In the Spotlight

New Milestones publication now available

Every year, CCR makes remarkable contributions to the understanding, detection, treatment and prevention of cancer. This digital-only issue of our annual publication, Milestones, features 13 of our top scientific advances from the previous year. These discoveries fall everywhere on the spectrum from basic science to clinical research, ranging from a deeper understanding of the gut-liver axis and how bacteria move, to results and stories from three promising clinical trials. Our researchers have developed AI models to predict when tumors will respond to treatments, built scaffolds of biomaterials to assist with drug delivery, investigated how mitochondria function in healthy and diseased liver cells, and more.

Celebrating CCR Careers: Steven Z. Pavletic, M.D., Ph.D.

Steven Z. Pavletic, M.D., Ph.D., is a renowned expert in chronic graft-versus-host disease, a serious late complication that can happen after allogeneic bone marrow transplants. After serving at the NCI for over 20 years, he is now announcing his retirement.

Celebrating CCR Careers: Ira Pastan, M.D.

Ira Pastan, M.D., who pioneered receptor biology in animal cells and mentored several generations of scientists, announces his retirement from the NCI.

Celebrating CCR Careers: Len Neckers, Ph.D.

For over 40 years, Len Neckers, Ph.D., worked to develop molecularly targeted therapeutic approaches to modulate cancer cell growth and survival. He retired from CCR in November 2024.

Celebrating CCR Careers: Patricia S. Steeg, Ph.D.

Patricia S. Steeg, Ph.D., who discovered the first metastasis suppressor gene, nm23, announces her retirement.

Celebrating CCR Careers: Jay A. Berzofsky, M.D., Ph.D.

Jay A. Berzofsky, M.D., Ph.D., a chemist-turned-immunologist who pioneered cancer immunology and immunotherapy strategies, announces his retirement from the NCI.

Celebrating CCR Careers: Alan Rein, Ph.D.

Alan Rein, Ph.D., is a known expert in the field of viral assembly, particularly in retroviruses like the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). After an extensive career studying molecular mechanisms of retroviral replication and pathogenesis, he has announced his retirement.

Celebrating CCR Careers: R. Andrew Byrd, Ph.D.

32 years ago, R. Andrew Byrd, Ph.D., came to NCI Frederick to study the foundational biophysics of cancer. After an extensive career developing and utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy methods to determine protein structures and mechanistic insight, he has announced his retirement.

Celebrating CCR Careers: Terri Armstrong, Ph.D., ANP-BC

Terri S. Armstrong, Ph.D., ANP-BC, FAAN, FAANP, has more than 30 years of experience caring for people with brain and spine tumors. After almost a decade in the Neuro-Oncology Branch, she is announcing her retirement.

Celebrating CCR Careers: Jonathan D. Ashwell, M.D.

For nearly 40 years at NCI, Jonathan D. Ashwell, M.D., has worked to understand the mechanisms and consequences of intracellular signaling, primarily in T cells, and how these contribute to disease. Now, the Chief of the Laboratory of Immune Cell Biology has announced his retirement.

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