Fred Hutch

06/23/2026

"What often goes misunderstood about grief is this: Grief is not only about losing people. It is about losing our imagined futures, of which there are many."

Dr. Megan Shen, a social psychologist and associate professor at Fred Hutch, conducts research on supporting patients living with serious illness. In this guest column for The Seattle Times, she outlines a three-step framework that helps people move through loss in a way that is both honest and transformative.

Most of us spend our lives trying to avoid experiencing grief to avoid the pain of loss. But avoiding grief doesn’t make our loss hurt less, Megan Shen writes.

06/22/2026

Dr. Irini Topalidou, a senior staff scientist in the Basic Sciences Division at Fred Hutch, is the first winner of the Genetics Society of America Mentorship Award who isn’t a principal investigator or faculty member.

The Fred Hutch PI who nominated her, Aakanksha Singhvi, PhD, says Topalidou brings the experience and skills of a PI to both her science and her mentorship.

“She has this rare ability to be the bridge,” Singhvi said. “And it’s not just her position, it’s also the temperament that comes with it — the temperament of wanting to be a community builder, the temperament of wanting to be a good mentor and the temperament of wanting to do good science.”

06/21/2026

At Fred Hutch’s visitor center, guests can leave behind notes about their reasons for being here. Among them are touching tributes to fathers: the ones who inspired us, supported us, and made us laugh (you can never escape a dad joke, even in the visitor center).

To every dad — whether you’re working in the lab or clinic, receiving care, or living on in our memories — thank you.

Wishing you a happy Father's Day from all of us at Fred Hutch! 💙

06/21/2026

It’s officially summer and National Smoothie Day! Coincidence? We think not. Celebrate with these easy, healthy smoothie recipes from Fred Hutch dietitian Paula Macris.
Each recipe works just as well with your favorite dairy-free milk.

The Basic Smoothie
1 banana
1 cup frozen fruit - strawberries or raspberries
1 cup plain Greek yogurt or dairy free yogurt

Tropical Smoothie
¾ cup frozen pineapple
¾ cup frozen mango
½ cup frozen strawberries
½ whole milk (or milk alternative)
½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt or dairy free yogurt
1-2 tsp lemon juice (to taste)

06/20/2026

Using a common chemotherapy drug after a blood stem cell transplant has proven effective in curbing graft-vs.-host disease, halving the risk in patients who undergo the procedure to treat leukemias and other blood diseases. Now, Fred Hutch's Dr. Marco Mielcarek and others aim to find the optimal dose to reduce toxicity and other side effects. 🩸

06/20/2026

What happens after breast cancer treatment ends?
At Fred Hutch, the Women’s Wellness Clinic focuses on long-term follow-up care, supporting people as they navigate life after treatment, as well as those at higher risk for developing breast cancer.
Learn more about the clinic and who it serves:
https://bit.ly/4oD2HY5

What is the Women's Wellness Clinic and who can be seen there? What services are offered? The clinic is open to all genders and focuses on breast cancers.

06/19/2026

The Juneteenth flag is raised on Fred Hutch’s campus as we join the nation in commemorating Juneteenth National Independence Day.

This day honors the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States and recognizes the resilience and strength of those who never gave up hope. We reflect on this history and reaffirm our commitment to a respectful, welcoming environment for all.

06/19/2026

06/18/2026

More than 150 lung cancer researchers, clinicians and patient advocates from around the country gathered at Fred Hutch last week for a two-day working meeting of the Fred Hutch Lung Specialized Project of Research Excellence, or SPORE, sharing insights on immunotherapies, the search for new molecular targets, multi-cancer detection tests and the harsh realities of life with a lung cancer diagnosis.

More than 150 lung cancer researchers, clinicians and patient advocates from around the country gathered at Fred Hutch last week for a two-day working meeting of the Fred Hutch Lung SPORE.