Drs. Jessica Lin and Sandip Patel Join LUNGevity's Scientific Advisory Board

Top researchers bring expertise to guide nation's top lung cancer nonprofit

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, LUNGevity, the nation's leading lung cancer research foundation, welcomes new experts to our Scientific Advisory Board to help guide our programs as we transform how people are diagnosed and live with lung cancer.

"We are honored to announce Dr. Jessica Lin and Dr. Sandip Patel as the newest members of LUNGevity's Scientific Advisory Board," said Charles Rudin, MD, PhD, deputy director of the Cancer Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering and chair of LUNGevity's Scientific Advisory Board. "In addition to engaging them as a critical part of our grant review process as we continue to expand our research investment, we are eager to have their thought leadership in their areas of expertise – clinical trials, targeted therapies, and precision medicine – to guide LUNGevity on key initiatives that will lead to true improvements for people with this disease."

Jessica J. Lin, MD, is a medical oncologist specializing in the care of patients with thoracic malignancies at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

"The progress we are seeing in lung cancer diagnosis and treatments has been unprecedented, yet so much work remains to be done. Every day, patients and families around the world are racing against time," said Dr. Lin. "I look forward to working together with LUNGevity so that we can accelerate this progress and improve the lives of those affected by lung cancer."

Dr. Lin received her bachelor's degree summa cum laude from Harvard College and her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. After completing her residency in internal medicine at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and her fellowship in medical oncology at the Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare program, she joined the faculty at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. She also has an active practice caring for patients in the Thoracic Oncology Program at the Henri and Belinda Termeer Center for Targeted Therapies.

The primary focus of Dr. Lin's research is to develop novel therapeutic and biomarker strategies for patients with advanced lung cancers. As a clinical investigator, she is deeply involved in the design and conduct of clinical trials evaluating novel therapeutic agents. Her translational research efforts are dedicated to the study of resistance mechanisms and exceptional responses to targeted therapies in molecularly defined subsets of lung cancer, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for patients living with the disease.

Sandip P. Patel, MD, is a professor at University of California, San Diego, and a top medical oncologist focusing on early-phase clinical trials of immunotherapy and thoracic oncology. 

"Having seen the impact of lung cancer on our patients and families, I am honored to be joining LUNGevity's Scientific Advisory Board where we play an increasingly important role in funding research in the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide," said Dr. Patel. "From screening to targeted therapeutic resistance, and from bench to bedside, I am eager to contribute to LUNGevity's mission in reducing the burden of lung cancer in our communities and worldwide."

After earning his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine while conducting research at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Patel completed a residency in internal medicine at UCLA Medical Center and a fellowship in medical oncology and hematology at Duke University Medical Center. He is triple-board-certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology. In addition, he was named a "Top Doc" in the most recent San Diego Magazine "Physicians of Exceptional Excellence" survey.

Dr. Patel is the leader of the Experimental Therapeutics (Phase 1) Program and co-leader of the Solid Tumor Therapeutics Program at UCSD Moores Cancer Center. He is deputy director of the Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Institute, as well as co-leader of the NRG Developmental Therapeutics Committee and medical director of clinical research informatics at UCSD.

To learn more about LUNGevity's Scientific Advisory Board, visit our website.

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity, the nation's leading lung cancer organization, is transforming what it means to be diagnosed and live with lung cancer. LUNGevity seeks to make an immediate impact on quality of life and survivorship for everyone touched by the disease—while promoting health equity by addressing disparities throughout the care continuum.

• Through research, we use an innovative and holistic approach to finding lung cancer earlier when it is most treatable; advance research into new treatments so people may live longer and better; and ensure a diverse, vital pipeline of investigators for the future of the lung cancer field.
• Through advocacy, we foster groundbreaking collaborations to ensure all people have access to screening, biomarker testing, and treatment breakthroughs.
• Through community, we educate, support, and connect people affected by lung cancer so that they can get the best healthcare and live longer and better lives.

Comprehensive resources include a medically vetted and patient-centric website, Patient Gateways for specific types of lung cancer, a toll-free HELPLine for personalized support, international survivor conferences, and tools to find a clinical trial. All these programs are designed to help us achieve our vision—a world where no one dies of lung cancer. LUNGevity Foundation is proud to be a four-star Charity Navigator organization.

Please visit www.LUNGevity.org to learn more. 

About Lung Cancer in the US

• About 1 in 18 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime.
• More than 234,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, with a new diagnosis every 2.2 minutes.
• It is estimated that close to 65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people with no tobacco exposure or only past tobacco exposure.
• More lives are lost to lung cancer than to the next two deadliest cancers (colorectal and pancreatic) combined.
• Only 27% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, but if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves to 64%.

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SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation