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.
Ece Ekşi, Ph.D.
Joined OHSU from University of Illinois at Chicago
Assistant professor at CEDAR and the Division of Oncological Sciences
Ekşi’s research explores how the nervous system communicates with tumors, particularly in prostate and pancreatic cancers. The nervous system can actively help cancer grow and spread to other organs — Ekşi and her team investigate how interactions between nerves and cancer happen at the molecular level, with the goal of preventing it.
Her work uses advanced imaging and AI to analyze large datasets, increasing the understanding of cancer cell behavior and potentially leading to new treatment options.
In 2022, Ekşi was awarded an International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection Grant for her research on prostate tumor progression.
“At the Knight Cancer Institute, we have great opportunities around technology and having a network of scientists from different backgrounds. My research cannot exist in a silo. It requires collaboration between engineers and computational biologists, pathologists and radiologists, and geneticists. The Knight Cancer Institute and CEDAR provide that collaboration for innovative research.”
