Community Lab Mixer Fosters Research and Community Engagement
Monday, June 8, 2026
On April 29, the University of Illinois Cancer Center hosted a Community Lab Mixer in partnership with the research laboratories of Cancer Center members Sandra Pinho, PhD, and Kaori Yamada, PhD, and community partner Blood Cancer United.
Organized by the Cancer Center’s Community Engagement and Health Equity (CEHE) team, the event was part of an ongoing series designed to strengthen connections between researchers and community organizations through shared learning and engagement.
Participants engaged in conversations about cancer research, exchanged perspectives and experiences, and toured the Pinho Lab and the Yamada Lab to gain a firsthand look at ongoing cancer research.
In addition to faculty, researchers and community members, attendees included Beulah Brent, CEO of Sisters Working It Out (SWIO). SWIO was recently selected to participate in the Hope Leaders program, where the organization will collaborate with Cancer Center member Sandeep Kumar, PhD, and his Lab. Community Advisory Board member Charles Walton, MBA, former Executive Director of 100 Black Men of Chicago, also attended the event.
