The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award (CCITLA) P30 Administrative Supplement for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021

Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY Dr. Zahi Mitri is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology in the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) where he is the leader of the breast cancer research program. He completed an Internal Medicine residency at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta and a Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Mitri?s passion and interest is focused on clinical-translational research in breast cancer and he is an active clinical trialist; serving as site PI for the following NCI-funded trials: I-SPY 2, SWOG S1418, SWOG S1501, and ECOG-ACRIN EA1183, and is principal investigator of 6 investigator-initiated trials (IITs) evaluating novel therapeutic combinations. Additionally, Dr. Mitri serves as co-chair of the Knight Cancer Institute?s Scientific Review Committee, and is a member of the SWOG Breast Cancer and Translational Medicine Breast Cancer Committees, SWOG Immunotherapeutics Committee, and is the SWOG Early Investigator Representative on the NCI Breast Immuno-Oncology (BIO) Task Force. Dr. Mitri has been instrumental in the development of the Serial Measurements of Molecular and Architectural Responses to Therapy (SMMART), a flagship program of the Knight Cancer Institute that leverages a robust biomarker platform to deliver personalized therapies and improve outcomes for breast cancer patients. Leveraging serial biopsies from his IITs for evaluation using SMMART?s multi-omics, imaging, and bioinformatics platform, Dr. Mitri?s research endeavors to assess intrinsic tumor cell characteristics and immune contexture as they evolve under therapeutic stress. Particularly, these efforts center on using these advanced analytical tools to identify predictive biomarkers of sensitivity to therapy, and uncover mechanisms of treatment resistance that can inform the development of the next generation of clinical trials. These research activities continue to integrate a variety of translational sciences across the breast cancer disease spectrum and Dr. Mitri has been working towards establishing a research platform that allows for seamless and efficient collaboration between clinical and pre-clinical investigators. His ultimate goal is to make a positive impact on the field through clinical?translational research and to lead a nationally recognized personalized treatment program for breast cancer. The support provided by the Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award will be critical for Dr. Mitri to protect the time needed to devote to these projects.