Foundation IMPACT REPORT — 2026
DRIVING INNOVATIONS IN
CANCER CARE An Update on the Paul G. Allen Research Center at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute
Philanthropy powers hope The cancer journey is different for every patient, but I believe every journey should begin in the same way: with purposeful hope. At the Paul G. Allen Research Center at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute, our goal is to redefine cancer research, treatment, and care to provide hope for those facing this daunting journey. I’m incredibly grateful for the transformational gift provided by Paul Allen, whose challenge to improve the experience and outcome of every cancer patient is one I take to heart. His generosity has helped us push the boundaries of what’s possible and inspired so many others to give. In 2024, Paul’s gift enabled us to open our state-of-theart translational research lab, empowering Providence Swedish physician-researchers in their work and helping improve outcomes for patients across the cancer spectrum. We invite you to read on to learn more about the exciting advances we’ve made. As Paul once said, “The possible is constantly being redefined.” His words continue to guide our work as we push the boundaries of research, evolve the standard of care, and transform the lives of patients. In that spirit, our vision for the future is to redefine the cancer journey and move us closer to a world free from cancer. Thank you to our generous community for supporting this vision. With gratitude,
ASHWANI RAJPUT, M.D., FACS REGIONAL EXECUTIVE MEDICAL DIRECTOR, PROVIDENCE SWEDISH CANCER INSTITUTE
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Driving Innovations in Cancer Care
One gift, immeasurable impact
6,000
16
square-foot translational research lab
Swedish physician-investigators And 27 research collaborators, broadening our scope, approaches, and areas of interest
Opened in November 2024 containing both wet and dry lab space
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Optimized bioinformatic integration Using specialized data workflows and computational techniques to make new discoveries that drive innovation in care
research pillars Focused on the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer
$20 million Personal bequest from Paul G. Allen
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active studies and counting Highly customized biospecimen handling Our one-of-a-kind approach sets a new standard for specimen processing, going from human body to lab in less than 30 minutes
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Innovative Investigator Fund awardees
Ranging in scope from solid tumor cancers to rheumatic diseases
THANK YOU
Pilot grants awarded to support inventive research into brain tumors, lung cancers, and CAR-T therapyAn for blood Update onmalignancies the Paul G. Allen Research Center at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute
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Shavonne Tate
Initiative for Prevention and Early Detection Accelerating research to understand how cancer develops and implement interventions that allow for timely diagnosis and early interruption of the disease
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havonne Tate was just 39 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Because she had taken a genetic test, which revealed a gene mutation that put her at a higher risk of developing certain types of cancer, Tate knew to start cancer screenings early. Armed with this invaluable knowledge, Tate’s cancer was caught early, when it was most treatable. That genetic test, Tate says, ultimately saved her life. While Tate’s story illustrates the benefits of genetic testing, it also highlights the limitations of current screenings. Existing screening tools catch only one in seven cancers diagnosed in the
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Driving Innovations in Cancer Care
United States, and there remain many cancers for which there is no effective screening strategy. The Initiative for Prevention and Early Detection (IPED) strives to close this gap. By focusing on research aimed at understanding how cancer develops, the team led by Charles Drescher, M.D., is improving early detection and prevention methods while identifying ways to monitor and track disease progression. Our researchers are also dedicated to addressing health care barriers that create disparities in cancer screening and prevention, expanding lifesaving early-detection efforts to underserved communities.
Research updates A novel precision assay to personalize immunotherapy for endometrial cancer
Evaluating the real-world impact of multi-cancer early detection tests
Immunotherapy, a revolutionary approach harnessing the body’s immune system to fight cancer, has emerged as a promising treatment for endometrial cancer. While immunotherapy can be lifesaving for some patients, available testing cannot reliably identify those likely to benefit, and many patients receive the toxicity and expense of immunotherapy without benefit. This study aims to tackle this critical problem. Using a groundbreaking technology called ImmunoCore, this study creates threedimensional “microtumors” that preserve the tumor’s immune microenvironment that can be treated with immunotherapy drugs in the lab. Using advanced imaging and machine learning, the research team measures how each cancer and immune cell responds, generating a preview of whether the immunotherapy will work before it is given to the patient.
It may be feasible to screen for multiple cancer types using a single blood draw. This project aims to study the real-world application of one of these new multi-cancer detection tests that can detect up to 50 cancers by evaluating blood samples for DNA fragments shed by cancer cells. Researchers hope to learn the best way to implement these tests in patients who are at elevated cancer risk, with an emphasis on patients who have limited access to care, including cancer screening.
Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Charles Drescher, M.D.
