was in remission for breast cancer, received a call from Fred Hutch to participate in a research study. Following the study, she called back about volunteering. The volunteer orientation (biannual at the time) happened to be the next week.

In the decades the couple has spent at Fred Hutch, they’ve tried just about everything the volunteer program has to offer. And with that they have engaged with everyone from out-of-town patients and people walking through the door of the Gift Shop as well as the Philanthropy and Patient and Family Services departments.

“Hopefully we’ve helped some people going through a difficult time and let them know there are people in Seattle that care about them," said Leslie.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4hEGyp7

11/03/2025

Advice from a lung cancer patient for awareness month. Joel is getting treated at Fred Hutch and wants you to know that there is so much hope.

11/03/2025

Dr. Marian Neuhouser of Fred Hutch explains how overlapping environmental and lifestyle factors could be driving a rise in cancer rates across Iowa and the greater Corn Belt region. https://fxn.ws/47w1wBD

Cancer rates are rising alarmingly in America's Corn Belt states, including Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois, outpacing national averages since the mid-2010s.

11/02/2025

The longest living bone marrow transplant recipient sat down for a conversation with us for our new podcast. Check out his story: https://bit.ly/3Wurh0i

10/31/2025

One thing about our clinical staff: they know how to BRING IT for the spooky season! 👻 Happy Halloween from all of us at Fred Hutch! 🎃

10/31/2025

A new player has entered the chat! Fred Hutch’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease put on a strong display of creativity in their pumpkin carving contest, mixing science with seasonal fun. (The “LaBooBoo” even has the correct amount of teeth. Go ahead, count ‘em.) 🎃

Let us know your favorite submissions in the comments!