Academic / Professional Discussion Groups

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.  Please join us.

View the Discussion Groups Calendar

Inter-programmatic Faculty Seminar Series

First Monday of each month, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

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.

Contact:  Carol Thompson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (808) 586-3076

Artificial Intelligence in Cancer Research - AI PHI Affinity Group

First Friday of each month, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
View AI PHI calendar for upcoming events

This group was formed to discuss the current trends and applications of artificial intelligence in cancer research and clinical practice. The group brings together AI researchers in a variety of fields (computer science, engineering, nutrition, epidemiology radiology, etc) with clinicians and advocates. Students, trainees and faculty with any or no background in AI are encouraged to attend. The goal is to foster collaborative interactions to solve problems in cancer that were thought to be unsolvable a decade ago before the broad use of deep learning and AI in medicine.

Contact:  John Shepherd at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Peter Washington at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Analysis of -Omics Data Working Group

First Wednesday of each month, 3:00 PM

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.

Contact:  Alexandra Binder at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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 at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (808) 564-5978

Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention in the Pacific

Second Tuesday of each month, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Topics include cancer etiology, epidemiology, nutrition, and prevention.

Contact: Lani Park at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (808) 356-5735

Experimental Biology Research in Progress (EXRIP) Seminar Series

Biweekly (Friday), 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

We are launching a new Experimental Biology Research in Progress (EXRIP) series for the postdocs and students in Cancer Biology Program (CBP) of UH Cancer Center and JABSOM. The goal is to present the unpublished work to foster collaborations among labs at UH Cancer Center and JABSOM. 

Contact: Peiwen Fei at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Liver Cancer Affinity Group

Second Wednesday of each month, 11:30 AM

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.

Contact:  Xin Chen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Tripit Reevesman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (808) 564-3970

Supportive Care and Cancer Care Delivery Trials

Fourth Wednesday of each month, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
View more information on the list of topics and zoom details

A monthly informational webinar to highlight and review current and upcoming cancer control, supportive care and cancer care delivery trials available in our community.

Contact:  Tripit Reevesman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Christa Braun-Inglis at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Weekly Trainee Meeting

Every Friday, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM (except on holidays)
View weekly topics (all are confirmed except for dates marked TBA, which will be updated as information becomes available)
View zoom details

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.

Contact: Kathleen Plaza at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Women's Cancer Translational Research Affinity Group

First Tuesday of each month, 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM

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.

Contact: Lenora Loo at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (808) 564-5982 or Tripit Reevesman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (808) 564-3970