TheOHSU Knight Cancer Institute (previously the OHSU Cancer Institute) is a research institute withinOregon Health & Science University. TheNational Cancer Institute (NCI)designated cancer center is led by director Tom Sellers.[1][2] It is the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the state of Oregon.[3] The institute is named afterPhil Knight and his wife, who donated over $600 million to the center; $100 million in 2008 and $500 million in 2013.[4] The $500 million gift required a matching $500 million, which led to a $100 million donation byColumbia Sportswear chairwomanGert Boyle in 2014.[5]
The institute was first designated as a NCI Designated Cancer Center in 1997 and was awarded the status of comprehensive cancer center in 2017.[6]Brian Druker was named the director of the then OHSU Cancer Institute in 2007.[5] Tom Sellers took over as director in 2024 when Druker assumed the CEO role.[7]
The Knight Cancer Institute employs over 200 investigators who are affiliated with one of four Cancer Research Programs: Cancer Biology, Cancer Prevention and Control, Quantitative Oncology, and Translational Oncology.[8][9] The Cancer Biology program focuses on tumorigenesis, signal transduction, and the tumor microenvironment.[10] It is led by researchers Mara Sherman andMelissa Wong. Susan Flocke and Kerri Winters-Stone lead the Cancer Prevention and Control research program, which explores cancer prevention and risk reduction, screening and early detection, and survivorship.[11] The Quantitative Oncology program focuses on technology development, molecular characterization, andsystems biology.[12] The fourth research program, Translational Oncology, has themes of target validation and high-impact interventions.[13] This program is led by Lara Davis and Jeffrey Tyner.
