The Cancer Center hosts a variety of discussion groups on a range of topics related to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Although the groups are primarily intended for researchers and clinicians to learn from each other, advocates and community members are welcome and encouraged to attend. The times for these group meetings vary and are listed below. Most group meetings will be accessible via Zoom with the link available upon request from the group's contact person(s). Please join us.
View the Discussion Groups Calendar.
Subscribe to the UH Cancer Center Events Calendar
Inter-programmatic Faculty Seminar Series (IPSS)
To foster more collaboration and inter-programmatic research. Center Members will present informal talks about their research and may describe new endeavors or grants. Presentations should be designed to be understood across the UH Cancer Center disciplines.
Meeting Time: First and Third Fridays of each month, 2:45 PM to 4:00 PM | Sullivan Conference Center
Who Should Attend: UH Cancer Center faculty and staff
Contact: John Shepherd - johnshep@hawaii.edu
Top Research from the World (TRW)
As part of the IPSS session | Sullivan Conference Center
This series highlights research and findings from major conferences attended by our faculty and staff. Those that attend will present as they see fit at the IPSS session immediately following the workshop/conference.
Who Should Attend: UH Cancer Center faculty and staff
Contact:
Cathy Zhang - szhang@cc.hawaii.edu
Liz Kuioka - ekuioka@cc.hawaii.edu
Empowering Minds (EM)
As part of the IPSS session | Sullivan Conference Center
The Cancer Research Skills Lecture Series to be hosted by Shared Resources and Cores to educate membership about laboratory skills and services, novel trends in techniques, lab research and grants. All SR and Core directors are expected to highlight their facilities once every 18 months.
Who Should Attend: UH Cancer Center faculty and staff
Contact: Lynne Wilkens - lynne@cc.hawaii.edu
Advancing Horizons (AH)
As part of the IPSS session | Sullivan Conference Center
Presentations from the Affiliated and Clinical Cancer Center members. Exploring the Forntier of Cancer Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention.
Who Should Attend: UH Cancer Center faculty and staff
Contact: Stephanie Si Lim - ssi@cc.hawaii.edu
Artificial Intelligence in Cancer Research - AI PHI Affinity Group
The AI PHI Affinity Group is a collaborative, cross-disciplinary forum advancing the role of artificial intelligence in cancer research, prevention, and clinical care. We bring together innovators from computer science, engineering, nutrition, epidemiology, radiology, and beyond—alongside clinicians, advocates, and students—to explore how AI can tackle some of the most complex challenges in oncology.
Whether you're an AI expert or just curious, all are welcome. Our monthly virtual meetings feature project showcases, emerging research, and open discussion on new opportunities. Together, we aim to spark collaborations and develop solutions to problems once thought unsolvable before the era of deep learning and modern AI in medicine.
Meeting Time: First Friday of each month, 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM (HST)
Format: Virtual - View AI PHI calendar for upcoming events
AI PHI videos: Archived videos of past speakers
Who Should Attend: Open to students, faculty, researchers, clinicians, and community members at all levels of AI experience
Contact:
John Shepherd - johnshep@hawaii.edu
Peter Sadowski - psadowski@hawaii.edu
Analysis of -Omics Data Working Group
This working group focuses on the analysis of -omics data, particularly epigenomics, gene expression, metabolomics, and microbiome data, to understand cancer incidence, progression, and survivorship. We offer members an opportunity to solicit feedback on works in progress, discuss recent advancement in the analysis of -omics data, and brainstorm potential funding opportunities to support new projects.
Meeting Time: First Wednesday of each month, 3:00 PM
Contact: Alexandra Binder - ambinder@hawaii.edu
Cancer Biology Research in Progress (CBRIP) Seminar Series
This series is for trainees, graduate students, and postdocs in the Cancer Biology (CB) program of UH Cancer Center and JABSOM to present their research to their peers and all interested faculty and staff.
30 minutes before the Cancer Biology/Translational and Clinical Research (CB/TCR), Epidemiology/Cancer Prevention in the Pacific (Epi/CPP) Faculty meetings
Meeting Time: Every Wednesday, 9:30AM to 10:30AM
Who Should Attend: Trainees, Faculty, and Staff of the UH Cancer Center and JABSOM
Contact:
Xin Chen (CB) - xinchen3@hawaii.edu
Pallav Pokhrel (CPP) - ppokhrel@cc.hawaii.edu
Gertraud Maskarinec (Epi) - gertraud@cc.hawaii.edu
Cancer Care Delivery Focus Group
Cancer Care Delivery Research (CCDR) is a multidisciplinary science that seeks to improve clinical outcomes and patient well-being by intervening on patient, clinician, and organizational factors that influence care delivery.