Studying the potential of highdimensional, multiplexed protein analysis to improve cancer treatment planning Most anti-cancer therapies target proteins within or attached to cancer cells. Testing for the expression of target proteins is helpful for selecting therapies, however, most protein assays in clinical labs test for single or, at most, a few proteins and are only semi-quantitative. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is emerging as a powerful tool to break this bottleneck and measure, with high precision, hundreds of proteins simultaneously. Working with collaborators at Fred Hutch, our Providence Swedish team will be the first in the country to evaluate the feasibility of incorporating mass spectrometry into clinical decision-making for patients with advanced or recurring endometrial cancer. Lead Providence Swedish investigators: Charles Drescher, M.D., and Fernanda Musa, M.D.
Lead Providence Swedish investigators: Charles Drescher, M.D., and Marianne Dubard-Gault, M.D.
Evaluating and deploying a mobile lung cancer screening program In Washington, many patients at risk for lung cancer reside in rural, tribal, and socioeconomically limited areas, with limited or no access to screening services. This project aims to geospatially analyze access to lung cancer screening across the state and deploy mobile screening units to reduce the barriers to lung cancer screening. Lead Providence Swedish investigators: Candice Wilshire, M.D., MPH, and Jed Gorden, M.D.
Improving treatment approaches for identifying treatment non-responsive ovarian cancer patients Chemotherapy using carboplatin and paclitaxel is standard treatment for patients with ovarian cancer. However, roughly 30 percent of patients fail to respond. In earlier work, the research team developed a 64-protein signature that appears to predict which patients do not respond to chemotherapy and to identify possible alternative treatments. This project looks to confirm the accuracy of the protein signature to predict whether a tumor is resistant to platinumbased chemotherapy in a larger group of patients and identify patients who might benefit from experimental therapies. Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Charles Drescher, M.D.
An Update on the Paul G. Allen Research Center at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute
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Terry Wallace
Center for Immuno-oncology Harnessing the immune system to conquer cancer
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hen Terry Wallace was first diagnosed with lung cancer, his prognosis was grim. The cancer had spread to his larynx and metastasized in his spine, and doctors estimated Wallace had only a year left to live. That was a year and a half ago. Today, Wallace has never felt better. He enjoys dabbling in photography, taking his dog Boomer on walks, and planning a vacation once he’s completed the clinical trial in which he’s enrolled — the one that saved his life. Spearheaded by Kelly Paulson, M.D., Ph.D., the clinical trial investigates the safety and efficacy of a novel combination of immunotherapy drugs on extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer. For patients like Wallace, the findings are already clear. “Every day I wake up is a celebration,” he says.
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Driving Innovations in Cancer Care
In the seventies, the preeminent way to treat cancer was to give the same medications to every patient with the same type of cancer. Today, cancer treatment has evolved to include personalized therapies and immunotherapies that leverage the body’s natural defenses to shrink and potentially cure a patient’s cancer. In the past few years, researchers have seen unprecedented clinical responses and reports of terminal cancer patients defying the odds. Leading this revolutionary approach is our team at the Center for Immuno-oncology, under the leadership of Dr. Paulson. The team focuses on improving, extending, and advancing existing immunotherapies to help these state-of-the-art therapies reach even more patients. By enhancing the body’s natural immune system to identify, detect, and destroy cancer cells, researchers are offering new hope to patients beyond traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.
Research updates FDA approval of a new class of immunotherapy drug
Overcoming health care inequity with innovative cellular therapies
In February 2023, the Center for Immunooncology opened its first clinical trial to examine the role of tarlatamab, a promising immunotherapy in lung cancer. In May 2024, it became the first FDA-approved immunotherapy in its class, opening its use up to patients across the country and laying the foundation for a new combination treatment that’s more than doubled patient survival. Research continues to investigate tarlatamab’s use for the treatment of other cancers, with a prostate cancer trial already underway.
Our researchers are developing new therapies focused on treating cancers that disproportionately impact underserved populations. We are engaged in studies involving engineered therapies for human papillomavirus (HPV) and associated cancers that hold potential to eliminate the need for HIV lentivirus, commonly used in previous treatments, while innovative cellular therapies target a broader range of blood and human leukocyte antigen types more common in non-white patients.
Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Kelly Paulson, M.D., Ph.D.
First-in-human cellular therapy for lymphoma and autoimmune disease Providence Swedish is a recognized leader in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapy, having contributed to several leadingedge trials such as piloting first-in-human studies for patients with lymphoma and being among the first three institutions in the world to treat autoimmune disease such as systemic lupus. Our researchers are now focused on improving existing cell therapies by testing ways to reduce the intensity of chemotherapy “conditioning” and studying the immune system’s response to less toxic regimens, with the goal of making cellular therapies safer, more effective, and more widely available.
Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Kelly Paulson, M.D., Ph.D.
Pursuing improved treatments to prevent immunotherapy resistance The Center for Immuno-oncology has collaborated with several institutes, including the University of California – Los Angeles, City of Hope, and the Institute for Systems Biology, to develop a combination therapy that attacks multiple cancer components and reduces the risk of treatment resistance. This approach not only enhances our understanding of cancer cell behavior and interactions but also drives discoveries about the immune response to cancer, paving the way for customized, more effective treatments. Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Kelly Paulson, M.D., Ph.D.
Lead Providence Swedish investigators: Kelly Paulson, M.D., Ph.D., and Pavle Repovic, M.D., Ph.D.
An Update on the Paul G. Allen Research Center at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute
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Virginia Kuo
Initiative for Molecular and Genomic Evaluation of Cancer Expanding our understanding of how cancer grows, evolves, and evades treatment
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patient with metastatic breast cancer is now able to receive a customized treatment plan thanks to knowledge about a mutation in her estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), which plays a critical role in breast cancer by regulating the response to estrogen. Our sequential genomics research is exploring the mechanisms leading to treatment resistance at the Initiative for Molecular and Genomic Evaluation of Cancer, founded by renowned breast cancer physician and researcher Hank Kaplan, M.D., and now under the leadership of Sid Devarakonda, M.D. “This invaluable information will help determine her care going forward,” Dr. Kaplan says.
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Driving Innovations in Cancer Care
Over the last several decades, researchers have turned to data collected from biological samples and medical records to unravel the complexities of cancer and improve patient outcomes, including Dr. Kaplan’s groundbreaking Swedish Breast Cancer Registry. Now with sequential genomics, we’re attempting to document the timing of both genomic and epigenetic changes in breast and other types of cancer. The goal is to identify these variations before they can cause progression in tumor growth and disease development, allowing us to drive breakthroughs in cancer treatment and transform patient outcomes.
Research updates Sequential genomics to gain insights into metastatic cancer In the United States, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. By monitoring cancer cell DNA circulating in the body, our researchers gain crucial insights into how metastatic cancer mutates to become resistant to treatment. We’re also investigating how tumors interact with their environment, such as what turns certain genes on or off, to discover what’s driving cancer progression and contributing to poor outcomes and drug resistance. Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Hank Kaplan, M.D.
Tracking the evolution of atypical ductal hyperplasia With recent advances in next-generation genomic sequencing, we’re gaining deeper insights into the molecular drivers of ductal carcinoma in situ, a cancer that forms in the milk ducts. By tracking changes in the cancer, as well as the patient’s body during the progression from normal tissue to invasive breast cancer, our researchers can see how the body’s immune response changes because of the disease or treatment. We also explore how the tumor microenvironment — the combination of cells in the tumor — differs from pre-cancerous conditions. These findings help us better understand the transition of normal cells into cancer cells, leading to more targeted approaches to disease monitoring and treatment. Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Hank Kaplan, M.D.
Gaining insights into lung cancer in never-smokers In a troubling trend, patients who have never smoked are being diagnosed with lung cancer at higher rates than ever before. The factors that contribute to never-smoker lung cancer are
poorly understood. We’ve initiated research to better understand how sociodemographic and genetic risk factors affect an individual’s risk of lung cancer and are actively banking samples from patients with never-smoker lung cancer, with the goal of profiling them using leadingedge sequencing technologies. The goal is to identify new avenues for which to pursue novel therapeutic and screening approaches. Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Sid Devarakonda, M.D.
Analyzing DNA and RNA mutations in NUT carcinoma NUT carcinoma is a rare, fatal form of cancer that has traditionally been difficult to study, with around 20 new cases reported each year and a median survival rate of only six to seven months. Now with access to an unprecedented amount of data, our researchers are analyzing the cancer’s DNA and RNA to map the metabolic activity within tumors, enabling us to make inroads toward a better understanding of this aggressive disease. Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Hank Kaplan, M.D.
Understanding mechanisms of treatment resistance in lung cancer Knowing what drives resistance to treatment can help researchers develop more effective options. In collaboration with colleagues from multiple institutions, Dr. Devarakonda has played an instrumental role in cataloging mechanisms of treatment resistance in small-cell lung cancer. Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting in 2025, this data will inform future studies about treatment resistance in non-small-cell lung cancers, using novel techniques such as three-dimensional sequencing. Lead Providence Swedish investigator: Sid Devarakonda, M.D.
