Here are just a few of the incredible people at the Knight Cancer Institute working to transform cancer science, early detection and the future of patient care. Read the full story.
Thuy Ngo, Ph.D.
Joined OHSU from Stanford University
Associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics
Ngo’s work involves analyzing blood samples for signs of early disease, aiming to detect signals from the body that mark transitions from healthy to cancerous states. In collaboration with other scientists, Ngo uses data science to analyze extensive sets of patient information with the goal of finding a cure for late-stage cancers, rather than just prolonging the lives of patients.
In 2022, Ngo and her team devised a way to test blood to see if a pre-cancerous condition is escalating to outright liver cancer, potentially enabling treatment early in tumor development when liver cancer is often more curable. These tests set the stage for a simple, affordable method to screen people at risk by taking a small blood sample a few times a year.
Ngo’s lab and research is supported in part by funding from the Kuni Foundation.
“In order to end cancer and find a cure, early detection is the way to go. We are doing both basic research and translational research that will help us to shift the paradigm from treating patients to curing the disease or even preventing the disease from happening.”
