2025 Dr. Tapas Das Gupta Cancer Research Symposium
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
The 2025 Dr. Tapas Das Gupta Cancer Research Symposium, held on October 3, centered on "Cancer Health Equity from Previvor to Survivor."
The virtual symposium honored the late Tapas Das Gupta, MD, PhD, DSc, the first University of Illinois Cancer Center Director, a renowned surgical oncologist and prolific researcher. He passed away in December 2024 at age 92.
The symposium began with a welcome address from Jan Kitajewski, PhD, Director of the University of Illinois Cancer Center and Sweeney Professor of Basic Sciences and Head of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at UIC.
The first speaker was one of our community partners, Phyllis L. Rodgers, Founder and CEO of Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates. The title of her talk was "Thriving One Day at a Time". Rodgers shared her powerful personal journey as a colon cancer survivor, highlighting how her family's history with cancer inspired her to advocate for cancer awareness and education. Emphasizing that "myths can kill," she underscored the importance of sharing accurate, accessible information with underserved communities. Through her organization, she educates and offers tangible support—personally accompanying patients to appointments or arranging transportation when needed.
The second speaker was Callisia N. Clarke, MD, MS, FACS, FSSO, of the Medical College of Wisconsin. Her talk was titled, "Closing the Gap: Advancing Equitable Cancer Care".
The third speaker was Christina Bailey, MD, MSCI, FACS, of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her talk was titled, "Young Patients, Old Disease: Rethinking Colorectal Cancer in 2025".
The fourth speaker was Andrew Hung, MD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His talk was titled "Automation of Surgical Skills Assessment with AI".
The symposium wrapped with a panel discussion where several speakers answered further questions from attendees and offered collective insights on their areas of expertise. There were many follow-up questions on using AI in cancer treatments and therapies.
