CAHON 2025 Summer Symposium & Reception Meeting Report

CAHON 2025 Summer Symposium & Reception
Date & Venue: May 31, 2025 | Metropolitan in Willis Tower, Chicago, IL

Introduction

The Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network (CAHON) hosted its 2025 Summer Symposium & Reception during the ASCO Annual Meeting. The event brought together leaders in academia, industry, and clinical practice, as well as trainees and young investigators. The program included board updates, presidential and journal reports, two interactive panel discussions, recognition of outstanding early-career investigators, and networking opportunities.

Opening Session

• Jing-Zhou Hou, MD, PhD (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, CAHON Board Chair) delivered opening remarks, providing a Board of Directors update. He thanked outgoing board members, welcomed new leadership, and reaffirmed CAHON’s mission to advance global collaboration and career development.
• Liang Deng, MD, PhD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, CAHON President) gave the Presidential Address, highlighting CAHON’s growth, new initiatives under the 2024–2027 Strategic Plan, and expanded partnerships with ASCO and AACR. She emphasized mentorship, member engagement, and CAHON’s role as a bridge between U.S. and Chinese oncology communities.

Panel Discussions

1. Life After Fellowship: Strategies for Success in Academia, Industry, and Community Practice

Moderators: Cynthia Ma, MD, PhD - Washington University and Charles Jiang, MD, MPH - UT Southwestern
Panelists: Peter Q. Jiang, MD PhD - John B. Amos Cancer Center; Tianhong Li, MD, PhD - UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center; Minggui Pan, MD, PhD - Stanford University; Yucai Wang, MD, PhD - Mayo Clinic; Wanqing Iris Zhi, MD, PhD - NYU Langone, Perlmutter Cancer

The discussion highlighted:

• Navigating career transitions from fellowship into academic, industry, and community roles.
• Importance of mentorship, professional networks, and adaptability in building sustainable careers.
• Strategies to balance clinical, research, and administrative responsibilities.
• Career reflections from panelists underscored diverse pathways, from community practice leadership to clinical trial innovation and industry engagement

2. From Bench to Clinic: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Hematology and Oncology

Moderators: Liang Deng, MD, PhD - CAHON President, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer and Jing- Zhou Hou, MD, PhD - CAHON Board Chair, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Panelists: Zhihong Chen, MD - Curon Biopharmaceutical; Ke Liu, MD, PhD - Marengo Therapeutics; Yang Liu, PhD - OncoC4, Inc.; Chongxian Pan, MD, PhD, MS - Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Wenru Song, MD, PhD – Kira Pharma; Pan Zheng, MD, PhD - OncoC4, Inc.; Sen Zhuang, MD, PhD – Johnson & Johnson.

Key themes included:

• Translating laboratory discoveries into clinical applications through rigorous preclinical and regulatory pathways.
• Building biotech companies and securing funding through venture capital, SBIR/STTR grants, and partnerships.
• Navigating FDA engagement and intellectual property strategies to accelerate therapeutic development.
• Lessons in entrepreneurship and leadership, emphasizing teamwork, resilience, and the role of CAHON as a professional network for innovators.

Young Investigator Awards (YIA)

The CAHON 2024–2026 Academic Committee Co-Chair, Dr. Iris (Wanqing) Zhi, MD, PhD, along with committee member Dr. Minggui Pan, MD, PhD, presented the Young Investigator Awards. Each recipient was honored for their outstanding contributions during the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Awardees:

• Guo Cheng, MD – Greater Baltimore Medical Center
• Jiasen He, MD – MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Yuqing Wang, MD, PhD – Montefiore Medical Center
• Lawrence Wu, MD – Columbia University Irving Medical Center
• Jiazhang Xing, MD – Sinai Hospital of Baltimore
• Maggie Yuxi Zhou, MD – Stanford University

These awardees showcased research spanning molecular oncology, pediatric brain tumors, cancer immunology, health equity, and sarcoma, underscoring CAHON’s commitment to supporting the next generation of physician-scientists.

Closing Remarks & Networking

The program concluded with closing reflections from Dr. Liang Deng, reinforcing CAHON’s mission to connect and mentor across generations of oncology leaders. The evening transitioned into a social gathering with opportunities for networking among faculty, trainees, and industry representatives.

Conclusion

The 2025 Summer Symposium & Reception successfully blended scientific dialogue, career mentorship, and community-building. It highlighted CAHON’s dual role as a professional home for Chinese American oncologists and a global connector in hematology and oncology. Through panels, awards, and networking, the event strengthened CAHON’s impact on both early-career development and translational research innovation.