Karen Knudsen, PhD, a leading figure in the advancement of next-generation immune-based therapies to fight cancer, will visit UNMC March 31 for a grand rounds presentation hosted by the National Cancer Institute-designated Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.
Dr. Knudsen is the CEO for the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the former executive director of the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University and a professor emerita.
Previously, Dr. Knudsen served as chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
Her presentation, titled “Rewiring the system: New Models to Accelerate Cancer Cures,” will be held at the Durham Research Center, Room 1002, from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. The grand rounds also will be available virtually through this campus event listing.
The UNMC community is invited to attend.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Knudsen to our upcoming Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center Grand Rounds presentation,” said Joann Sweasy, PhD, director of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. “Please join us for this exceptional grand rounds opportunity.”
Her presentation will highlight:
- The current state of immunotherapy.
- Coming technologies that will revolutionize cancer care.
- Novel models to accelerate discoveries into patient testing.
The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy is an entrepreneurial medical research organization advancing the next generation of immune-based therapies. Under her leadership, the institute accelerates discovery, clinical translation and company formation, launching 17 biotech ventures that have raised more than $4 billion to accelerate cancer cures.
Dr. Knudsen also serves on the Boards of AstraZeneca, Paradigm Health, ExaiBio and ResearchAmerica. She advises leading organizations including Transcarent, ArteraAI, Genentech and multiple NCI-designated cancer centers. She is co-founder of Patient Agent, an AI-driven venture supporting patients and care teams in making faster, more personalized decisions.
At the American Cancer Society, she unified operations, expanded mission reach, increased revenue and drove record-breaking investments in research and patient services.
Prior to ACS, she was executive vice president of oncology services for Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, directing one of the nation’s largest cancer care enterprises across a 16-hospital system and an extensive outpatient network.
She simultaneously served as executive director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she advanced translational research, clinical trial access and national partnerships that broadened Jefferson’s role as a leader in oncology innovation.