On Nov. 12, more than 70 guests gathered at The Country Club at Muirfield Village for an engaging and inspiring event featuring W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, MMHC, chief executive officer of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.  Dr. Rathmell also holds the inaugural Jeri B. Block and Robert H. Schottenstein Distinguished Chair in Cancer.

She joined Ohio State last May after serving as the 17th director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) from December 2023 to January 2025.

The evening provided an opportunity for ambassadors and community members to hear firsthand about Dr. Rathmell’s background, vision for advancing cancer research, patient care and innovation at one of the nation’s leading cancer centers.

Dr. Rathmell recognized Sameek Roychowdhury, MD, PHD, also in attendance, and spoke on his promising new targeted cancer therapy now available to certain patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The treatment is available through a first-of-its-kind, entirely telehealth-based targeted cancer drug therapy nationwide clinical trial. The discussion highlighted the importance of collaboration in driving breakthroughs that improve patient outcomes and accelerate progress toward a cancer-free world.

Special thank you to event co-hosts Dale and Janice Darnell for introducing Dr. Rathmell to the Dublin community! For more information, contact jamesambassadors@osumc.edu.