25th Zubrod Memorial Lecture and Awards Ceremony Honors Scientific Excellence and the Next Generation of Cancer Researchers
The 25th Zubrod Memorial Lecture and Awards Ceremony at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center recognized groundbreaking research, honored leading faculty and trainees and underscored the legacy of a pioneer in modern oncology.
The 25th Annual Zubrod Memorial Lecture and Awards Ceremony at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, celebrated discovery, innovation and excellence in cancer research and honored the enduring legacy of Charles Gordon Zubrod, M.D., a visionary physician-scientist whose leadership helped shape modern oncology.
Dr. Zubrod led the Division of Cancer Treatment at the National Cancer Institute, where he helped pioneer the use of chemotherapy in cancer care. In 1974, he became the founding director of what was then the University of Miami Cancer Center, now Sylvester. His son, Gordon Zubrod, attended this year’s event.
Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., director of Sylvester, delivered the event’s opening remarks. He recognized several outstanding members of the Sylvester community and presented this year’s faculty, trainee, lifetime achievement and poster awards.
“We are fortunate to have an exceptional group of clinicians, scientists, educators and mentors who are advancing multidisciplinary cancer care and developing new therapies that improve the lives of patients,” said Dr. Nimer, the Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and executive dean for research at the Miller School. “Their dedication and collaborative spirit continue to strengthen Sylvester’s position as a world-class cancer center and help fulfill our mission of delivering cutting-edge, patient-centered cancer care.”
This year’s distinguished lecturer, Charles L. Sawyers, M.D., presented the keynote address, “How Cancer Cells Escape Targeted Therapy by Changing Identity.” Students and trainees also had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Sawyers during a luncheon held before the awards ceremony.
A Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and chair of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Sawyers is internationally recognized for discoveries that transformed the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and advanced prostate cancer. His contributions include the development of kinase inhibitor strategies for leukemia and the co-discovery of enzalutamide, a major advance in prostate cancer therapy.
A Career Defined by Discovery and Impact
Michael Antoni, Ph.D., received the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was accepted on his behalf by collaborator Bonnie B. Blomberg, Ph.D. A professor, director of health psychology and member of Sylvester’s Cancer Control Program, Dr. Antoni is a pioneering leader in psycho-oncology and psychoneuroimmunology, with continuous NIH and Department of Defense funding since 1987.
Dr. Antoni’s work helped establish the scientific foundation linking stress biology, immune regulation and cancer outcomes. He developed cognitive behavioral stress management, an intervention that has improved quality of life and survivorship outcomes for countless patients. He demonstrated that psychosocial care is not simply supportive care. It can also be biologically meaningful and clinically impactful.
Honoring Excellence in Faculty Achievement
Six faculty members received 2026 Outstanding Faculty Awards in recognition of exceptional leadership in research, clinical care, education and mentorship, as well as innovations that improve patient outcomes.
Outstanding Basic/Translational Researcher of the Year: Rumela Chakrabarti, Ph.D., associate professor, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery
Dr. Chakrabarti’s lab focuses on immuno-oncology and translational research, specifically examining the roles of NK cells and myeloid cells in aggressive breast cancer.
Outstanding Clinical Researcher of the Year: Juan Pablo Alderuccio, M.D., associate professor, Division of Hematology, group leader of the Lymphoma Clinical Site Disease Group
Dr. Alderuccio is a clinical investigator focusing on lymphoma drug development. His work includes designing and leading innovative clinical trials, developing new treatment strategies and integrating circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) into decision-making.
Outstanding Population Science Researcher of the Year: Matthew Schlumbrecht, M.D., M.P.H., professor and vice chair of global and community health in the Tamer Family Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
Dr. Schlumbrecht, the assistant director of community outreach and engagement, translational co-lead for the Gynecologic Oncology Site Disease Group and medical co-director of education and training at the Sylvester Survivorship and Supportive Care Institute (SSCI), received funding from the United States Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health and GSK to study prevention, early detection, outcomes and novel therapeutics in unique populations of women with gynecologic cancer locally and across the globe.
Outstanding Mentor of the Year for Junior Faculty: Wael El-Rifai, M.D., Ph.D., professor and associate vice chair in the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery
Dr. El-Rifai, the John and Judy Schulte Senior Endowed Chair and associate director of basic science at the Miller School, has mentored more than 80 post docs and junior faculty through his career, many of whom have established their own independent labs and academic careers. He leads a robust, NCI-funded research program in gastro-esophageal cancers that includes a program project in esophageal cancer.