The CCDR focus group is multi-disciplinary and includes faculty from the Cancer Center, the Shidler School of Business, The School of Social Work, The School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, the department of Kinesiology & Rehabilitation Science, the Department of Communicology, Queens Medical Center, Tripler Army Medical Center and the Pediatric Oncology program at Kapi‘olani Medical Center. The goal of the group is to explore opportunities to expand CCDR research in Hawaiʻi, leverage resources provided through the National Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), and provide a forum for scholarship related to this important aspect of health care.
Contact: Izumi Okado - iokado@cc.hawaii.edu
Cancer Immunology Journal Club
Meeting Time: Every Tuesday, 2:00 PM | Hybrid
Who Should Attend: All are welcome
Contact: Ben Green - blgreen@hawaii.edu
Cancer Survivorship Working Group
The overarching goal is to spur cancer survivorship research through learning about existing and creating new, efforts.
Meeting Time: Third Thursday of each month, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Who Should Attend: All are welcome
Contact:
Izumi Okado - iokado@cc.hawaii.edu
Erin Bantum - ebantum@cc.hawaii.edu
Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention in the Pacific
Topics include cancer etiology, epidemiology, nutrition, and prevention.
Meeting Time: Second Tuesday of each month, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Who Should Attend: PSP Program Faculty Members
Contact: Lani Park - lpark@cc.hawaii.edu
Lecture Series
Prestigious visiting guest speakers on a variety of topics.
Meeting Time: Schedule Varies | Sullivan Conference Center
Who Should Attend: All are welcome
Contact: info@cc.hawai.edu
Liver Cancer Affinity Group
The goal of this group is to bring together a multidisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians to address salient clinical issues revolving around liver cancer. The meetings will serve as forum to foster collaborative interactions that address these clinical issues with relevant and impactful translational research.
Meeting Time: Schedule to be determined | Via zoom
Who Should Attend: All are welcome
Contact:
Xin Chen - xinchen3@hawaii.edu
Ben Green - blgreen@hawaii.edu
PSP Smoking Cessation Working Group
The smoking cessation working group brings together behavioral scientists, clinical and social psychologists, epidemiologists, and clinicians conducting research within the Hawaiʻi Cancer Consortium with the purpose of generating and executing research ideas that would help reduce cigarette smoking prevalence in Hawaiʻi and the USAPI. The group identifies and analyses data that would enhance research in the area and lead to larger-scale future research. The group discusses the latest research in smoking cessation and invites regional and national leaders in smoking cessation research to present their findings to the Hawaiʻi Cancer Consortium community. Group members collaborate to develop proposals to conduct innovative smoking cessation trials.
Meeting Time: Second Thursday of each month, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM | Hybrid
Who Should Attend: All are welcome
Contact: Pallav Pokhrel - ppokhrel@cc.hawaii.edu
Supportive Care and Cancer Care Delivery Trials
A quarterly informational webinar to highlight and review current and upcoming cancer control, supportive care and cancer care delivery trials available in our community.
Meeting Time: Fourth Wednesday of each month, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Contact:
Tripit Reevesman - treevesman@cc.hawaii.edu
Christa Braun-Inglis - cbrauninglis@cc.hawaii.edu
Weekly Trainees Meeting
Cancer research trainees will be exposed to a wide range of topics relevant to cancer health disparities. In addition, trainees will give presentations about their respective research projects.
Meeting Time: Every Friday, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Who Should Attend: UH Cancer Center and University of Guam cancer research trainees
Contact: Kathleen Plaza - kplaza@cc.hawaii.edu
Women's Cancer Translational Research Affinity Group
The goal of this group is to bring together a multidisciplinary group of researchers, clinicians, students, and patient advocates to address salient translational research topics focused on women's cancer. The meetings will serve as forum to foster collaborative and productive interactions among group members.
Meeting Time: First Tuesday of each month, 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Who Should Attend: Researchers, clinicians, students, and patient advocates
Contact:
Lenora Loo - lloo@cc.hawaii.edu
Tripit Reevesman - treevesman@cc.hawaii.edu