An Update on the Paul G. Allen Research Center at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute
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Funding the future Seeding ideas to advance cancer research
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long with the exciting work being pursued under our three scientific pillars, we believe in empowering other promising research ideas to meet Paul’s challenge to improve the experience for every patient.
Innovative Investigator Fund Our Innovative Investigator Fund is a pilot project funding mechanism open to all researchers across Providence Swedish. Twice a year, the Paul G. Allen Research Center reviews applications and awards up to $100,000 for a maximum of two years. This funding gives Providence Swedish physician-investigators the opportunity to pursue novel ideas and gain early data that they can then use to apply for more traditional grants and funding. Recent Innovative Investigator Fund projects include: • A pre-clinical study to review whether a combination of viral vector and cell therapy can improve how patients living with a
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Driving Innovations in Cancer Care
devastating form of brain cancer called glioblastoma respond to treatment. Investigator: Charles Cobbs, M.D., Providence Swedish neurosurgeon • A study evaluating if gut microbiome diversity can predict a non-small-cell lung cancer tumor’s response to immunotherapy and, if so, ways to modify the microbiome to improve survival. Investigator: Adam Bograd, M.D., Providence Swedish thoracic surgeon
Inspiring others to give By accepting Paul’s gift, we committed to being good stewards of his generosity. It is not a commitment we take lightly. With the resources and research capabilities that his generosity has enabled, our Providence Swedish Cancer Institute researchers can now pursue other grants and contracts to drive our mission forward for years to come. In that same spirit, Paul’s gift has been a catalyst for change, inspiring our
community of donors to also give back for the cause. His one gift has reinvigorated belief in what is possible for patients everywhere. • Kuni Foundation Imagination Grants: In 2024, pillar leads Dr. Kaplan, Dr. Devarakonda, and Dr. Drescher each received a $100,000 Imagination Grant from Vancouver, Washington–based Kuni Foundation to accelerate their work. Dr. Kaplan will continue researching how breast cancer evolves and evades therapies. Dr. Drescher will use the funding to investigate chemotherapyresistant ovarian cancer and how to develop customized treatments. Dr. Devarakonda will identify the mutational drivers of lung cancer in those who have never smoked to then develop new targeted therapies. In 2025, Candice Wilshire, M.D., MPH, and Jed Gorden, M.D., received a $100,000 Imagination Grant from Kuni Foundation to pursue their research around pleural disease, the leading cause of symptoms in individuals with lung cancer and other health conditions, with the hopes of improving patients’ quality of life.
• Kuni Foundation Discovery Grant: In 2025, Dr. Drescher received a $1 million Discovery Grant from Kuni Foundation to pursue his research around personalized immunotherapy for endometrial cancer. • National Institutes of Health: Dr. Drescher will investigate the performance and clinical utility of multi-cancer detection tests for those at high genetic risk for cancer. • National Cancer Institute: Dr. Drescher’s pilot study will evaluate the feasibility of mass-spectrometry proteomics to inform treatment approaches to chemotherapyresistant ovarian cancer. • AstraZeneca Grant: Dr. Devarakonda received a $195,000 grant from the biopharmaceutical company to establish guidelines for facilitating evidence-based biomarker testing and management of patients with stage 3 non-small-cell lung cancer. • 1,030 donors: Since the creation of the Paul G. Allen Research Center, community members have donated nearly $4 million to support this vital work.
World-class research fuels world-class care
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rovidence Swedish leads the way in clinical research across the Puget Sound region. At any given time, we’re involved in more than 600 clinical research studies across 30 areas of interest, on par with some of the most prestigious health care systems in the country. What sets Providence Swedish and the Paul G. Allen Research Center apart is our steadfast dedication to our patients. Research paves the way for discovery and new opportunities that push the boundaries of cancer treatment, prevention, and diagnostics. This,
in turn, gives patients hope when traditional treatments have failed. As our research program continues to grow, philanthropy will be the catalyst to accomplish so much more. In the coming year of the Paul G. Allen Research Center at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute, we look forward to pursuing our pillar work, funding more novel ideas from Providence Swedish physician-researchers, and making more advances in how we treat and understand cancer.
From all of us at Providence Swedish, thank you for helping us pursue this life-changing research that will help the patients of today and tomorrow. An Update on the Paul G. Allen Research Center at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute
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Thank you for investing in the health and well-being of our community.
To learn more about the Paul G. Allen Research Center and opportunities to advance cancer research, please contact:
747 Broadway Seattle, WA 98122 206-386-2738 foundation@swedish.org swedishfoundation.org
747 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122
206-386-2738
foundation@swedish.org
swedishfoundation.org