Outstanding Mentor of the Year for Trainees: Jessica Meshman, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology
Dr. Meshman specializes in the treatment of breast cancer patients. She is dedicated to the training, education and mentorship of residents and medical students, and serves as a longitudinal clinical educator and a director for the Medicine as a Profession curriculum at the Miller School.
Outstanding Teacher of the Year: Zhipeng Meng, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Dr. Zhipeng Meng is dedicated to training graduate students and trainees in pharmacology and cancer biology.
Celebrating the Next Generation of Cancer Researchers
Three early-stage investigators received 2026 Outstanding Trainee Awards for research that reflects the depth of talent and innovation across Sylvester.
Basic/Translational Early-Stage Researcher of the Year: Bruno Adabbo, Ph.D., postdoctoral associate, Department of Neurological Surgery
Dr. Adabbo’s research focuses on brain tumors, using spatial omics and integrative analytical approaches to investigate the spatial organization and cellular composition of gliomas.
Clinical Early-Stage Researcher of the Year: Chinmay Jani, M.D., chief fellow, Hematology and Oncology
Dr. Jani’s research spans precision and thoracic oncology, including the evolving role of liquid biopsy to guide treatment selection and understand resistance mechanisms and population health evaluating risk factors like air pollution and asbestos in lung cancer.
Population Science Early-Stage Researcher of the Year: Harleen Kaur, Ph.D., postdoctoral scholar, Training to Reduce Burden Across the Cancer Control Continuum (TRACC) program
Dr. Kaur’s research centers on the design, implementation and evaluation of multibehavior diet and physical activity interventions during active cancer treatment and survivorship.
Poster Session Highlights Emerging Cancer Research
The competitive poster session featured presentations from students, fellows and trainees across multiple disciplines and career stages. More than 130 eligible poster submissions showcased research spanning basic, translational, clinical and population sciences.
“Sylvester’s annual Zubrod poster session brings cancer research trainees together to drive collaboration, share insights, and spark innovation,” said Kerry Burnstein, Ph.D., associate director for education and training at Sylvester and professor and chair of molecular and cellular pharmacology at the Miller School.
The inaugural Best Public Prize Award, selected by the audience, was presented to Ifeanyichukwu Ogobuiro, M.D., M.H.S., for his translational research project, “Brain Protein I3-driven Redox Adaptation Confers Radiation Resistance in Trisomy-7 Glioblastoma in the Translational Research Category.” His mentors are Scott Welford, Ph.D., professor of radiation oncology at the Miller School, and Markus Bredel, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of radiation oncology.
A distinguished panel of faculty judges selected five posters for top honors:
Ovarian Carcinoma with FGFR2 Fusion: Pathologic Features of a Potentially Underrecognized Variant
• Awardee: Yasamin Mirzabeigi, M.D.
• Mentor: Andre Pinto, M.D., professor of anatomic pathology at the Miller School
• Category: Clinical Research
Reprogramming CD8 T Cell Metabolic Fitness using MicroRNA-29a to Enhance CAR T Cell Immunotherapy
• Awardee: Natasha Khatwani, Ph.D.
• Mentor: Erietta Stelekati, Ph.D., assistant professsor of microbiology and immunology at the Miller School
• Category: Translational Research
The Cyclin-G Associated Kinase (GAK) is a Novel Mitotic Kinase and Therapeutic Target in Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma
• Awardee: Olivia Farag
• Mentor: Jonathan Schatz, M.D., professor of hematology
• Category: Translational Research
Exploring the Immunosuppressive Role of Human Endogenous Retrovirus K in the Glioblastoma Microenvironment
• Awardee: Anna Hudson
• Mentor: Ashish Shah, M.D., associate professor of neurological surgery at the Miller School
• Category: Basic Science
Exploring the Psychosocial Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Latina Breast and Gynecologic Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Analysis
• Awardee: Ashley Sanchez, M.P.H.
• Mentor: Patricia Moreno, Ph.D.
• Category: Population-based Research
For information about next year’s event, email Rositsa Kalinova or call (305) 243-1539.
Tags: cancer research, Dr. Chinmay Jani, Dr. Jessica Meshman, Dr. Juan Pablo Alderuccio, Dr. Kerry Burnstein, Dr. Matthew Schlumbrecht, Dr. Michael Antoni, Dr. Rumela Chakrabarti, Dr. Stephen Nimer, Dr. Wael El-Rifai, Dr. Zhipeng Meng, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Zubrod Memorial Lecture