Clinical Research Division

Discovering Novel Treatments on the Path to a Cure

Fred Hutch was founded on the bold innovations and pioneering research that led our earliest clinicians to discover bone marrow transplantation as a cure for leukemia. Building on this Nobel Prize-winning success, our research and clinical teams strive to further prevent, detect and treat cancer and other diseases. Our ultimate goal is a cure.

Established in the 1960s, the Clinical Research Division now includes more than 100 faculty members and dozens of scientific laboratories. Our faculty participate in a combination of advanced laboratory and clinical research as well as direct patient care. Our priority is translating promising discoveries from the laboratory to improve outcomes and quality of life for people with cancer and other illnesses, including HIV and infectious diseases.

Division researchers enjoy a world-class reputation thanks to the volume of research we publish yearly in internationally renowned journals. We have also conducted groundbreaking experiments and clinical trials that have enabled our partner institutions to achieve the best survival outcomes in the country for multiple types of cancer.

A patient having a consultation with researcher Dr. Sylvia Lee..

Sharing the Knowledge

Our faculty include physicians dedicated to the highest standards of patient care as well as laboratory and clinical researchers. From laboratory bench to bedside, researchers in the Clinical Research Division develop and analyze new treatments for cancers and other diseases. Through these studies, our scientists discover new ways to prevent, detect, diagnose and treat disease.

A researcher looks through a microscope.

Real-World Impact

Division scientists conduct cutting-edge research and clinical trials designed to improve patient care and survival. Each year, hundreds of trials are conducted by scientists at Fred Hutch and our Cancer Consortium partners UW, and Seattle Children’s. Patients have access to our clinical trials for a number of diseases. Patient participation is a vital and critical component of our innovative disease research.

Innovative and Collaborative Research

Learn about our scientific leadership, job openings, upcoming events and seminars hosted by the Clinical Research Division.

Find Out More About Our Clinical Trials

FEATURED PROGRAMS

A Legacy of Visionary Research

Grounded in a history of innovation and excellence established by Dr. E. Donnall Thomas and Fred Hutch’s founders, our clinical researchers have continued to revolutionize cancer treatment and detection. In the 1960s, bone marrow transplantation was cutting edge. Since then, transplantation has become a standard of care.

Today, innovation lies in the revolutionary fields of immunotherapy and gene therapy. Committed to pursuing lifesaving treatment at the forefront of cancer research, division researchers have developed groundbreaking immunotherapy treatments as well as improved transplantation. Over the years, our pioneering achievements in cancer treatment have saved millions of lives worldwide.
 

Dr. Filippo Milano

Cord Blood Advances Transplantation

Dr. Filippo Milano and his team have applied a technique developed by Drs. Colleen Delaney and Irwin Bernstein to successfully treat blood cancer patients who lack
access to suitable donors. The process allows the multiplying of umbilical cord blood for transplantation.

Cord Blood Transplant Program

Dr. Hans-Peter Kiem

Gene Therapy Enhances Glioblastoma Treatment

Dr. Hans-Peter Kiem has engineered blood stem cells to resist the toxicity of chemotherapy. This prolongs the life of glioblastoma patients, whose tumors are notoriously difficult to treat.

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Dr. Sylvia Lee

Immunotherapy Eliminates Melanoma

Dr. Sylvia Lee has isolated and multiplied several patients’ most potent tumor-killing T cells and infused them back, in conjunction with immune system stimulating factors. This landmark approach has eliminated advanced melanoma cancer in two clinical trial patients, and it could inform our approach to tumor treatment in the future.

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Latest Clinical Research News

All Clinical Research News
New funding drives six breast cancer studies Scientists from Fred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Cancer Consortium receive $1.7M in grants from Breast Cancer Research Foundation November 4, 2024
New biomarker could one day help tailor immunotherapy for Merkel cell carcinoma Helps explain why only certain MCC patients respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors, could point toward new strategies to improve treatment responses February 9, 2024
Reducing frequency of immunotherapy dosing could save money and time, keep patients on therapy longer Study of immune checkpoint inhibitor dosing in patients with advanced skin cancers could help guide long-term treatment plans December 11, 2023