In this episode of On the Edge of Breakthrough: Voices of Cancer Research, Dr. Monty Pal sits down with Dr. Enrique Velazquez Villarreal, a physician-scientist in City of Hope’s Department of Integrative Translational Sciences, whose path into medicine and research is anything but typical.

Dr. Velazquez Villarreal talks about growing up in Mexico, entering medical school at 17, and the many mentors—who shaped his decision to pursue oncology - three of whom he lost to colorectal cancer He shares how his early exposure to both surgery and underserved communities led him to seek answers not only through the scalpel, but through software. The episode dives into his groundbreaking work integrating clinical data with genomics, artificial intelligence, and multi-omics tools to tackle one of the most alarming trends in oncology: the rise of colorectal cancer in young Hispanic patients. He also unpacks his mission to make AI useful, accessible, and truly impactful in the clinic—not just in research papers.

This is a deeply thoughtful conversation about data, technology, and the very human reason behind why it all matters.

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Presented by City Of Hope

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In this episode of On the Edge of Breakthrough: Voices of Cancer Research, Dr. Monty Pal sits down with Dr. Betty Ferrell, trailblazing nurse-scientist and director of the Division of Nursing Research and Education at City of Hope. Known globally for her foundational work in quality of life, pain management, and palliative care, Dr. Ferrell reflects on her nearly four decades of research, mentorship, and advocacy that have reshaped how we define patient-centered cancer care.

Together they trace her journey from bedside nursing in Oklahoma to spearheading research that has influenced standards of care across disciplines—from bone marrow transplantation and thoracic surgery, to early-phase clinical trials. Dr. Ferrell shares her international collaborations, including her work in Ethiopia with colleague Dr. Lesley Taylor, which are driving change in some of the most resource-constrained settings.

This episode is a reminder that treating cancer isn’t just about targeting disease—it’s about recognizing the full human experience behind it.

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In this episode of On the Edge of Breakthrough: Voices of Cancer Research, Dr. Monty Pal talks with Mustafa Raoof, a leading surgical oncologist and physician-scientist at City of Hope, about the challenges and potential in treating some of the toughest cancers.

Dr. Raoof reflects on his path - from boarding school in Pakistan to pioneering new techniques in peritoneal metastasis treatment at a world renowned cancer center, including the promising intraperitoneal therapy known as Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC). He breaks down his lab's latest work on DNA repair in pancreatic cancer, shares his perspectives on the value of making research more accessible across low-resource settings, and discusses how he balances life as a researcher, surgeon, and his most important role as a dad.

This is a grounded, thoughtful conversation that spotlights how innovation meets real-world limitations, and why collaboration —not just within institutions, but across borders — is more essential than ever.

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Presented by City Of Hope

www.CityOfHope.org