“The problem of cancer is broad and deep. A free exchange of ideas among many disciplines is necessary to address the full scope of this problem,” says Mary Beckerle, PhD, Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) deputy director and senior director of laboratory research.

In HCI’s laboratories, researchers study normal cell processes to learn what goes awry when a cell becomes cancerous. They investigate how genes function to discover possible methods of preventing, circumventing, or even reversing the genetic changes that cause cancer.

Multidisciplinary teams in HCI’s clinics use that knowledge to improve treatments and relieve suffering of cancer patients. Often, the doctor who treats patients at HCI also directs a research laboratory at HCI. The close relationship between researchers and clinicians keeps knowledge flowing between the lab and the clinic, all to benefit patients.

Research also plays a part in educating both care providers and the public about cancer risk, prevention, and care. HCI scientists analyze genealogical patterns to understand why some cancers run in families and to develop specific cancer screening and prevention measures for people in these families. They study the psychological and sociological implications of cancer to help reach people in underserved communities with care and information that can save lives.

“Cancer crosses all boundaries—age, race, gender—and can affect anyone, so we cross our own boundaries between lab and clinic to better understand, prevent, and treat it,” says Beckerle.