Jill Kolesar of Markey Cancer Center Appointed as Chair of National Oncology Research Consortium ORIEN

Markey’s Jill Kolesar to Lead National Cancer Research Consortium

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 3, 2024) – Leading cancer research in the United States has taken a significant stride forward as Jill Kolesar, Pharm.D., a top researcher at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, has been appointed chair of the steering committee for the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network® (ORIEN).

Spearheading Cancer Research with ORIEN

ORIEN is a flagship alliance of academic cancer centers supported by Aster Insights. The alliance comprises 19 cancer centers across the U.S., all collaborating and sharing data under a common protocol. Its Total Cancer Care® (TCC) protocol manages the largest lifetime-consented patient research program in oncology, boasting more than 400,000 patients enlisted.

Inaugurated in 2014 by the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Columbus, Ohio, ORIEN stands as the largest and longest-serving academic cancer research consortium of its type in the United States.

The Markey Cancer Center and ORIEN

Since becoming a member of ORIEN in 2017, the Markey Cancer Center has enrolled nearly 10,000 patients in the TCC and spearheaded a series of inter-member projects. These initiatives aim to identify cancer causes and formulate new treatments. With Kolesar heading the steering committee, she will be at the helm charting ORIEN’s strategic direction and shaping its research priorities and synergistic projects. Kolesar’s 18-month tenure as chair will commence on June 1, 2024.

Kolesar’s Role and Impact

“By working together, ORIEN’s member institutions are revolutionizing the way cancer is understood, diagnosed, and treated,” stated Kolesar, the director of Markey Cancer Center’s Precision Medicine Clinic. “It’s an honor to lead ORIEN’s collaborative efforts in propelling cancer research forward.”

Kolesar holds the title of University Research Professor of Pharmacy in the UK College of Pharmacy and is the proud holder of the Dr. Michael Karpf Endowed Chair in Precision Medicine. Additionally, she co-directs Markey’s Molecular Tumor Board and leads the Translational Oncology Program. She is also co-chair of ORIEN’s Health Equity Research Interest Group.

UK HealthCare’s Commitment to Advanced Medicine

UK HealthCare is more than a network of hospitals and clinics of the University of Kentucky. Home to the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, it’s a collective of over 10,000 committed healthcare professionals providing advanced subspecialty care for the most critically injured and ill patients.

As an academic research institution, UK HealthCare continually strives for the next generation of cures, protocols, treatments, and policies, impacting not only the health care landscape of Kentucky but also that of the nation. The power of advanced medicine at UK HealthCare is dedicated to creating a healthier future for Kentucky and generations to come.

For more information, please contact:

Elizabeth Chapin

Elizabeth.chapin@uky.edu

859-562-2207