GUEST RESEARCHERS
Meet the American Cancer Society grant recipients whose research is helping advance the fight against cancer. We’re grateful to highlight their work and share how ACS funding supports important research, with funds raised through Agents Against Cancer helping fuel this mission.
Dr. Gabriele Romano
AAC 2026 - Golf New Jersey & Gala Chicago
Department of Pharmacology & Physiology at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Dr. Gabriele Romano is an Associate Professor at Drexel University College of Medicine, where his lab studies cancer drug resistance and the mechanisms that allow tumors to resist targeted and immunotherapy treatments, with a focus on melanoma, immune evasion, and HIV and cancer.
His work has been supported by the American Cancer Society through multiple grants, including awards in 2022, 2023, and 2026. His current ACS-supported research focuses on immune responses and therapeutic strategies for people living with HIV who develop cutaneous melanoma.
Special Video Message for the 2026 AAC Fundraisers
Dr. Sara Hardy
AAC 2026 - Golf New Jersey & Gala Chicago
University of Washington Medical Center in Montlake, and the Alvord Brain Tumor Center.
Dr. Sara Hardy is an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Washington and an Associate Professor at Fred Hutch, specializing in brain and spinal cord tumors. Her research focuses on understanding neurologic and cognitive side effects of cancer and its treatment, with a particular interest in helping older adults maintain quality of life after a brain tumor diagnosis.
Her work has been supported by the American Cancer Society through the ASTRO-ACS Clinician Scientist Development Grant, which funds research examining how frailty contributes to cognitive side effects after radiation in older adults.
Special Video Message for the 2026 AAC Fundraisers
Dr. Arthur Hong
AAC Dallas, TX Tournament Fundraiser - 2025
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and at Parkland Health
Dr. Arthur Hong leads a group of researchers and clinicians - the Cancer Care Delivery Research Collaborative - at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and at Parkland Health, who work together to fix last-mile problems and inefficiencies in cancer care delivery.
His work has been generously supported by the American Cancer Society with 2 separate grants, from 2020-2023 and another that started this month and runs through 2027.
Dr. Nicole F. Steinmetz
AAC San Diego, CA Golf Classic - 2024
University of Washington Medical Center in Montlake, and the Alvord Brain Tumor Center.
Dr. Nicole Steinmetz is a Professor of Chemical and Nano Engineering at UC San Diego and Director of the Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering. Her research focuses on nanomedicine and bionanotechnology, using plant virus-based nanomaterials for drug delivery, molecular imaging, vaccines, and cancer immunotherapy. Her work has been supported by the American Cancer Society, including an ACS Research Scholar Award.
